Bathrooms rarely go over budget because of the suite. They go over because of decisions made late, surprises found under the floor and quotes that never included the boring items in the first place. All three are avoidable.
1. Freeze the specification before day one
Tiles, suite, brassware, furniture and lighting all chosen and confirmed before the strip out starts. Late changes are the single biggest cause of overspend we see.
2. Keep the drainage where it is unless there is a real gain
Moving a soil pipe is the most expensive metre in the room. Rotating the layout for aesthetics alone rarely pays for itself.
3. Demand an itemised quote, not a single figure
A one line price cannot be checked. An itemised one lets you see whether tanking, waste disposal, making good and certification are included.
4. Agree what happens if something is found
Rotten boards, perished waste joints and old wiring are common in local housing stock. Agree in advance that anything found is reported, photographed and priced before it is done.
5. Order everything before the strip out
A missing screen or a back ordered tray stops the job. Idle days cost money and stretch the timeline for everyone.
6. Buy tiles with waste in mind
Add 10 percent on straight lay and 15 percent on herringbone or diagonal. Reordering a second batch risks a shade difference as well as a delivery delay.
7. Use one team rather than three trades
Where a plumber, an electrician and a tiler are booked separately, gaps between them cost days and nobody owns the finish. Our plumbing, tiling and electrics are all in house, so the sequence is ours to manage and there is nobody to blame but us.
8. Spend where it wears, save where it shows
- Worth the money: thermostatic valves, a decent shower screen, quality adhesive and grout, a proper extractor.
- Easy savings: half height tiling on dry walls, a mid range suite, standard format porcelain, keeping the existing radiator position.
9. Hold a small retention in your own head
Pay on staged completion rather than up front for labour. Any reputable local firm will be comfortable with that, and ours quotes on that basis as standard.
A price you can plan around
We survey free, quote fixed and itemised within 24 hours, and stand behind the work with a written guarantee. Fully insured, 5 star rated, and over 25 years fitting bathrooms across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
Common questions
What is the most common cause of an overspend?
Changing your mind after first fix. Once pipework and cables are set, a moved basin or a switched tile format means undoing finished work, and that is charged twice by definition.
Should I expect a contingency?
Set aside around 10 percent on a refit in a house over about 40 years old. It usually covers hidden pipework, a soft floor section or a waste that has to be rerouted.
How do I compare two quotes fairly?
Line them up item by item. If one is missing tanking, waste removal, making good or electrical certification, it is not a cheaper quote, it is a smaller one.
Do you charge extra when you find something hidden?
We tell you what we have found, show you, and price it before we touch it. Nothing gets added to your bill without you agreeing to it first.
Is supplying my own suite cheaper?
Sometimes, and we are happy to fit what you have bought. The risk sits with delivery dates and missing parts, which can idle a fitter for a day, so we agree that in writing beforehand.
Is your quote genuinely fixed?
Yes. After a free survey we issue an itemised fixed price, normally within 24 hours, and it holds unless you change the specification.