Bathroom refit.

[Robson77]

Hi there.

A family member sought a quote for a bathroom refit. This includes rip out/disposal and install, She will provide all materials including floor tiles, wall tiles (half way up wall), all white goods including sink, toilet, bath and replacement shower (above bath).

Room is quite small. 2.6 M X 1.45 M.

Only significant change is for bath to be run lengthways (rather than width as at present) and sink to be moved to where bath sits now. I understand there may be some changes to incoming water and plumbing, but waste pipe will remain unchanged. No change to rads, quite includes install of 4 spotlights. No anticipated structural issues etc.

She has only had one quote (I advised that she get at least 2 more, ideally from local recommendations). Anyway, builder quoted 10 days work for very close to 5 figures. This seemed very high, especially as it's solely for labour on what looks a small job.

I realise it's hard to give the full details here and there will be regional differences but could anyone comment on this quote? it seems to me this is poor value. Cheers.

 

[johnny2007]

Unfortunately there's such a scarcity of good traders that the few still running charge whatever they want.
A few years ago you could get what you asked for about £3k and that would be a fair price for both sides.
See other quotes, but be careful with wannabe bathroom fitters/jack of all trades.
There's some plumbing to be done, tiling and fittings.
This needs to be done by someone who knows what they're doing.
You don't want gurgling waste, blockages, leaks and tiles falling off the walls in 1-2 years time.

 

[just pumps]

Hi there.

A family member sought a quote for a bathroom refit. This includes rip out/disposal and install, She will provide all materials including floor tiles, wall tiles (half way up wall), all white goods including sink, toilet, bath and replacement shower (above bath).

Room is quite small. 2.6 M X 1.45 M.

Are you sure about the size of the room?

 

[Deleted member 292770]

A few years ago you could get what you asked for about £3k

And should still apply. For a room that size , labour only.

 

[johnny2007]

And should still apply. For a room that size , labour only.

Good luck with that.
As said, the good traders now charge 3 to 4 times the normal rate because they know people are fed up with rogue.
And why blame them?

 

[Deleted member 292770]

Good luck with that.
As said, the good traders now charge 3 to 4 times the normal rate because they know people are fed up with rogue.
And why blame them?

So you reckon people are charging 9-12k labour for a bathroom 2.6x1.45 m?

 

[johnny2007]

So you reckon people are charging 9-12k labour for a bathroom 2.6x1.45 m?

Yes, as the op said.
They can because they can do the work to a high standard and their reputation preceeds them.
On some occasions I have charged the equivalent of £500/600 a day for skilled work.
People are happy to pay because they know that after that they'll have no problems for decades.
This is becoming more and more common because skilled tradesmen are becoming very rare.
I paid £250 to reroute a gas pipe by a metre around a corner.
One hour work including tea and chit chat, but I was happy to pay that because I know the plumber and his standards.
I've paid a car sprayer £750 to spray a front wing.
Again, I could've gone somewhere else and pay £250 (actual quote from another place), but I was happy to pay extra to get a top standard.
Not unusual nowadays to hear about standard 3m extension costing over £50k.
Then again, there are people doing the same job for £20k.
Pay peanuts, get monkeys.
Said all of this, £12k for that size bathroom is well over the top.

 

[Deleted member 292770]

I paid £250 to reroute a gas pipe by a metre around a corner.

fools and they’re money are soon parted.

£12k for that size bathroom is well over the top.

suggesting you’d be happy at 9k?

 

[Nige F]

Yes, as the op said.
They can because they can do the work to a high standard and their reputation preceeds them.
On some occasions I have charged the equivalent of £500/600 a day for skilled work.
People are happy to pay because they know that after that they'll have no problems for decades.
This is becoming more and more common because skilled tradesmen are becoming very rare.
I paid £250 to reroute a gas pipe by a metre around a corner.
One hour work including tea and chit chat, but I was happy to pay that because I know the plumber and his standards.

But in London you've got Plimlico Plumbers to compare £

 

[ETAF]

i was had 3 quotes last year , £2.5K/£3K and not interested in doing, for a small 0.9m x 2m clockroom, we supplied all the materials,- just labour - to fit a new floor, replace the existing toilet - same position and replace the basin same position and half tiled the walls, rest all painted.
I did it all my self in the end, 3weeks it took me (1/2 days with some days off ), also fitted a radiator and made all the units

We had a bathroom and en-suite all part of same room, again supplied all the white goods, furniture and material - that was 6K labour only , before covid, and they had just gone self employed , so looking out for work

We have the same for a repair on a wall, 3 people round, 1 was very keen and phoned a few times about the brickwork etc - i agreed that all sounded ok, and wait for his final quote and what that included , never came , others never bothered quoting, and nolonger answering phone.

The electrician who replaced the CU and started to rewire the house , since covid has not been possible to get to come round , every time i call or text , he says hell be round and never turns up - with some excuse .......

Very difficult to get trades , especially with all the new builds being aboved in the area - i would guess 1,500 houses going up and another 1000 in planning !!!!!

 

[johnny2007]

But in London you've got Plimlico Plumbers to compare £

Exactly.

 

[johnny2007]

fools and they’re money are soon parted.

suggesting you’d be happy at 9k?
Labour only ? or all in?

How many members here complain about bad work, sometimes dangerous.
For £250 I can sleep sound that I will not have problems with that gas pipe.
I won't be happy at £9k for the op's project.
In fact, I wouldn't be happy at £3k.
I would do it myself and do it properly rather than trying to find a cheap desperate cowboy to rip me off.

 

[Robson77]

Thanks for the replies gents, there are a lot of new builds going up. Anyway, we'll get some more quotes.

 

[albaPhenom]

I had a similar size bathroom fitted, supplied 90% of materials, similar spec to yours except I did the strip out and disposal.

Took one guy one week and a couple days… £2800 and he supplied Hardie Backer, framing timber and plasterboard. This was July last year when everyone was snowed under with the post lockdown rush. Took a week and a half for mostly one guy.

Other quotes I had were around the same value, up to around £3750.

This is Scotland though but even still, £500-1000 / day sounds a bit ridiculous. I don’t grudge anyone a decent days wage but some people seem to think they’re due rockstar wages because they do a decent job.

Problem is you don’t even know if they do that yet.

 

[cdbe]

Give it a year or so. Many people simply won't have the money to pay inflated prices to replace functional things that don't really need replacing and will eke them out - those in the trade who have been "making hay while the sun shines" - as that's what you do if in business - will have to cut their prices if they want to work.

People have been replacing their £10k annual holiday spend with a £10k bathroom, soon that will be replaced with a £10k food and fuel bill.