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.
In principle, it should be enough to mark the drill spot and then drill slowly and carefully when drilling into tiles.
I installed our shower enclosure myself, and nothing chipped during drilling. The drill bits certainly weren’t brand new either.
And I have to agree with @Peanuts74, hanging a washbasin is really not rocket science. The same goes for mounting a toilet on the wall. Once the support frame is in place, it’s actually pretty straightforward.
I installed our shower enclosure myself, and nothing chipped during drilling. The drill bits certainly weren’t brand new either.
And I have to agree with @Peanuts74, hanging a washbasin is really not rocket science. The same goes for mounting a toilet on the wall. Once the support frame is in place, it’s actually pretty straightforward.
D
daniels8719 Aug 2016 08:55I have the few holes drilled by the plumber. I am cautious with 80cm x 80cm (31.5 inches x 31.5 inches) porcelain stoneware tiles on the wall.
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Bauexperte19 Aug 2016 10:58ypg schrieb:
... the incredibly expensive washbasin (unimaginable price to me, what kind of materials justify that? Isn’t there a cheaper option without Keuco?) is being removed from the scope of work. This absolutely requires the plumber to know exactly where to place the connections. 18, 22 centimeters (7, 9 inches) or more makes quite a difference.
daniels87 schrieb:
I let the plumber drill the few holes. With 80x80 cm (31x31 inches) porcelain tiles on the wall, I am careful about that. Drilling is not really a problem. With a diamond drill bit, a steady hand, and a suitable drill — plus, to be safe, a piece of tape over the drilling spot — anyone who isn’t completely clumsy can manage it.
But surprise — the original poster doesn’t even have to drill; the tile installers will do that for them. After all, the fixings for the washbasin have to be cut out anyway.
Edit: Visual material provided below
Best regards, Bauexperte
Bauexperte schrieb:
But surprise – the original poster doesn’t need to drill; the tile installers take care of that. After all, the supports for the washbasin have to be cut out. Do they have to? In our case, the vanity was simply screwed directly through the tiles (grout lines?).
The only requirement from the furniture store installers for mounting was double drywall layering.
PS: Correction… I meant the base cabinet. I’d have to check how the washbasin is attached.
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Bauexperte19 Aug 2016 11:07Musketier schrieb:
Do they have to?It is common practice that the tilers come first before the fine installation.Somewhere in your bathroom, the cold and hot water connections (sealed with construction plugs) also come out of the wall.
So yes – it also looks cleaner if the tiler is skilled.
Regards, Bauexperte
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