Bathroom quotes...
Discussion
Chaps, I have had a couple of quotes from builders/plumbers/electricians, and want to get a sense check as to whether this sounds expensive, instinctively. My place is a Victorian 3 bed place in Dulwich, London. Has two bathrooms, both of which are knackered, with no electrics in them except of overhead lighting circuits with non compliant unsealed lighting units.
Basically, I am having, in both bathrooms a complete remodel including substantial electrical work (so not just retiling/replacing suite):
- Underfloor heating
- Stone tiling (marble in one, Travertine/Sandstone in the other)
- Whirlpool spa baths
- New basins/toilets/taps etc
- Shaver sockets
- Extractor fans, with new core holes drilled for these as there are currently no extractors
- Sealed and compliant lighting units
- All the electrical work required for this, as neither bathroom has a mains electrical supply at all – so fairly heavy electrical work running new feeds in from fuse box for heating, baths, extractors and shaver sockets
Main electrics
- New fuse box (but not full rewire)
- New plug sockets on stairs to enable hoovering of them (currently not possible!)
Heating
- Brand new gas water heater in downstairs bathroom to replace knackered old one, so downstairs retains separate hot water feed
- Draining, flushing, servicing and refilling of central heating system and boiler.
Kitchen/living room
- Removal of a stud wall, including moving of light switches, to make living room/kitchen open plan
- Core hole drilled for cooker extractor (currently goes outside through the window)
Making good walls etc post work, but no decorating (will do this myself)
Price for all of this, with inevitable price slippage I’m factoring in is looking around the £15k mark inc VAT. All electrical and gas work certified, obviously.
Still need to budget for a new kitchen, you see... and this price is important as this work is preventing me from getting a Gallardo...
Any thoughts appreciated.
Basically, I am having, in both bathrooms a complete remodel including substantial electrical work (so not just retiling/replacing suite):
- Underfloor heating
- Stone tiling (marble in one, Travertine/Sandstone in the other)
- Whirlpool spa baths
- New basins/toilets/taps etc
- Shaver sockets
- Extractor fans, with new core holes drilled for these as there are currently no extractors
- Sealed and compliant lighting units
- All the electrical work required for this, as neither bathroom has a mains electrical supply at all – so fairly heavy electrical work running new feeds in from fuse box for heating, baths, extractors and shaver sockets
Main electrics
- New fuse box (but not full rewire)
- New plug sockets on stairs to enable hoovering of them (currently not possible!)
Heating
- Brand new gas water heater in downstairs bathroom to replace knackered old one, so downstairs retains separate hot water feed
- Draining, flushing, servicing and refilling of central heating system and boiler.
Kitchen/living room
- Removal of a stud wall, including moving of light switches, to make living room/kitchen open plan
- Core hole drilled for cooker extractor (currently goes outside through the window)
Making good walls etc post work, but no decorating (will do this myself)
Price for all of this, with inevitable price slippage I’m factoring in is looking around the £15k mark inc VAT. All electrical and gas work certified, obviously.
Still need to budget for a new kitchen, you see... and this price is important as this work is preventing me from getting a Gallardo...
Any thoughts appreciated.
Agreed, sounds too good to be true particularly for London.
When I had my bathroom done in Reading, while it was only 3.5k, the work was a lot less and in a very small room. I would expect your level of work in the same size to have cost at least 8k or so.
Have you had any references from people about this guy?
When I had my bathroom done in Reading, while it was only 3.5k, the work was a lot less and in a very small room. I would expect your level of work in the same size to have cost at least 8k or so.
Have you had any references from people about this guy?
Edited by Famous Graham on Wednesday 27th May 16:39
Famous Graham said:
Agreed, sounds too good to be true particularly for London.
When I had my bathroom done in Reading, while it was only 3.5k, the work was a lot less and in a very small room. I would expect your level of work in the same size to have cost at least 8k or so.
Have you had any references from people about this guy?
Yes, that's how I know him - worked on complete refurb of my neighbours' second home. He has also on the back of that just done our roof and exterior to a decent budget and good standard, so I like his work.When I had my bathroom done in Reading, while it was only 3.5k, the work was a lot less and in a very small room. I would expect your level of work in the same size to have cost at least 8k or so.
Have you had any references from people about this guy?
Edited by Famous Graham on Wednesday 27th May 16:39
Muzzer said:
Hard to say without knowing how much you've spent on the suite and tiles, etc.
How long has the builder/sparky said it will take?
Sparks says they will take 3-4 days. Builder has not yet come in with time estimate.How long has the builder/sparky said it will take?
The problem with this company is not their work (which is actually very good), it's pinning the boss down to get stuff done on time; he works for Dulwich College, who have a major refurb on at the moment...soaking up his time.
Harry Flashman said:
Plotloss said:
So if you take out the cost of the kit that you've already bought from the £15K inc.
What is left?
£10K ish?
About £11k if you factor in the underfloor heating supply and installation, which I think the electricians have to do.What is left?
£10K ish?
Now seems very toppy for £11K I have to say.
