see page Bathroom compose and renovation Tips - Our Top Ten Tips for cheaper Bathroom factory Works
Bathroom design and installation tips
Bathroom compose and renovation Tips - Our Top Ten Tips for cheaper Bathroom factory Works
Hi I am a bathroom "expert" and have run a enterprise for 20 years specialising in the design, furnish and installation of bathrooms in Edinburgh and the Lothians area.
Throughout this duration the enterprise has been a member of the Federation of expert Builders organisation.
We are often asked to furnish decent quality, hard wearing and attractively terminated bathrooms for "buy to let" clients, young families and first time home buyers on a exiguous budget. If you ensue our top ten tips below, there is no infer why you cannot accomplish similar results for budgets of less than 3000 pounds.
Our Top Ten Tips for an cheaper Bathroom design and installation project
1) Don't be overly ambitious with your bathroom design:- The new bath/shower/wc/basin should be positioned approximately exactly where the old units were positioned:- remember that pro labour costs list for at least 70% of an cheaper bathroom re-fit and running new drainage and water furnish pipe-work is time fascinating and involves extra material costs
2) Before you spend any money on tiles and fittings, hire an all-trades pro fitting team:- There are no savings to be made in flooding out your downstairs neighbour straight through botched Diy or straight through cash in hand and "fly by night" cowboys:- If your considered prime and vetted pro outfit does have an unlikely but potentially costly accident, then the enterprise assurance ( check this out before hiring them) will cover the costs involved:- Pre choice will also allow you to involve the experts in the design and vital material/fittings choice process
3) Negotiate a fixed price with your contractor:- On a labour only basis, and at this time ( outwith the London area) it is possible to hire a good all trades contractor skilled in plumbing, constructor work, woodwork, plastering, tiling, decorating and electrical work as principal for about 1600-2300 pounds per acceptable bathroom inclusive of all works as necessary:- Make sure that your contract is in writing and is signed and agreed by both parties. There is no need for a fancy or legally drafted contract:- An change of clearly and plainly expressed handwritten letters or Emails will constitute a binding agreement in any small claims court if required. Rigorous choice of your contractor should ensure that legal proceedings are a very unlikely outcome of any project, but a properly constituted contract is a principal and sensible assurance for any enterprise transaction.
4) Shop colse to for your own hygienic fittings:- There are some wonderful deals to be had out there:- For example, and at the time of writing, B&Q has an exquisite offer on a full "Sandringham" suite by Armitage Shanks Ltd (inclusive of bath, basin/pedestal/wc and taps) All for less than 200 pounds ( usual list price over 600 pounds):- If you see a "named brand" shower in a big store don't buy it but check out comparative deals on line for a best deal.
5) If you have a "combi" boiler in your house you will find that a thermostatic valve shower or "power shower" as it is sometimes known, is probably the cheapest and definitely (performance wise) the best option:- remember to consult with your contractor as to which type to get:- These showers can have an exposed or concealed valve depending on what kind of walls you have:- When choosing an electrical shower, remember that the new more noteworthy showers available today ( rated up to and beyond 11Kw ) will need a larger cable and mains circuit breaker installed by a noteworthy electrician:- Using a similarly rated shower to the existing shower can save you hundreds of pounds in rewiring costs.
6) The most generally used tiles by far are ceramic ( as opposed to porcelain, slate or natural stone) they are also normally the cheapest to lay as they do not wish expert adhesives, cutting or drilling. Some natural stone products also wish periodic sealing to enunciate their condition. It is vital that you consult with your contractor before purchasing tiles or adhesives. The size of tiles can be a possible problem:- Large tiles do not generally work very well, appearance wise, in a small area and the size of tiles is always a major issue for walls and floors that are less than exquisite (Tiles do not bend ):- Whilst smaller tiles can often cope with less than exquisite surfaces, larger tiles can not:- A good tiler will always do the best he can, but remember that unquestionably 100% exquisite tiling is achievable only in laboratory conditions by robots!
7) The colour and halt of items in a bathroom design is down to personal choice. In my perceive plain/neutral coloured tiles and paint finishes work best. Coloured tile edgings or bands may end up dictating the colour of towels, attractive accessories and the future paint colours on walls etc:- A composition of dark charcoal floor tiles, white "bumpy" wall tiles, very light grey emulsion walls and a white painted ceiling is a very cost efficient but classy halt that works very well for all towel and accessory colours especially when combined with silver tile trims/beads and the silver taps and shower fittings etc to be found in most bathrooms:- A similar ensue can be achieved with buff coloured and other neutrally coloured tiles:- If you are artistically minded and talented, do what you want and unquestionably don't listen to any bathroom fitter!
8) Your contractor is likely to be on site for anywhere in the middle of 7 and 11 working days. Let him have a fairly large area on which to keep his tools, materials and the bathroom fittings etc:- Any contractor worth his salt will always respect your property ( use dust sheets etc) and will clear up at the end of every night. A spare room is ideal, and with the door kept shut to hide the storehouse area after the contractor has terminated for the day, then the intrusion should be bearable for the contract duration
9) On most bathroom projects it is possible to keep a working toilet on the go for all but 24 hours of any contract:- Newly laid floor tiles need time to set prior to fixing the new wc and basin pedestal etc. In the absence of a second bathroom then alternative arrangements should obviously be made with neighbours, friends or house in advance.
10) finally if you are happy with your bathroom let your contractor know ( everybody likes to be thanked for doing a good job) and pay him promptly. If you wish you can place a good characterize of his workmanship online straight through your Google account, it will help his web site rankings and also other possible customers seeking trustable and fine craftsmen.
I hope you find the above beneficial and all the best for your future bathroom installation projects.
Copyrite:- Steve Dalgleish 2011
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