New bathroom fitted - labour only, so why so much?

[tim procter]

We've just had a new bathroom fitted. We bought and paid for the 3 pc suit, I just needed plumber to remove existing bathroom fittings/tiling and replace with new 3 pc fittings, re-tile walls and floor.

Our bathroom measures 7ft x 9ft. He had to fit & install cabinets, wash hand basin, toilet and shower tray/surround, re-tile half height of wall behind cabinets, fit sheeting to shower walls and tile floor - all as were originally fitted.

Like I say we bought and paid for all tiles, fitting, electrical work - everything...we just needed it installed.

Foolishly, I never kept a tally of hours he worked, but all in all it won't have taken more than 7/8 full days.

Our bill is £2450 plus VAT....£2960 incl. - no breakdown of charges, just says bathroom fit & re-tile.


Half way through job, he tells us he's taking our workman off the job to finish someone else's as he's had one of his employees go off work so he's temporally short staffed...we agreed to this as we werent that desperate for it to be finished, and could understand his problem. Two weeks later they return to finish...

Bear in mind also that this chap has fitted three new bathrooms in our house over the last two years, and has been recommended to our friends for work on 5 occasions this year, which resulted in work awarded.

 

[Rickster123]

Hi, Did you not agree a price before work started?

 

[stevetheplumber]

i wish i could find a customer like you

 

[AWheating]

what was the total number of hours worked and the rate per hour?

you are a fool to yourself if you did not ask for an estimate before the work started. As for wether its over priced without the full story i would not want to comment.

 

[SimonG]

It's hard to say anything as for tiling and installation I did one recently for 1750, but have one booked in for February at 2600. All depends on the job.
I will say though that I would never have started a job without the customer having an estimate. If you just let him get on then it's been a bit of a lesson.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

should actually be 2940 inc vat they're calculator must be bust

 

[Nat]

The price sounds about right to me. I have just priced a very similar hob for around the same price. Don't forget about all the fittings, pipe, board, timber etc. This adds up to many hundreds by itself.

 

[Nat]

Now if I was pricing 'hobs' at 2.5k then I would be ripping people off!

 

[wheeto]

they're calculator must be bust

Like your grammar-check :ninja:

 

[Puddle]

As said,hard to say ought without seeing but 8 days,does not seen excessive ,you must have had some idea of his charges from other bathrooms he has done in the past for you ,sounds like they would be to a high standard

If you wanted a little discount due to the other work he got through you,you should have mentioned it

Seems to me you have known each other a while,you like this blokes work as do your friends who have had work done by him

You will find its hard to find someone you can trust and that ticks your boxes,do not throw that away,sit down with the bloke,put kettle on and sort things out and move forward positively

imho

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i know i know their calculator must be broken lol

 

[marleyco]

There would have been a lot of work involved but if you break it down into sections, ie strip out bathroom, 1 day, fit suite, 2 days, tile. 2 days, units 1 day. Add 2 days for extra's. Call it 250 a day, about 2000 plus v.a.t. I'd still have done it cheaper, more so as you'd put work his way in the past

 

[SimonG]

+ pan connector, iso's, traps, tile adhesives, grouts etc etc

 

[WaterTight]

Exactly. It's quite possible (given the fact the OP knows what this guy has charged for work in the past) that he is trying it on to the tune of 200-500 or so on this job. We can't know whether he has or - if he has - why. But if the OP can tell us he bought and supplied pan con, iso's, traps, wastes, copper tube, waste pipe, tap connectors, adhesive, grout, flexi's, screws, fixings, timber, sealant then I think most people would guess it was on the pricey side. Otherwise, and without photos, details, we can't know.

 

[PlumbingBud]

Im just starting off in the trade, and try to aim for a "Ton-a-day". However, I am relatively inexperienced, and so I may take longer or do a lesser quality job that a top tradesman. I have very few living expenses as I moved back in with the folks, so no mortgage or bills as such.
It seems a tad expensive to me, but if the guy was good then it was surely money well spent.
Again, you should have gotten a quotation, or at least a ball park estimate before work was started.

My only gripe would be that he left the job half way through to do another one.