If you’re not happy about the way your bathroom looks, for example, it’s outdated or there are some problems you keep ignoring, perhaps its time to get the bathroom redone. You may simply be looking for an alternate purpose of your bathroom or feel it’s time for it to be redone. An example of changing the purpose of your bathroom would be if you’re planning to change your family bathroom into a guest bathroom as you now have another family bathroom due to the extension you’ve recently had. Whatever your reasons are, hiring a professional bathroom fitter can help you with that. If you are planning to renovate or redo your bathroom, you will have a lot of questions as well as ideas on how to do each thing. Naturally, you would only want the best for yourself and must have many ideas about what your ideal bathroom would look like once everything is finished. Bathroom decorating and designing is not something you would do very often (probably only once or twice in a lifetime), which is why you’ll want to make sure it’s perfect once complete. Therefore, you need to think and plan a lot before actually getting it done. Fitting a bathroom is a long and stressful job, regardless of the size of your room. So, even for a small bathroom, proper planning and implementation is required. If anything, it is more stressful to plan and fit a smaller bathroom as you are limited to what you can do. A bathroom is a place where you relax and unwind after a long stressful day. Therefore, it has to be done such that it serves the purpose and helps you to relax. With proper planning and preparation, you can have an ideal bathroom of your dream. This can be done if you hire the services of professional bathroom fitters. Hiring a professional bathroom fitter will make the stressful job easier and more fruitful than if you do it yourself. Hiring a professional bathroom fitter means when everything is done, the results will be worth your time and money. Plus, you will have the peace of mind that your job is being handled by professionals who do this every day and will take care of all aspects from plumbing, fitting, designing and decorating. All you need to do is look for a professional bathroom fitting company and choose your design and layout and they will do the rest.
Table of Contents
To make it easy for you to understand why you’ll need a professional to help you fit your bathroom, we’ve set out several sections to help you. In this article you will find:
- How to Choose The Right Professional Fitters
- Why Choose Professional Bathroom Fitters?
- Hiring a Professional Vs DIY or Builders
- Overheads and Extra Costs
- Where to Buy Bathroom Fittings
- Where to Hire Professional Bathroom Fitters
How to Choose The Right Professional Fitters
For some, it might be a difficult decision to make on how to choose the right professional bathroom fitter. As you might not have any prior experience of hiring professional bathroom fitters, this is a genuine concern. You would not want anyone who would take a lot of money and do a shabby job. However, there are several ways on how you can find a suitable professional bathroom fitter. Using a Phone Book You can look up in the phone book for bathroom contractors and designers. However, you need to do some research and not just pick up the first that comes on the list. You can also ask friends and family for recommendations if they have recently redone their bathroom. Call up different companies, ask them for a consultation and quote, and go for the one that you think would suit you the best. Using the Internet You can look up on the internet. This is a good option as you’ll also be able to read other clients’ reviews based on their personal experience with any particular contractor. There might also be some photos of the designs they have previously worked on which will give you a very good idea on how the job is done and what your bathroom will look like with a certain design. When you do go to meet a contractor, there will be a lot of questions to ask, apart from discussing the design of the bathroom. You can ask them of their experience on how many bathrooms they have done over the years. Make sure they are familiar with all building regulations. See if they will follow up with you after the building work is done to see if there are any issues and to be able to fix them without further cost on you. One of the hardest things is to get your contractor back once they have finished the project with you and have moved on to another job. Therefore, a proper follow-up plan will save you a lot of hassle in the case where something goes wrong. Although, in the majority of the cases this is an informal contract between the client and the contractor, a professional and reputable contractor will stick to their words and help you out if something goes wrong once their job with you is done. You can discuss the payment plan with your contractor and have it written in the contract. In every case, it’s best to have a written contract detailing every element of the whole project to avoid any complications and misunderstanding in the future. A lot of disputes are over matters regarding payment. So, its always best to have a plan of action in place from the beginning. Many contractors take a small deposit before starting the job and this practice is not uncommon. Get a quote that covers everything including buying and delivering the raw material, labour and installation plus if there is any outsourcing of tradesmen is required. Avoid going with the face value of the quote. As some companies will give you a very low price but it would not be including everything and may sting you when the final bill comes. So, its important to see how much each company is offering based on what they have included in the package. It is believed that three is a good number when surveying for a quote to make sure you identify any higher or lower quotes. If your bathroom refitting requires some changes to the electric system, you will need a qualified electrician. If your bathroom contractor is a professional one, they will make sure to arrange for that for you. You should look for that they either have the authority to self-certify their work or have been approved by the Building Regulation department by the local authority. It is important for your safety or even if you are redoing to resell, as you might have problems selling the property if the electrical work is not approved by authorities. Some contractors will be happy to show you the jobs they have done previously, similar to the one you are looking for. They may even be happy to give you an on-site visit to one of their clients so that you can see in person how good they are and if they can deliver what they have promised. If you are looking for recommendations, they may also be able to get you in touch with their clients. It is important that you feel comfortable with the bathroom fitters that you hire and that both of you are on the same page regarding all aspects of the job. It’s easy to see why it is important, as you will be spending a lot of time with them over the next few weeks or days. Also, you will need to communicate with them for a lot of things and they must understand what you want and how you want it. Similarly, it is also vital that they understand your need and care about doing their job properly. You will see how serious a designer or contractor is about their work and how professional they are when you first meet with them. Therefore, it is important to do your research properly and do not settle for anyone less than perfect. You can then make your final decision based on recommendation, reviews, professionalism and price quote.
