ᐅ Overwhelmed by Bathroom Tiling Options – Any Alternatives?

Hello forum members,

In our new build, we have an 18 m² (193.75 sq ft) bathroom with a sloped ceiling and a 4.7 m² (50.6 sq ft) guest toilet. The main bathroom is planned to include a large walk-in shower measuring 1.20 x 1.00 m (3.9 x 3.3 ft), a stylish V&B bathtub, a double vanity, and an elegant toilet. The fittings for the shower and bathtub will be concealed-mounted.

The guest toilet will not have a bathtub and will only have a simple washbasin, but we want a slightly larger, attractive shower and a nice toilet as well.

We have received a quote from our general contractor’s preferred plumber. They want nearly 25,000 euros extra for the sanitary installation. Of this, 13,750 euros are for the “washbasin unit with mirror cabinet” in the main bathroom.

When I compare the largest material items in the overall quote with prices found online, I could save about 8,000 euros by purchasing the materials myself. For example:

V&B Squaro Edge 12 bathtub 190 x 90 cm (6.2 x 3 ft)
Installer’s quote: 1,655 euros (delivery only, plus installation)
Online price: 850 euros including shipping

The biggest discrepancies are with the individual parts of the Keuco “washbasin unit,” with price differences of over 100%.

Now I’m considering what to do. Ideally, I would decline the entire offer politely and source (almost) all parts myself and install them. Negotiation seems pointless since my idea of a fair price appears far from the plumber’s expectations.

So far, our own contribution to the whole house has been “only” laying all the flooring and doing all the tiling. If I install the sanitary fixtures myself, I wouldn’t have any scheduling conflicts with the general contractor. My plan is to have the GC’s plumber only make the connections at the correct positions. They can keep their standard fixtures. Then I would buy the bathtub, etc., at a better price and either install everything myself or hire another company for the installation.

Could this work? What should I consider regarding drywall work — is it done before or after the installation of the sanitary fixtures?

I would appreciate any suggestions or experience reports related to this kind of project.

Oh dear... another case of a "do it yourself" question. I suggest asking in the house building forum or checking YouTube...

I would never want to install anything made from a material I have no knowledge of...

I also doubt you’ll find an alternative plumber who will install your third-party materials and only charge for their labor. Plumbers aren’t clamoring for such jobs, and there’s always a conflict when it comes to liability for damages. If there’s ever a water leak, I’m curious who would take responsibility...

Are the offered standard products really that bad? Has the construction contract already been signed?

Good luck

Knallkörper schrieb:
Hello forum members,

In our new build, we have an 18m² (194 sq ft) bathroom with a sloped ceiling and a 4.7m² (51 sq ft) guest WC. The main bathroom is planned to include a large walk-in shower measuring 1.20x1.00m (47x39 inches), a beautiful V+B bathtub, a double vanity, and an elegantly designed toilet. The fixtures for the shower and bathtub will be concealed (built-in) types.

The guest WC will not have a bathtub and only a simple washbasin, but we want a slightly larger, nice shower and an attractive toilet as well.

Now we have received a quote from our general contractor’s trusted plumbing supplier. They want nearly 25,000 euros more for the sanitary fixtures. Of that, 13,750 euros is just for the "washbasin unit with mirror cabinet" in the main bathroom.

When I compare the largest material items from the entire quote with prices I found online, I see I could save almost 8,000 euros by purchasing the materials myself. For example:

V+B Squaro Edge 12 bathtub, 190x90cm (75x35 inches)
Installer’s quote: 1,655 euros (delivery only, installation extra)
Online price: 850 euros including shipping

The biggest price differences are in the individual parts of the Keuco "washbasin unit", sometimes over 100% more expensive.

Now I’m considering what to do. Ideally, I would politely decline the entire quote and procure and install (almost) all the parts myself. Negotiating doesn’t seem promising because my expectations for a reasonable price differ too much from those of the plumber.

So far, our DIY work on the whole house has been limited to laying all the floors and doing all the tiling. If I install the sanitary fixtures myself, I at least won’t have scheduling conflicts with the general contractor. My idea is to have only the plumbing connections installed by the GC’s plumber to the correct positions. They can keep their standard fixtures if they like. Then I would buy the bathtub and other fixtures cheaply and either install them myself or outsource the installation to another company.

Could this work? What should I keep in mind regarding drywall? Is it done before or after the installation of the sanitary fixtures?

I would appreciate any suggestions or experience reports with a project like this.

This is exactly what we did since some of the prices were really outrageous (manufacturer’s suggested retail price plus markup). We also sourced everything ourselves and I did the installation personally. After three years, everything is still watertight and functioning perfectly.

In our contract, sanitary rough-in and final installation were separated anyway. As long as all the connections and pipes are correctly positioned, it’s not rocket science with some basic DIY skills.

Many products come with installation instructions; that’s how it should be done. What would the plumber do differently, except perhaps deviate because they’ve “always done it that way”?

You just need to decide if you feel confident taking it on. Otherwise, another plumber might be willing to assist for an hourly rate that reflects their level of work.

HilfeHilfe schrieb:
Oh dear... another case of a "do it yourself" question. You should ask in the house construction forum or check YouTube...

I would never want to install anything made of a material I have no knowledge of...

I also doubt you’ll find a plumber who will install your foreign materials and only charge you for labor. Plumbers are not queuing up for that, and there’s always a conflict when it comes to liability in case of damage. If there’s ever a water damage, I’m curious to see who will take responsibility...

Are the standard items offered really that bad? Has the construction contract or building permit/planning permission already been signed?

Good luck

You simply have to know what you’re capable of.
But just looking at the professions made me smile right away: mechanical engineer and banker.

Peanuts74 schrieb:
You just have to know your limits.
But seeing the professions made me smile right away—mechanical engineer and banker.

I don’t feel confident enough for that, but I’ve done other hands-on work like building a garden shed myself, planting a hedge, and handling the outdoor area alone. These aren’t exactly “delicate” tasks. If a wooden beam is a bit crooked or a panel is too high, you just tap it into place. If the thuja is leaning, you pull it straight.

For plumbing tasks involving expensive materials, you need more than just basic DIY skills.

Peanuts74 schrieb:
We did it the same way because some prices were really outrageous (manufacturer’s suggested retail price plus markup).
We also sourced everything ourselves and I installed it myself.
So far (3 years later) everything is still watertight and works perfectly.
In our contract, the sanitary rough-in and final installation were separate anyway.
If all the connections and pipes are positioned correctly, it’s not rocket science (with some basic DIY skills).
Many items come with installation instructions, so that’s how it should be done. What does the plumber do differently, except maybe deviate because that’s how they’ve always done it?
You just have to decide whether you feel confident doing it yourself.
Otherwise, another plumber might be willing to help you at a higher hourly rate.

Hello Peanuts,

thank you for your input. That gives me some encouragement. I feel confident I can handle the installation. Maybe in the end I’ll get a great bathroom at a good price. I still don’t really want to do it myself because sooner or later I get into conflict with other commitments (work) during such projects.

@HilfeHilfe: I don’t like the standard elements. The parts for the quoted price are quite a difference, even though I don’t think the total is justified. Yes, the contract is signed, and the shell of the building is half finished.