Bathroom Quote

[Catty-E]

I would appreciate some advice for changing bathroom to shower room.
I've asked a builders to - remove old suite + tiles, fit moisture resistant boards throughout, skim walls and ceiling, tank shower area, fit 2 wet walls at 90 degrees to each other, fit shower cubicle, fit toilet, move basin pipework to facing wall, move radiater pipes, fit basin, fit radiator, fit electric shower + extractor fan + light (wiring already in place), paint (anti-mould) throughout, fit plywood flooring + vinyl over plywood, fit accessories, silicone throughout. No tiling other than 2 rows above basin. Builder to dispose of old suite/tiles etc.
I'm providing the full bathroom, including fixing kits/waste kits, paint, towel warmer, wetwalls.
Builder's supplying plaster, moisture resistant plasterboard, plywood.

Price, for labour only (includes plasterboards/plywood/plaster) is £2300. Bathroom is 2m by 1.5m. Is this overpriced or ok?

 

[23vc]

Sounds very cheap to me

 

[Iamchamps]

Does not sound a bad price only the other day there was someone posting on here asking if 3.5k - 4K was a good price for labour on a small bathroom refit.

 

[dilalio]

I've just quoted 3.8k for a small ensuite shower room. Includes tiling but no materials. I start in the morning

 

[AGAS]

Catty-E you sure thats all the work that needs doing , i bet it isn't

 

[FiremanT]

Sounds cheap.

Assuming it is done well

 

[AGAS]

I'm guessing Catty-E thinks its expensive

 

[HERTS P&D]

It's cheap until they add on all the extras.

Andy

 

[Catty-E]

He wants 20% deposit upfront. I didn't think this is what happened with labour only quotes. Would you pay upfront? Is paying this deposit a week before work's due to start a bit risky?

 

[muggles]

@Catty-E That sounds too cheap to me, think you're in danger of ending up with a bodge job at that. Pay peanuts, get monkeys

 

[muggles]

20% deposit sounds reasonable, that'll cover some of his materials costs (it's not really labour-only is it - he's supplying plywood, MR plasterboard, plaster......)

Incidentally I'd recommend Hardibacker/No More Ply/Similar in a shower area. MR plasterboard is fine away from a shower but is far from waterproof

 

[Catty-E]

Thanks Muggles - should I be asking for cement board instead of MR plasterboard?

 

[muggles]

I certainly would if it was me - it's totally waterproof and doesn't need plastering, you just prime it and glue your tiles or shower panels straight to it. I used No More Ply on my own shower at home

The major issue with board and skim, besides it not being waterproof, is that it really should be left for a week between skimming and tiling/panelling to ensure the moisture has left it, and a lot of contractors (especially ones on a very tight budget such as yours) won't have allowed sufficient time in the job to do that. Any less and you risk ending up with a poor bond between skim and board as moisture gets trapped inside, potentially resulting in things coming loose

 

[AGAS]

He wants 20% deposit upfront. I didn't think this is what happened with labour only quotes. Would you pay upfront? Is paying this deposit a week before work's due to start a bit risky?

Daja vue , as I've said before no one likes paying deposits but it's normal, tbh if you don't trust him don't use him simples,but do you trust anyone

 

[dilalio]

So... is this "builder" doing the "plumbing" too? And the tiling?

You'd be better off with a bathroom fitter plumber!

Edit: get 2 more quotes