We're having a new bathroom fitted and found and provisionally agreed cost with fitter, someone we're very happy with - he did my parent's bathroom many years ago.
However he does seem to be inflating the prices of the fittings significantly compared to what I can see at the discount stores (hasn't itemised goods but by deduction from cost of an 'upgrade' of one item to another). Is this to be expected, are they all fitters like this? I don't want to antagonise him by suggesting I'll buy the goods myself (with associated hassle of delivery/storage) but should I expect him to get all items at best price?
Don’t assume anything, or you’ll come home one day and find something you didn’t want has been fitted.
You need to discuss with him and ideally get things in writing.
If you don’t want to buy them yourself, either choose what you want online and ask him to buy, or ask for an itemised list of items he suggests with links to each item on a supplier site.
It's normal for them to try and make a margin on the hardware they supply as well as the labour
If you're shopping for a "bathroom fitter" then you're asking to be charged premium rates as they have zero incentive to try and source you quality goods at the best price because their cut will actually be more if you buy from the most expensive place to start with (i.e. 30% of £150 is more than 30% of £100).
Get a proper joiner/plumber/electrician down there and source your own materials paying them only for labour and any bits of fixings or whatever consumables they use. You can basically get trade-or-better price for everything buying it yourself via the internet and not be ripped off. Plus, you'll always know what model of whatnot you bought later for when you need spares or to download the manual for some reason.
Maybe he's applied a fitting / installation cost to each piece? Personally I'd be looking at sourcing items yourself and getting a fitter who will install. Unless of course he can get at trade.
I've got itemised list in writing of what's to be fitted but not cost.Originally Posted by vortgern
Think I'll contact him and ask whether he could buy items cheaper.
Don't think so. As an example he's quoted £165 extra to fit dual-way shower. Best price on-line is £100 different and RRP is only £143 different. Fitting is exactly the same.
Think trade prices are more expensive!
Last edited by Kingstepper; 25th September 2018 at 11:38.
Funnily enough we're on day 2 of having the downstairs bathroom refitted, we've agreed the price for the work with our builder and then went out and sourced the bathroom suite, fittings, tiles, etc ourselves, for reference ballpark cost for everything around 3200 euro which doesn't seem unreasonable.
I usually ask any tradesman how long it will take and the labour rate per day. Then I source my own stuff on- line, Victoria Plumb is spot on for bathrooms IMO. Once ordered I ask if he will need anything else and agree for him to supply at X cost in advance.
This all sounds like common sense but I'm always surprised how wrong people can get this when faced with the final bill
If you let him get the stuff he's bound to add a little on, that's just how it works in the trade I believe.
Unless you agree otherwise you will always pay a mark up on anything a tradesman supplies. I had an electrician quote for installing downlighters & he wanted £22 a fitting. I pointed out I could buy them online for £13 each & that was without any trade discount. Needless to say he didn't get the job.
I'm doing the same with a woodburner installation. I can buy a stove for £1100 which I've been quoted £1450 for the same stove supplied by the installer. I found an local guy who just does the install & is very happy to fit what I supply.
Just make sure anything you supply is good quality as there's nothing worse than trying to install cheap rubbish.
Last edited by Mr Pointy; 25th September 2018 at 12:14.
I've paid £200 'holding' deposit which don't mind losing if I don't get a decent reduction on supplying goods - TBH he's been helpful with design and choice of fittings etc. Of course he may well reduce cost of goods and add to his labour!
Get a quote for fitting only and also supply and fit, then use the difference to source the products yourself.
As said, tradesmen will try to make on both ends.
Cheers..
Jase
As the others have said above, best bet is to source yourself. We've let a plumber buy radiators etc. in the past and fit them but looking back we were really at his mercy as we didn't really know what we were going to get or whether it was the best value. It was more convenient though.
Contrast that to when we had work done a couple of years back and we had a cost to fit and then we sourced all the fittings etc. ourselves, mainly because we wanted the control and could then pick and choose the items that worked best for us.
If you're concerned about delivery and storage, then a local place may well deliver when they're needed as opposed to just when you order them. That way it'll all be there when the fitter needs it.
There is some serious markup in the plumbing and, tbh, electrical trade. I'm lucky enough to have built up a friendly relationship with the guys at the local PTS so they tend to give me the trade prices. This can mean at best 50% off but often up to 80% off! e.g. Mira digital pumped shower. RRP over £700. Best online around £250. Local PTS £150+VAT! So if the fitter can manage to get the end user to pay RRP then that's some serious extra margin!
I think your forgetting the fitter isn’t going to do all the leg work as in ,running around for the best prices,ordering and picking them up for free.
The other problem you have is sometimes the customer will order things online,something’s missing or associated parts ordered are wrong,then the fitter as to go out and get them anyway.
There as to be an happy medium for both parties,sometimes a customer may be charged standing time,for items that have turned up late .
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And that's why there is a mark up on what he will supply them for. Nail. Head.
One thing to consider is if the fitter supplies all the products and there is an issue with them after installation then it’s down to him to resolve, whereas if you provide the the products and they develop a fault you would most likely have to pay for the remedial works (though the products themselves should be replaced under warranty).
We have had all 3 of our bathrooms replaced over the past couple of years and with all of them I sourced everything except for basic plumbing supplies and the tile cement. It was a bit of a hassle but worth it to get what we want and at a reasonable price. The list of items needed gets surprisingly long!
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I'm fitting a bathroom at the moment and under my instruction the customer bought the suite from City Plumbing Supplies.
This was bought at the price I get it it for and he has paid for it.
My incentive is that I get points that goes towards gift cards.
If someone wants to supply and fit and have a mark up on the goods then fair play to them as there can be problems with damages etc and then its down to them as the supplier to the customer who are responsible.
People can by some cheap rubbish off the internet or from a trade place and when the y develop problems its up to them to sort it out.
I tell people not to buy anything too cheap and in the case of brassware for example try and find something with a makers name on them eg, Grohe, Bristan so is there are any problems with ceramic cartridges down the line the tap can be identified and spares sought.
This sums it up nicely, you could agree a full package, where it is the responsibility of the company/fitter to supply and fit all items, where you save yourself the hassle of research time, delivery, storage and any potential product fault dealings at a cost of £.
Or, you could save some £ by doing some of the jobs yourself at the cost of time, space and added risk. You could even do the job yourself and save on the fitter costs :)
All down to personal choices of the service that is required, if the overall cost is reasonable, I wouldn't question the fitters credibility, especially if you have chosen them personally.
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