quotes for bathroom work - any thoughts please?

[BellevilleRendezvous]

Am getting some quotes to renovate my tired old bathroom. Got 2 in so far. One is £1800, the other is twice that! (I live in London in case anyone is at any prices, I don't have a clue what these things should cost).

This is to take out old bathroom suite, rip off tiles from all the walls - they are tiled up to the ceilings for some reason - install new suite, plumb towel rail in new position and build some shelves, paint walls and ceiling and sand and seal wooden floorboards. Price does not cover actual suite/ taps / tiles / rail.

Got one more person coming round so have to see what they say too, but is the higher quote person taking the piss? tbh the lower price person though very nice I didn't think really understood what I was asking for with some of the shelf building I need. I am always a bit wary of just going for lowest cost as it may turn out to be a false economy.

Perhaps I need to get more people round to quote...

[MixedupMartha]

We had a quote of £4,200 to rip out floor to ceiling tiles and old suite, replace with tiles halfway up the walls, new suite, shower, plastering electrics, towel rail etc.

The quote was "mates rates". A friend of mine in Surrey paid about 8k for similar work.

[abdnhiker]

Does it include tiling? We just did our ensuite for £3000, including shower, toilet, and sink but that was with wet wall rather than tiling which is less labour intensive... We get 'fair' rates rather than mates rates from a company based in our village.

[BellevilleRendezvous]

thanks MixedupMartha - that's helpful. Just to be clear, your price included suite? Though from an 8k comparison, once I add in suite that wouldn't be too bad still.

[BellevilleRendezvous]

abdnhiker - it includes tiling around shower bath and splashback for basin but rest of walls will be painted - tired of bathroom looking like a public convenience (white shiny tiles on every wall from floor to ceiling currently!)

[ChippingIn]

If any of the 4 builders who came around to quote for the bathroom here had actually sent me a quote I could give you some comparisons!

People keep commenting that I should chase them up - but I wont, if they can't be arsed doing the quote, I don't want them doing the work!!

I was trying to avoid asking my friends husband (would happily pay him the going rate) because I am very fussy and if there are any problems I didn't want if affecting our friendship in anyway - but as it is, I might ask him (it's his trade, so not a DIYer in the weekends - proper job, proper payment).

[BellevilleRendezvous]

lol ChippingIn - I seem to be lucky that everyone here is keen for work, but it is so annoying when builders just can't be arsed to give you a quote!

if anyone else can give me a steer on the "right" price for a bathroom overhaul please I'd be very grateful!

[ChippingIn]

Yeah, it's bloody annoying as it was for several rooms - so not even just a small job they couldn't be arsed doing? I'm friendly, made them coffee, don't have any scary dogs or MIL's hanging around.... so who knows - but it's a PITA having to start again and spend more time explaining what I want done... sigh....

Good Luck with yours!

[notasize10yetbutoneday]

We just paid £1300 for almost exactly what you've had done- except he took up old floor tiles and laid new ones. Also tiled the wall over the bath up to the ceiling.

We are in the North East. price didn't include suite, taps, towel rail or tiles etc.

I would say on that basis £1800 seems quite cheap for London, esp if hes building you shelves as well?

[ChippingIn]

Belle - when is the other guy coming?

[BellevilleRendezvous]

thanks notasize - yes £1800 does seem too cheap doesn't it, strange that there can be such a thing as too cheap!

[ChippingIn]

Belle - will you get any references from them and go and look at other work they have done??

I know you should, but I don't think I'd be comfortable doing it for just a bathroom, whereas I would if it was a new build.... how about you??

[Heartsease]

We've had various quotes for a very similar job and will probably go for one forabout £1700 plus vat. No shelf building in that though! We are in East Anglia. Could probably get a cheaper quote but these people are super reputable and I have a real horror of getting a bodged bathroom.

[Heartsease]

Actually ours does not include painting, but does include plywood boarding of the floor (not laying anything on top of that).All the work we've had done so far has taught me that prices can go up and down according to how busy people are and when they could start work, whether it would fit in neatly with their holiday plans etc. Is VAT on top of your quote? If so it seems on the cheaper end of about right for here, and cheap for London.

I would really want some sense of how good they were though.

[BellevilleRendezvous]

the other people aren't coming til next week, due to holidays. they are a bit more design-y though say they do small projects at reasonable prices. Would quite like some views on whether I can get more from the space available so hoping they will come up trumps.

you're right about seeing examples of work - the higher priced guy has pics of his work on his website, the lower priced one doesn't have anything like that on his though I've heard good things about him. Just seems a bit basic and didn't seem to get what I wanted. Agree a bodged bathroom would be a nightmare.