Insane cost for 2 bathroom refits?

[Move2023]

In home counties. Just been quoted £28k for ripping out and refitting one large bathroom with one large walk in shower and freestanding bath. Second is a shower room. Minimal tiling as having panelling so just floor/showers. Spec is medium I would say not premium. Toilets are being moved but actually in better place to align with soil pipes. This price is insane right?

Just finding the whole process hard work ... this quote took 6 weeks to arrive...sigh.

Jesus. I paid 13k a year ago for a bathroom and an ensuite

I had a quote recently to have a small shower room refitted. Everything taken out, walls and ceiling re-boarded? Walls and floor tiled, little bit of plumbing and fitting of new shower unit and sink. We would be providing the tiles, shower and sink separately so not included in price. Quote was £10k. Ouch!

What's the breakdown between materials and labour?

No breakdown but has given the brand/range of each product supplied.

You need a breakdown to understand the quote and figure out whether or not it's good value.

He is booked up for 6 months as well so can't decide if this is just market rate or he just doesn't want the job.

Ask for a breakdown first.

We've just paid 20K for a high end spec medium sized bathroom refit, it was closer to 27K but I sorced items myself.

Am 30 minutes west of London.

A dated a builder for a while who told me that when he quotes for a job, the quote is roughly made up of half of it for materials and half of it for labour. So if you know how much the materials cost, you can probably figure out if you're being charged a reasonable amount or not.

Get some more quotes.

You'll not spot FO Tax without a breakdown.

And unless you already know and trust the builder, get three quotes.

£17k each for two bathrooms. Complete strip out back to brick and full rebuild. Using Roca & Gerberit sanitaryware and Mira showers. Non slip vinyl flooring to both, Multipanel in one, tiling in the other.

When I was getting quotes for labour only for an ensuite 18 months ago I had 2 at £8k, one at £5.5k and another at a bit over £3k. The latter was a plumber who came highly recommended. I picked him and he did a lovely job (he outsourced the electrics and tiling but they were included in the price).

Doesn’t want the job, get more quotes.

So maybe it's not that far out then. Just worried about spec creep too as I expect I will want to change some items.

I've had another quote previously which was excluding main products which was £15.5k plus vat plus couldn't provide a design. Estimated to take 5 weeks and would take waste away. Both have been one man bands as wanted to avoid a company as thought they would be £££. So maybe have to try a company to see how it compares

Just done a high end ensuite. Freestanding modern bath and tap, digital shower, cupboard, quartz tops, victorian towel rail, etc. Ceramic tiles which weren't too pricy, and waterproof laminate.

All the bits inc plastering, electrics etc about £8.5k. Could have added £3-4 k with marble tiles if we'd wanted.

Labour would have been about £3k (10 days) except did it ourselves (DH is trade).

Hate to say but you’re being ripped off there -
I had main bathroom and an ensuite replaced in 2021 for £14.5k for both and that was to a very high specification.

£28k?!?

Crazy price. Source all your own items and just pay for labour, roughly £300 a day.

13.5k total for en-suite which needed shower re plumbing in different place and a shower room which was made from knocking together a small utility and toilet, moving toilet and installing shower and sink. One was last year and one this year.

I paid similar for replacing one large bathroom /airing cupboard with 2 bathrooms (one an en-suite)
I went with Wickes
Not impressed by Wickes but the actual bathroom fitters were fab!

I had a small bathroom done - about £8k. I have a trade bathroom warehouse near me. It was recommended by the independent fitter, I went along got some catalogues for a range of brands and then checked with fitter it would be suitable.

I think I paid just over £2k for bath, sink, taps, toilet etc (no shower) then tiles on top and other oddments.

Fitting it out was just over £5k, I had two quotes at that value. It involved removing tiles, partially retiling. Also building a small stuff wall and boxing some stuff in.

Depending on what loo/bath/basin etc you are choosing the material cost is a fraction of the cost he quoted. Pre covid I used to find it was £1000-£1500 to buy the materials and about £1500-2000 to have it all fitted. The material costs for bathrooms haven’t gone up much but I would expect to pay more for labour now.
I’ve have done many house up and the one I am doing up I’ve needed to find some new tradesman. It been a trial to say the least. Even ones that have been recommended by others have been obvious rip off merchants when they arrive. They seem to be able to sniff out someone who can be ripped off. In my case one disappeared without giving a quote and another gave a rip off quote and I politely declined. I’ve had other clearly unable to do the work want the job. There are many jobs I don’t have the practical skills to do but do know the order of the work and the rough time it takes.

You definitely need more quotes. And get a breakdown of the costs so you can compare.

Also home counties. We are paying £13.5k for our new bathroom but this also includes moving it into another room into the house (swapping a bathroom and bedroom) and I’ve gone crazy with some really high end tiles in a crazy pattern that will be tricky apparently!