Guys, I'd value your opinion. While my plumber was fixing a new central heating boiler, I thought it would make sense to have my bathroom radiator replaced by a chrome towel rail. However, when I looked at what he'd done, I found he'd mounted it on the wall with all the pipes coming up through the floor (as they did with the radiator). It looks dreadful. Because all the pictures I've seen show these towel rails neatly fixed, with the pipes chased into the wall I didn't even think to specify that this was what I wanted. Silly me, perhaps - but what do you think? Is this what you would do? I'll take a photo later and put it up here so you can see what I mean.
towel rail problem
- Thread starter NickStone
- Start date
Unless you specify what you want then he would probably take the easiest route for the pipework-chasing into the wall would also cost more in labour-you need to tell your plumber what you want otherwise how is he meant to know? 
NickStone said:chr15 said:you need to tell your plumber what you want otherwise how is he meant to know?
He could have asked! After all, he's supposed to be the expert.
Still about personal choice at the end of the day-yes he may be the expert but if he'd gone to the trouble of concealing the pipework and then charged you more than you thought was fair then you would have another complaint so this is the reason for getting it straight before the work starts-there is no right or wrong way when talking about exposed or concealed pipes-just preferance.
Errr yeh I am a plumber for want of a better word but you didn't say whether he'd given you a price first or not-and whether he did or didn't-you-as the customer should have discussed with him what you were getting for that price surely? 
chr15 said:
Good - and I'm sure you're an excellent plumber, Chr15. You've given me some advice here: I should have done this, I should have done that, so I hope you don't mind if I reply from my point of view as a customer? I'd guess this all comes down to communication so please don't take this as me telling you how to run your business.
When customers approach you for estimates, you don't know how much they know. This may be the first job they've ever had done. It may be the 200th - or somewhere in between. As a result, they may not know that there are several different ways of doing a job, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. You, on the other hand, are very well aware. You know all the options - and how much each costs. Speaking as a customer, I can promise you that what most customers want is to be given information to help them choose. All my plumber really needed to say was. 'Would you like me to hide the pipes or are you OK to have them exposed? Chasing in will cost you more but it will look better.'
Oh, and yes, he did submit an estimate and no, it didn't specify how he was going to do it. Perhaps I just look cheap - although no, I don't think so. I did choose the Rolls Royce of boilers.
NickStone said:
Thats all well and good what you've said but it still doesn't alter the fact that you didn't clearly expess what YOU wanted as the paying customer-personally if I had been doing the job I would have told you my preferred way of doing the pipework and ask if you agree with it so as to avoid situations such as the one you now have, and then no worries.
But everyone is not the same and doesnt work the same way-you cannot expect a tradesman to know exactly what you want from a job if you don't tell him- If all you said was 'I would like a new towel radiator in place of the origional radiator' with no extra verbal requests then he has fullfilled his obligation-if on the other hand you had said 'I want a new towel radiator and I would like you to hide the pipes as much as possible' then I'm sure he would have given you some options. If he is a decent type then maybe you could express your concerns to him and come to an agreement regarding extra labour costs and get the job done as you want it done-but you need to TELL him- mindreaders we are not. And you obviously knew what you did and didn't want otherwise you wouldn't be posting here.
Just out of interest-what was the 'rolls royce' you had fitted?
NickStone
Would certainly agree with the OP on this one.
Having the pipes straight up from the floor looks OK especially in chrome coated coper and the chrome pipe collars fitted. Adds that finished touch.
The more professional plumber or bathroom fitter will track the walls and have no pipe showing at all. Very professional.
Turning copper pipes 90 degrees above the floor to fit a chrome towel rail after a conventional radiator is removed is bodging at its best.
An experienced fitter will know instantly its going to look a mess and explain this and the work involved doing it correctly and how much extra this will cost .
Would certainly agree with the OP on this one.
Having the pipes straight up from the floor looks OK especially in chrome coated coper and the chrome pipe collars fitted. Adds that finished touch.
The more professional plumber or bathroom fitter will track the walls and have no pipe showing at all. Very professional.
Turning copper pipes 90 degrees above the floor to fit a chrome towel rail after a conventional radiator is removed is bodging at its best.
An experienced fitter will know instantly its going to look a mess and explain this and the work involved doing it correctly and how much extra this will cost .
Balenza said:NickStone
Would certainly agree with the OP on this one.
Having the pipes straight up from the floor looks OK especially in chrome coated coper and the chrome pipe collars fitted. Adds that finished touch.
The more professional plumber or bathroom fitter will track the walls and have no pipe showing at all. Very professional.
Turning copper pipes 90 degrees above the floor to fit a chrome towel rail after a conventional radiator is removed is bodging at its best.
Yep-too true-I know what looks better-but what I was saying is,all plumbers don't work to the same standard so it would be wise to make it clear before the work starts exactly what you want doing.
chr15 said:
Must have been a Vaillant
I agree with chr15, I always give a price before I start and ask how customers expect it to look.
Saying that nice straight pipes out of the floor to the straight valves on a towel rail are usually the 'norm' unless otherwise specified
gas4you said:chr15 said:
Must have been a Vaillant
In your dreams maybe.
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