Why Choose Professional Bathroom Fitters?
Apart from giving you a professional service and peace of mind, there are several reasons as to why choose professional bathroom fitters. We have compiled some of the reasons here for you below! Guidance The professional fitters do this job every day and that is why they are the experts on what works and what doesn’t. They can guide and help you to choose designs, installation and layout style, colour scheme, decoration and everything else that you are worried about. This will make the process much easier and will give you less hassle during the process. Choosing the right material is as much important as doing the right job. Because if you end up choosing, for example, an unappealing colour combination that you’ll regret, you’ll wish for the old bathroom back and feel like you’ve wasted your money. Saves Time and Worrying Hiring professional bathroom fitters means you will save yourself time and worry about running to the showrooms and learning about new designs and styles. Professional fitters are courteous and will be happy to help you by bringing in catalogues and give you advice according to what you are looking for. Or if you are considering to do the job yourself, will save you stress and time of educating yourself on installation and plumbing methods and techniques. Quick Turnaround The turnaround time for completion of the whole project from planning, buying, fitting and the outcome is much quicker when hiring professional fitters. This is because they have experience and as it is their job, they spend all day on one project. It saves you from a lot of pressure that comes with such projects as it’s handled by somebody else before reaching completion. Best Use of Money You work hard to earn money and you would want your money to be utilised in the best possible way, and rightly so! A professional bathroom fitting company who have contracting license and insurance will back up every detail of the work by legal requirements and will give you the best results for the value of your money. They will help you even after the work is finished and will be there if there are any minor issues. Cost Saving Due to the cost involved in hiring professional fitting services, many people opt for more economical alternate and choose to do the job themselves. However, this can be more costly if we look at the bigger picture because if there are any issues with plumbing, electricity or faults and errors in installation there will be no backup and you will spend more money correcting the mistakes than if you would have hired professionals. Also, you will need experts when it comes to waterproofing, electrical and plumbing jobs so its best to get them done under one roof by hiring professionals who will take care of every element themselves. Covers all Aspects Professional companies will look after all aspects of designing and implementing your bathroom fitting and will give you perfect advice on choosing tiles, decoration and grouting etc. Also, they will take care of the elements such as practicality and ease-of-use to help you make a more informed decision. Quality A professional fitter will look at the quality of the raw material and will give expert suggestions based on their experience. They have an eye for the top quality material and will give you advice on the durability of each item if they think it wouldn’t work. For example, they can give you advice on the tiles or flooring that will last longer and would resist wear and tear over the years. Maintenance Professional fitters will also give you practical advice on how to choose a layout for your bathroom that will be easy to maintain and clean. After all, you will have to keep it clean and maintain it from getting rusted and mouldy, so a design that will keep these unwanted hindrances to a minimum would be more practical. For example, a professional fitter would not leave tiny corners where dust and mould would accumulate easily. Professional Connections Contractors and professional companies have a network of people and companies they mostly work. Therefore, they are often more aware of good deals and discount offers from other businesses and can get you an economical deal on some products. On the other hand, if you go out to buy each thing on your own you may end up higher prices. A Team of Experts Professional bathroom fitting companies have a team of people where everyone is an expert in a specific area of service. There are plumbers, electricians, carpenters, tile fitters, designers and contractors. Each member of the team is well established in what they do and can finish a job in a couple of hours, which would someone less experienced several days to finish! The End Product You, as a user of the bathroom, will typically only care about the result and the outcome. Professional bathroom fitters understand how you feel about your place and how much you want the perfect results. The professional fitters are highly experienced in their services, making them a great tool to help your dream bathroom become a reality.
