Bathroom refit - pay a handyman at half the price or a plumber?

[obsessedwithinteriors]

I'm about to have the bathroom redone and can't believe the difference in prices.

I've had about 5 quotes - all for labour, but because I need so much other stuff doing in the house, I'm really tempted to pay a handyman (that also does bathroom refits), over a plumber.

Plumber between £2-£2.5k just for labour.
Handyman - £160 day rate plus materials.

(I am buying all the suite, tiles, flooring and fixtures.

Both agree it won't take longer than 5 days.

Am I mad to consider the handyman?

[CointreauVersial]

Insane. You need a plumber.

(unless your handyman is a bit of an email expert)

[CointreauVersial]

"Email" expert??!

Expert.

[obsessedwithinteriors]

Do I really? Even if the handyman does bathroom refits?

[grumbleina]

Why not pay the plumber to do the actual plumbing and the handyman to do the rest? Or is that madness?

(I wouldn't know, we only hire tradesmen when doing the job ourselves would be illegal, deadly or risk major property damage)

[caroldecker]

Depends what you are doing. Are ypu moving pipes around and fitting new pipes, or just replacing the suite with the same pipes as today?
You could get the plumber in to do the plumbing and the handyman to do tiling/floors etc

[paulapantsdown]

Get a plumber. False economy to do otherwise.
Get a proper tiler to do the tiling. Then a handy fella to do the painting, flooring etc.

[obsessedwithinteriors]

Yes, good points, although the plumbers only quote for dong it all!

No, not moving pipes around, just ripping out and refitting into existing spaces.

[grumbleina]

I'd tend to trust someone I like who says he can do it, and not worry about job description or cost. But I am possibly not the best person to ask, cos I'm letting DH and his dad install our bathroom and they're not plumbers or handymen. Though DH's dad is one of those dudes who builds his own houses, which maybe counts.

[LL12]

I have known many people that have used a 'Bathroom fitter' rather than a plumber to fit a new bathroom.
The fitter has their own electrician to do that side of things but most other things such as plastering, tiling etc they can usually do very well themselves.

[caroldecker]

Ripping out old and putting new in the same space is not plumbing

[Fingeronthebutton]

Plumbing seems to have elevated to some sort of science. So many of you are being taken to the bank with the prices you are paying. Take your time to find a good all round handyman. I know 2 and there's nothing a 'profesional' could do that they can't.

[grumbleina]

"Plumbing seems to have elevated to some sort of science. So many of you are being taken to the bank with the prices you are paying. Take your time to find a good all round handyman. I know 2 and there's nothing a 'profesional' could do that they can't."

Couldn't agree more.

Sometimes you really do need a plumber. Someone with lots of experience. But it's not often.

[Nottheshrinkingcapgrandpa]

I used a handyman for mine- he came v v highly recommended and did a great job.

[Mumto3dc]

We've just had a handyman do exactly this - ie install toilet and sinks into existing plumbing. It's not hard and we've had no problems.

[obsessedwithinteriors]

Thanks for the confidence. I think I'm going to go with the handyman. I'm going to go and ask to see one of the bathrooms he's done and go from there.