ᐅ Overwhelmed by Bathroom Tiling Options – Any Alternatives?
Created on: 17 Aug 2016 12:20
K
Knallkörper
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.
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.
@Knallkörper
I am surprised that the installer gave you prices without including installation and assembly.
Usually, the labor is already included in the price, and the items are offset accordingly.
And of course, it’s about the warranty of the installation: in case of any water damage, you won’t be able to find anyone responsible, since it’s more likely to rule out that the professional made a mistake than a non-professional.
I am surprised that the installer gave you prices without including installation and assembly.
Usually, the labor is already included in the price, and the items are offset accordingly.
And of course, it’s about the warranty of the installation: in case of any water damage, you won’t be able to find anyone responsible, since it’s more likely to rule out that the professional made a mistake than a non-professional.
P
Peanuts7418 Aug 2016 09:48ypg schrieb:
@Knallkörper
I’m surprised that the installer gave you prices excluding installation and assembly. Usually, the labor is already included in the price, and the items are offset accordingly. And of course, the guarantee covers the installation: in the case of any water damage, you’re unlikely to find anyone responsible, since it’s usually easier to rule out a professional error than a mistake by an untrained person.
Seriously, how much can really go wrong when installing a washbasin if the shut-off valves and drainage are already in place?
If you are really doing this yourselves, you need to make sure everything fits together perfectly in the end. You absolutely must provide the plumber with the exact dimensions of the drains and the technical data sheets of your sanitary fixtures. Otherwise, during the shell construction phase, they might set everything up according to standard components, and then you’ll have to figure out how to connect the drains and fittings afterward (toilets, urinals, washbasins, etc.). You also need to pay attention to the heights and inform the plumber accordingly.
Have you also checked the online prices including the accessories? That means built-in components for the faucets, concealed cisterns, pipes, traps, seals, and so on. You could also consider buying just the washbasin without the cabinet, which might reduce the cost. I would definitely talk to the plumber beforehand and ask where such a large price difference comes from. It’s understandable that local companies are more expensive than online suppliers because of their overhead costs, but if the price difference is extreme, that’s suspicious.
Have you also checked the online prices including the accessories? That means built-in components for the faucets, concealed cisterns, pipes, traps, seals, and so on. You could also consider buying just the washbasin without the cabinet, which might reduce the cost. I would definitely talk to the plumber beforehand and ask where such a large price difference comes from. It’s understandable that local companies are more expensive than online suppliers because of their overhead costs, but if the price difference is extreme, that’s suspicious.
Peanuts74 schrieb:
Now seriously, what could possibly go wrong when installing a washbasin if the angle valves and drain are already in place?Who is talking about the washbasin?
H
HilfeHilfe18 Aug 2016 10:45Peanuts74 schrieb:
Now seriously, what can really go wrong when installing a washbasin if the angle valves and drain are already in place?Here they talk about shower heads, bathtubs, toilets, etc. I don’t want to install anything with a value of 15k (15,000) (units) or more.
I installed the bathroom vanity unit with a friend who works in interior finishing. It was a "nightmare job." We spent 4 hours on that heavy piece, using countless diamond drill bits to avoid damaging the tiles.
Never ever...
Similar topics