Hiring a Professional Vs DIY or Builders
There are several reasons why choosing professional bathroom fitters is a better idea compared to a DIY job or hiring a builder. If you are getting building work done, you would think its ideal to hire the services of your builder who are already working on the property. However, there are a few things to take into account before you make that decision. Most builders have a plumber in their team and would be happy to get the bathroom fitted for you. But, just like every other professional field, they have their own set of expertise. For example, a pharmacist would not operate, which is the expert area of a surgeon. Similarly, a builder is an expert at planning and implementing house extensions and building walls, while a bathroom fitter is an expert at planning on making and fitting a bathroom that is fit for the purpose it is made for. A professional bathroom fitter will understand the purpose a bathroom is being built for and the reason for its renovation. They give you advice based on their years of experience and the number of bathrooms they do every year and helps you to plan accordingly. How many bathrooms does your builder do every year? For example, if you are making an en suite, it will have different requirements than a family bathroom or a guest bathroom. A builder will ‘fit’ the bathroom according to what you have given them, whereas a professional fitter will give you practical advice according to the type of bathroom you are making. A professional fitting company have a team of people, each working in perfect synchronization and harmony and each expert in their area of delivery. For example, they have connections with the tiling supply people, the plumbers and decoration company etc. Each of them will deliver the service on time to get your bathroom done as soon as possible and with the perfect results. On the other hand, you will have to coordinate on your own with all the suppliers so that when the items get delivered your builder can fit them for you. This on its own is a headache, plus the result may not be what you wanted. Doing the bathroom renovation job is as much risk as getting it done by an unprofessional person. A lot of us tend to take that risk to save the cost of hiring professional services. However, it may turn out to be even more expensive than hiring professionals. If you’re fitting the bathroom yourself and something goes wrong, it’ll be down to you to hire a professional fitter to fix, increasing the actual cost to be higher than it would have been if the services were hired in the beginning. A professional bathroom fitter will make your bathroom look beautiful, even if it is a simple design. It is because everything is handled by experts who are confident in their job. However, even if you buy the most expensive design and the most luxurious fixtures, your bathroom may end up looking shabby and distasteful if the job is handled by inexperienced people. For example, the tiles may not be aligned properly, there might be leaks in the pipes or toilet and the overall layout looks messy! Hiring professional bathroom fitters also means you save a lot of time and hassle compared to if you decide to do the job yourself. They spend all day on one project and therefore, get the job done quicker. Whereas, if you do it on your own, you will either have to take time off work or would do on weekends in which case the project will take a lot longer, plus the anxiety that comes with unfinished tasks.
Overheads and Extra Costs
You might have considered every aspect of getting your bathroom fitted and your contractor may also have given you a good price and taken care of all elements of the project. However, there might still be some overheads or extra costs on some of the things that you may have overlooked. These can be: Location The area you live in. If you live well out of town then your bathroom fitter may charge you an additional price for getting everything and their team to and from your place. Age of Your Current Bathroom Another factor could be the age of your old bathroom. If the bathroom you have been looking to redo is very old and requires a lot of work rather than just refitting, then that cost will also be added to the overall price. For example, if the plumbing in your old bathroom is very outdated then it will require a lot more work to make it up to date and functional, hence adding to the cost. Quality of Fixtures The quality of the fittings and fixtures that you have chosen also add to the price. For example, if you have chosen very expensive and luxurious fittings then obviously, the price will go up. Also, when your contractor takes out the old fittings from your bathroom, will they dispose of it off for you? If yes, then there may be an additional cost for you. If you are planning on redoing the bathroom with underfloor heating, this will require more planning and more labour than just changing the radiator. Therefore, it will be added to the price. Thus, it is important to discuss every detail with the contractor so that when they give you a quote, they can take into account all these factors and give you a final quote based on that.
