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.
B
Bauexperte20 Aug 2016 09:29Sebastian79 schrieb:
I never said the wall lining was crooked – it’s the holes There is one drill hole for the mounting that is out of alignment; it had to be enlarged due to unclear instructions regarding the fastening. People make mistakes, after all.
But as you rightly pointed out, this won’t be visible later on. Considering that, and knowing how tricky this was for the tile installer on a finished job: the guy knows his stuff. The wall lining is, of course, now properly secured.
Best regards, Bauexperte
We are building an architect-designed house and will have two bathrooms plus a guest toilet. When we saw the first quote, we were quite taken aback; in our case, it is slightly over 26,000 € (approximately 28,400 USD), but still, I would never consider sourcing the materials myself or installing them—nor would I hire someone else to do it. What if, after two weeks, a crack appears in the very expensive washbasin? Then no one would be responsible or liable... Therefore, we bit the bullet: our plumbing professional handles all the procurement and installation, and I have a warranty! Everything is perfect.
P
Peanuts7420 Aug 2016 11:01And when after 2 weeks you already have a crack, he claimed that something fell on it.
Also, on a smooth tiled wall, with sound insulation in between, and tightened with the specified torque. Where could the crack come from if there is no other impact...
Also, on a smooth tiled wall, with sound insulation in between, and tightened with the specified torque. Where could the crack come from if there is no other impact...
K
Knallkörper20 Aug 2016 13:42Weimy schrieb:
We are building an architect-designed house and will have two bathrooms plus a guest toilet. When we first saw the quote, it was quite a shock; for us, it’s actually just over €26,000, but still, I would never source the items myself, let alone install them or have them installed privately. What if a crack appears in the very expensive washbasin after two weeks? Then no one takes responsibility... so we bit the bullet, had our plumber supply and install everything, and I have a warranty! Everything’s going great.It doesn’t matter if one thing breaks, when the washbasin costs only about a third of that.
The concealed parts under the shower and bathtub seem a bit too risky to me. I’ll have the plumber install those; I’ll handle the other parts myself. They have already indicated some flexibility on price. Considering how booked up they are, though, I’m not expecting a bargain.
Hello,
smart idea:
Our general contractor (or rather the person responsible for selections) even advised us to exclude the sanitary fixtures, except for the bathtub and shower. He said that at the prices the plumbing specialists charge, you could drop three washbasins during installation and still be cheaper.
But seriously, a washbasin for €13,000? Is it made of gold or does it come with a virgin priestess to brush your teeth in the morning???
Best regards,
Andreas
smart idea:
Knallkörper schrieb:
It doesn’t matter if one breaks as long as the washbasin costs only a third
The concealed parts under the shower and bathtub are a bit too risky for me. I will have the plumber install those; I’ll do the other parts myself. They’ve already hinted at some price flexibility. But considering their full order books, don’t expect a bargain.
Our general contractor (or rather the person responsible for selections) even advised us to exclude the sanitary fixtures, except for the bathtub and shower. He said that at the prices the plumbing specialists charge, you could drop three washbasins during installation and still be cheaper.
But seriously, a washbasin for €13,000? Is it made of gold or does it come with a virgin priestess to brush your teeth in the morning???
Best regards,
Andreas
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