Hi everyone,
I am thinking of renovating the main bathroom in the house we are living now.
I noticed there are so many different options out in the market just for a small renovation like this:1. go with the big companies like Harvey Norman and Domayne for a whole package, they have show rooms to pick the style, then I can buy materials and fittings from them and also hire their tradies to do the job
2. go with the small companies for a whole package, they will come in to give me a quote. The whole package include design, project manage, provide materials and fittings, labor and cleaning.
3. buy the materials and fittings myself, then go with the small companies for labor only.What do you normally use for your renovation? Which approach is better value?
I would imagine the one stop shop with big companies sound most reliable, but of course they are more expensive. I don't mind buying the materials myself, but I guess if i buy the wrong size or wrong fitting then that will cost me more?
This is my first renovation, getting a bit confused now. Really appreciate if someone could share expeirence and some tips on the little details like this.
Thanks.
Hi,
I would tend to recommend that because this is your first reno to use one of the bathroom companies or a project manager. I don't think the big guys are necessarily better – you just need to do a bit more homework and reference checks on the less know renovations businesses. In fact I think you are more likely to get better, more personal service from the smaller teams.
So much can go wrong with a reno if you're not 100% confident about what you're doing. It might be as simple as buying the wrong size vanity or doing things in the wrong order, or forgetting to budget on something up front (which means you spend more than you anticipated). Also, if something goes wrong when you buy the materials and then have it installed by someone else, the tradesperson is less likley to take responsibilty for the problem. The waters are muddied and there is no clear point of who is responsible for what (whereas if one person/business is responsible for the lot, you can hold back your payments until the problem is fixed).
Trades-people usually get a better buy rate too – so you may be able to take advantage of their buying power (even though they will prob put a margin on top of their price, it will still be cheaper than retail).
For the money you save co-ordinating the reno yourself, you are quite likely to spend that in over-spends/double ups/errors.
I always recommend my clients have a definate plan of what they are going to do their property before they start a thing. Know how the space will be laid out and exactly what fixtures and fittings you are going to use. Then when you get your pricing from the various companies, you will be able to compare apples with apples because they have all priced on the same thing. My clients follow a Renovation Action Plan and this may be something to consider ( I usually do this for an entire property but do actually offer a room-by-room service too).
There are many many advantages for using a project manager when renovating – even if its just a bathroom.
Hope that helps.
Jane – Hotspace | Hotspace Consultants
http://hotspaceconsultants.com/home
Email Me | Phone MeRenovating for Profit specialist
I think Jane isolated a very important issue.
You should always have a very clear idea of what you want to achieve, and ensure you have documentation – written or drawn – that adequately communicates this.
Making decisions before you start, rather than along the way, will save time and money (and hassle).Best of luck with your project.
thanks for the advices!
I just got 2 tradies came to our house for a quote, they will get back to me this week, will also check out some show rooms in the coming weekend to get a feel about the prices.
I've already got a clear picture in mind how i want the finished bathroom to look like, i'll find out about the material cost this weekend.
will upload some before and after photos later.
Thanks again!Definitely worth having a few different quotes. Have a look at some middle ground companies – not so big that you will be just another client (especially if your job is a smaller one may end up lower priority then some of the big ones), but not so small where it's just one person working for themselves. Check their qualifications and also ask about some of their recent jobs.. A company that is not huge will go that extra yard to look after you that a big one may not. It will come down to the individual company, but I'm sure you'll be able to tell pretty quickly from the moment you call them how quickly they get back to you, how prompt they are, how they answer your questions, how soon they send you through a quote, do they guarantee their work, etc.
And as Jane mentions there are advantages to using trades to get your materials as they will have much better discounts available to them.
Wishing you every success, Anaps. Let me know if you end up stuck, we might be able to help.
Hi everyone,
I am back from the material shopping last weekend. Previously we had a budget of 10k including quality materials and labor, now I was told by the showroom guy that If i want the fittings with the quality that I want, my budget has to rise to at least 15-17k.
Also got quote from 2 tradies, surprisingly they gave me similar price — 6K + GST. including rip off old tiles, waterproofing, re-tiling, putting the new fittings in.
Here are some prices of the fittings:
– vanity : 500 (standard) -3000 (marble or stone benchtop with basin on top)
– Toilet: 300-800
– shower screen: 800 (framed) – 1500 (standard frameless) – 2500 (customised frameless)
– bathtub: 600-1000I will check out more show rooms later. It surprises how much more a frameless shower screen cost compare with a framed one, and how much more a model basin set up (with the basin siting on top of benchtop instead of sinking in the benchtop) cost.
Does this sound like a reasonable quote/price to everyone? adding them up, It is way above my initial budget of 10k.
Could anyone share the quote or price of their project please?Just wondering if i am getting ripped off because I am new in renovation.
thanks a lot
Hello Danviv,
hope your project is coming along as you require.
These prices are fairly accurate, give or take.
Our bathrooms tend to average 12-15k if we supply all of the PC items etc (This inc tiles, vanities, bath, tapware etc etc)
This is for an average sized room withe good quality middle of the road PC items.
I concur with what has been already said above, and get a builder to do the renovation.
That said, i am biased as our company regularly does bathrooms for our clients.
Therefore, i would like to explain some of the processes we do as a building company, that may be overlooked if doing it yourself, or through the bigger companies where you are a number-1- We always check your framework including your sub floor for any dry rot or damage, and make allowances to repair
2-We always ensure you get a form 16 for the waterproofing and shower screen- this ensures you are covered, should anything happen down the track
3-We ALWAYS replace the combination, regardless of age- the welds on these can deteriorate over time, and especially with the knocks they receive during the demolition stage. therefore, they always get replaced as a matter of course!
4- All vanities get sealed with silicone on the inside of the unit. As most of the vanities come out of China now and you have no real way of knowing for sure if they are Australian made or not, we ALWAYS seal the insides of the vanities. the reason is that the melamine board they use is inferior to the board used in Australia, and does not take water well. So as extra insurance against swelling from “possible” leaks we seal them all.
5-We build to exacting standards, and ensure everything is built to the building Codes of Australia, and also built to Australian Standards 1648 (Frame), 3740-2004 (Waterproofing) and 3958.1-2007 (Tiling)
6- All jobs are registered and insured through the BSA,These are just a few reasons to use a smaller contractor, just remember a few things-
1 always ask for referrals. If a friend has recommended them, this is a good start, ask for photos testimonials etc
2- Have a simple plan of what you want, and a list of the components you would like. If you don’t know, ask if they have any photos of PC items they can supply
3-Whoever you end up choosing- A cup of tea and a couple of cookies goes a loooong way to ensuring satisfactiongood luck with the project
I second that. We tend to do the middle of the range bathrooms for $11k-$14 for clients (around Melbourne). Just make sure they list all the inclusions. And also it's really worth while for you to ask to receive a plumbing and electrical certificate for work performed too. We always give these to clients and it not only gives them peace of mind, but assists them with re-selling, insuring, etc going forward.
All the best!
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. If you don't have an account, you can register here.
