When it comes to fitting a new bathroom, customers are often surprised at the price. What seems like a simple job can cost thousands. In fact, the cost of refitting your bathroom will be between £3,500 and £10,000, with an average bill of £4,700. This will, of course, depend on the size of the room and what you want to do with it.
Before you fit your bathroom, have a think about the basics:
- Do you need to re-tile? If so, will you go floor to ceiling, or halfway up the wall?
- Do you need a bath?
- What type and size of shower do you want?
- Would you like a towel rail?
- Would you like a standard basin, twin basins or a full vanity unit?
- Will you be moving existing items around?
What you’re paying for
It may seem that bathroom fitters charge an unacceptably high rate to refit your bathroom – after all, it is just a bathroom! However, you are not just paying for the work that they are doing this week; you are paying for the years it has taken them to acquire the skills it takes to seamlessly refit your bathroom; no wonky tiles, leaking taps or peeling paint. In addition, bathrooms can be tricky spaces to work with; they can be fairly small and provide lots of challenging, irregular shapes.
Budgeting
When setting the budget for your new bathroom, it can help to consider what materials you need and research the cost. Consider the different options – for example a steel bath is low cost but heavy, a fibreglass one is lighter but not as rigid; you may choose to splash out on an acrylic bath which is light and solid, but comes with a price tag to match its superior quality. By looking at the different options, you will get a good idea of the range of products and their costs, as well as your priorities – you may decide to compromise on the bath in favour of underfloor heating. Once you have a rough idea of what you want, you can ask a couple of bathroom installers to quote for the full job. Remember to ask if you need to find a plumber, or if the installer can do everything from laying tiles to plumbing in your new shower. It is also a good idea to think about all the little extras that you could have, from towel rails and underfloor heating to bathroom accessories, showerheads and taps.
The list will be long! But it will go some way to showing you just why having a new bathroom installed can be surprisingly expensive. And why it is worth investing in a professional bathroom fitter to make sure that you get a high-standard finish for your beautiful materials.
Next week, we will take a look at the costs of different elements of your bathroom installation, from the cost of removing tiles to fitting a bath. For more advice and guidance, join our community of reliable local tradespeople and happy customers on Facebook or Twitter.