Where to Buy Bathroom Fittings
If you don’t want to rely on the designs provided by the professional fitter alone and wish to do a bit of market survey on your own, you can have a look at some of these stores and websites to see what out there and select a design you love the most. One such website is www.victorianplumbing.co.uk, here you can find a lot of designs and styles to choose from. Apart from bathroom designs they also have a collection of accessories and bathroom fittings so you can buy a full matching lot that complements the other. Another one is, www.paramountbathrooms.co.uk, apart from bathroom fitting designs, they also have some virtual designs on their website where you can see how a design will look like in reality. On www.wickes.co.uk you can have a look and choose a variety of bathroom styles. A good feature of this website is they give you a rough estimate of the price range so that you know what you are looking at. www.wayfair.co.uk is another good choice which lets you have a look at some of the great deals available from the top brands so you can choose the best for your bathroom. At www.plumworld.co.uk you can get several ideas on how to make your dream bathroom. They have everything from bathroom fittings, accessories, mirrors, lights to even the smallest of things so you can have a complete set of matching items. Some of the little things they do are soap dispensers, bathroom bins and even bathroom cleaning equipment. www.houzz.co.uk is a website where you can find the trending bathroom fittings and fixtures of 2020. They have some bestselling and luxurious items whirlpool bathtub, steam shower, rain shower and shower doors etc. B&Q is another one of the UK’s top home improvement stores. You can buy material from there and get it fitted by the contractor of your choice or you can even go with the B&Q tradesmen who can do the complete job for you. Their website is www.diy.com.
Where to Look for Professional Bathroom Fitters
If you are not sure where you can find good bathroom fitters, this guide may be of some help: www.mylocaltoolbox.co.uk is a website where you can look up for local tradesmen in your area, get up to three free quotes and can even leave a review at the end of your project completion. They can help you hire one company for your job. You can also look for different categories for example if you are looking for a renovation, refurbishment, bathroom designs or just repair, they can help you in the right direction. www.bark.com – Here you can choose the type of property you are enquiring about, for example, a house, flat or commercial property. You can also choose from what type of bathroom you need them to do, for example, an en suite or master bathroom. Then you can select options from if you already have any ideas in mind and only need help with installation or if you need suggestions too. These options help the website to direct you in the right direction which will save you a lot of hassle. In the end, you will be directed to local professional fitters in your area and you can get quotes. www.mybuilder.com is another website which lets you choose from several options to help you to get in the right direction. For example, what type of service you are looking for, what area of expertise you want in particular and then they can direct you to the right people according to your postcode. www.myjobquote.co.uk – Here you can choose your local tradesmen through postcode. You can post the job that you are enquiring about, for example, tiling. Then you will get a few quotes. This website also allows you to see the ratings from other homeowners regarding any professional fitter and their service. www.myworkman.co.uk – This website lets you find the best tradesmen regarding any job you are searching for. This website also works similarly. For example, you can post a job detailing what you are looking for then a few tradesmen who show interest in your job will get back to you through the website and then you will be able to see some of the reviews based on their work from previous clients. www.trustatrader.com is where they research finding a suitable contractor for you. The website has a list of professional fitters and also the reviews based on their performance and their rating based on a five-star rating system. www.ratedpeople.com – Here you will be able to post your job explaining what service you want and the area of the tradesmen expertise you will be acquiring, for example, shower enclosure. On this website, you can read reviews of the other clients, get quotes and you can also see some tips on how to hire the right person for the particular specs of the job. Understanding your requirement according to the purpose of redoing the bathroom is a challenging job and this is the reason why you need professional fitters who can guide you as well as save you from the hassle of planning, buying and installing everything by yourself. We hope that this guide will help you to decide what to look for and the criteria to check when hiring professional bathroom fitters. We hope the above helps you to get the bathroom of your dream!
Recent Posts
- The Significance of Proper Bathroom Ventilation in Design and Functionality
- The Significance of Regular Boiler Servicing: Efficiency and Safety Assurance
- Timely Boiler Repairs: Avoiding Costly Breakdowns and Ensuring Safety
- Tips for Optimal Gas Boiler Maintenance: Ensuring Reliability
- Troubleshooting Common Heating Issues in the UK: Expert Advice