Plotloss said:
Seems like you want a lot done for £11K though you never know...
Actually, instinctively I thought that the work was quite good value at £11k or so myself (electrics and gas work are significant) - but he delivered a similarly good quote (and delivered) on our exterior, so I believe him, and that he will not inflate the price (unless for genuinely unexpected issues, of which we had 2 when refurbishing the exterior) as the work goes on.These are his quotes, and I have not yet pushed him on price - just wanted to know what others with more experience than me felt...
Hi Harry,
Without a physical inspection of your property or even photos to see the true extent I'd say your 11k is a very, very good price. I used to rennovate houses & flats in the UK and bumped up against a few situations similar to your current project.
My instincts tell me the builder might be low balling the estimate to get the business from you and then hit you for extras once the work is underway. There's quite a bit involved with your project but I reckon a schedule of 2.5 weeks with a dynamic duo with the odd subbie is about right.
If you want a better idea of the job costing head over to the Screwfix forums or a website called trusted tradesmen. You might even find a few good contacts for materials !
Without a physical inspection of your property or even photos to see the true extent I'd say your 11k is a very, very good price. I used to rennovate houses & flats in the UK and bumped up against a few situations similar to your current project.
My instincts tell me the builder might be low balling the estimate to get the business from you and then hit you for extras once the work is underway. There's quite a bit involved with your project but I reckon a schedule of 2.5 weeks with a dynamic duo with the odd subbie is about right.
If you want a better idea of the job costing head over to the Screwfix forums or a website called trusted tradesmen. You might even find a few good contacts for materials !
Fenix, thanks for your help in both this and the UFH thread – appreciated. I think you chaps are right; that this is a competitive quote. My place is quite big, but the bathrooms are not massive – about 6 square metres and 7 square metres; so baths need to have showers etc – no separate shower enclosures etc.
While our builder behaved himself impeccably while working on the outside of our house, I suppose you are right and that he may try to squeeze me once the work has started.
Once the plumbing and electrical work are done and the scaffolding is down (was up for the external works, so useful for core drilling, installing flue for water heater etc), the fitting of the bathroom can be done by anyone, so I am hoping I have a bit more leverage as I don’t really need him that much. Similarly the taking out of the internal stud wall – it’s not essential work; just wanted it done while there were builders in the house doing bathrooms anyway. He knows that I am fairly handy with plumbing anyway – so if just for arguments sake he left my suites disconnected and bathrooms in disarray while arguing over cash, I can happily plumb in my new sanitary ware so that I at least have a usable bathroom; I won’t be desperate, just angry...
My £15k price includes a £2.5k reserve I left for “extras” – but do you think it would be a good tactic, once schedule for work etc agreed, that I offer say £1-1.5k as a “bonus” if the work is completed on time and on budget?
Spoke to him this morning and gave the go ahead for him to drill the core holes for extractors and fit the water heater (need to be done this week, as scaffolding due to be down next week). No money has changed hands yet – he knows I’ll pay on time as I have handled paying him for the external works on the freehold building. I sent him a detailed e-mail last week, with my schedule of works and in what order to do stuff with the electrician so that one bathroom is always usable, and he agreed to it this morning; only thing is that I have not yet agreed actual timescales...
While our builder behaved himself impeccably while working on the outside of our house, I suppose you are right and that he may try to squeeze me once the work has started.
Once the plumbing and electrical work are done and the scaffolding is down (was up for the external works, so useful for core drilling, installing flue for water heater etc), the fitting of the bathroom can be done by anyone, so I am hoping I have a bit more leverage as I don’t really need him that much. Similarly the taking out of the internal stud wall – it’s not essential work; just wanted it done while there were builders in the house doing bathrooms anyway. He knows that I am fairly handy with plumbing anyway – so if just for arguments sake he left my suites disconnected and bathrooms in disarray while arguing over cash, I can happily plumb in my new sanitary ware so that I at least have a usable bathroom; I won’t be desperate, just angry...
My £15k price includes a £2.5k reserve I left for “extras” – but do you think it would be a good tactic, once schedule for work etc agreed, that I offer say £1-1.5k as a “bonus” if the work is completed on time and on budget?
Spoke to him this morning and gave the go ahead for him to drill the core holes for extractors and fit the water heater (need to be done this week, as scaffolding due to be down next week). No money has changed hands yet – he knows I’ll pay on time as I have handled paying him for the external works on the freehold building. I sent him a detailed e-mail last week, with my schedule of works and in what order to do stuff with the electrician so that one bathroom is always usable, and he agreed to it this morning; only thing is that I have not yet agreed actual timescales...
Trommel said:
Don't underestimate how long decorating to a decent standard takes, and what a pain it is to get a good finish if you're not practised.
True - but I decorated my place myself, and it looks OK (or did, before the builders moved in). That said, I will be getting all woodwork replaced (skirting doors and door frames), as they have been painted too many times, and I'm thinking replacing is easier than stripping and refinishing...Trouble with having (hopefully) decent bathrooms is that they will make the rest of the place look tired...
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