Considering doing up the bathroom - looking for some advice

JohnN

JohnN

Suspended / Banned
Messages
6,359
Name
John
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi,

My bathroom is to say the least in need of a redo, having never been looked at since the 70s :D

Now I'm not a rich man so I'm looking for something along the lines of a cheep bath with shower (a big part of wanting a redo is wanting a shower), but no doubt a new toilet and sink too.

The room really isn't big about two baths wide with a bog and sink at the end.

Just to be annoying the taps are at the wrong end too so will need to do a bit of pipework, although a work mate of mine used to be a plumber and says its very easy.

Anyway thats the back story, now on to the questions.

Where's good to pick up a cheap but decent suite, shower tap things and tiles - preferably online so deliveries sorted.

Also has anyone bumped into an idiots guide to fitting a bathroom :)

Cheers, I know this will be fun!
 
I have used

www.plumbworld.co.uk

a couple of times and found the quality and prices they offer to be very good.

Wickes have some good general "contract" offers too.

Steve
 
Cheers Steve, I'll have a poke around.
 
Keep an eye out on the "Better Bathrooms" website, sell high quality stuff off cheap from time to time. We bought an excellent quality shower/bath for less than a cheap one at B&Q, even the installers remarked how decent the quality was

Simon
 
Excellent, will do.

Thanks Simon - looks like theres a sale on at the mo, full suite with shower and taps at under £300 - looks promising :)

Just need to chat with the better half now, lol then probably spend that again on tiles and knowing me that again on tools!
 
Last edited:
I happen to do this as a profession - bathroom and kitchen fitting.
For tiling, check out 'tilers forum' or 'tiling forum' (second is a breakaway forum due to politics!). They are very helpful and talkative. There are various threads for beginners.
There are also plumbing, building and other trade forums associated with 'tilers forum' which may be worth a look.
Important thing is preparation- get the floor and walls ready and prepped and everything else will go smoothly.
You just have to look around for deals. B&Q are pretty good especially if you have a trade account. You get decent discounts on most things, 10 to 25%. So find out about trade membership- it doesn't cost anything. Call yourself a Property Developer, maybe run up a letterhead.
Topps Tiles are good too. Again, try to get trade membership for up to about 30% discount. Your letterhead will open doors...
For plumbing try Plumb Centre, again ask for trade discount.
Screwfix are also worth a look(letterhead again!)

Any problems PM me.

I'm doing my own shower room up this week and start a new fit bathroom next week for a customer.
 
Last edited:
lol, cheeky but very sound idea :)

Thank you again.
 
I take it though thats theres more to a letterhead (as anyone could known one up up in five minutes) for a trade account, wouldn't you need to actually have a business, credit agreements, VAT registration and so on?
 
JohnN said:
I take it though thats theres more to a letterhead (as anyone could known one up up in five minutes) for a trade account, wouldn't you need to actually have a business, credit agreements, VAT registration and so on?
Click to expand...

I didn't :) Generally they don't check. Just say that you've just started up.
I do have business cards, really cheap to get a few done- £5
The savings more than cover this expense.

VAT registration is for bigger companies, I think £50000+
 
Last edited:
Thanks again Ken - I probably wont as on my budget - maybe £500 the savings not worth the risk, knowing my luck I'd save £100 then end up in court for deception :)

As I write (from work - tut, tut) my wife is busily checking things out to see whats needed, just as well as I'm useless at organisation.
 
Shop around for tiles, they vary massively in price, the big tile places aren't always the cheapest, try eBay for clearance lots, measure in sq M and add 10% for cuts

Waterproof wall boards could be cheaper than tiles

Look in aldi for a toilet and sink they sometimes have them on offer
 
Someone mentioned Wicks

DO NOT, I shall repeat that, DO NOT allow wicks or their fitters anywhere near your home, I will NEVER buy anything from that company again no matter what.
 
kendo1 said:
I didn't :) Generally they don't check. Just say that you've just started up. I do have business cards, really cheap to get a few done- £5 The savings more than cover this expense. VAT registration is for bigger companies, I think £50000+
Click to expand...

You get 10 cards free on moo.com :)
 
If you have a Homebase nearby it's worth a quick look in, we got our Laura Ashley tiles on clearance and a 15% off everything weekend! meant to be £27 a pack paid £4.25. Obviously store specific but as I say worth a look in if you have one nearby.
 
I'm not sure we do but I'll check.

Ta for the basin heads up, thankfully I'm looking mostly at sets so shouldn't mess that part up :)
 
Its perfectly legal to suddenly set up up a 'sole trading' business simply by deciding to do so.

You don't need to register anywhere, well not until the tax man wants his income tax anyway. Just call yourself something, make up a basic letter head or whatever you like, job done, you can now trade legally as a business.

All I know about bathrooms is go for proper solid base shower tray and make sure the waste pipes are quality cos they wont be accessible after its installed.
 
Avoid the likes of bathstore.com and stick to a proper plumbers merchants e.g grahams, plumbase, plumb centre. I do this for a living and would never ever use bathstore.com as after a year or 2 no chance of spare parts.
 
Last edited:
Cheers Kevin - bathroom wise I think I'll be getting a set from Better Bathrooms - its cheep, reviews well and the reviews go back a few years so it should be fine - thanks for the heads up though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top