Bathrooms

[MetManMark]

Evening all

We are needing to do loads of work on our new house. New central heating, rewiring, kitchen, bathroom. For the kitchen we have found a local chap that makes his own, comes highly recommended and comes in at a good price. However, when it comes to bathrooms the plumbers we have spoken have typically said that we should buy the stuff we want from Howdens / Wickes and that they would install it. Surely there are better places - potentially online???

The style of shower that we like is this one:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/organic-walk...h/invt/209156/

However, even if you assume a 50% sale later in the summer this is still shed loads of money. Any top tips as to where to buy stuff? We just want good quality components - nothing particularly flash apart from a shower with no doors to move...

The bath that is currently in the property is an old cast iron bath (although it is painted pink!) so we might try to have this refurbished.

cheers
Mark

 

[Pford75]

Bathstore seem reasonable....but if you really want a bargain, try eBay for private seller auctions on second hand showers. They can be made to look great.

 

[Moo]

Bathstore will allow you to put down a deposit and will then store the items until you're ready to have them installed. Apparently a lot of customers order stuff during the sale even though they're not intending to use it until much, much later.
And you can, I was told, change your mind and get your deposit back any time.

 

[Feltwell]

Hmm - if you're doing that Moo, I'd pay by credit card. At least you've some chance of recompense then if they cease trading.

 

[Penners]

I've had some good deals in the past from Victoria Plumb.

http://www.victoriaplumb.com/

But it's also worth paying a visit to one or two local plumber's merchants, and getting them to quote on a list of your needs. You can often find that their prices are very competitive.

 

[Ixia]

Victorian Plumb supplied the showers for this house and our previous one, they seem to have grown hugely as a company, but the service and price was still good.

 

[AMc]

Your link doesn't work for me.

If want simple branded items then keep an eye on Screwfix. They were substantially cheaper for big brands than the bathroom showrooms when we were looking but their range was very small. I found the builders merchants esp. "Jewson's" in Norwich were not good value as I didn't have a heavy enough hitting purchase history to negotiate a discount and the list prices tend to be IMHO artificially high.
My electrician doing a house refurb used eBay stores.

We bought some cheap bathrooms from an independent and I'm not entirely convinced it was a good idea in the end as there seem to be some defects in the glaze that weren't immediately apparent but now are (to me) when I'm cleaning it.

Refurbing cast iron baths is very expensive - if it's just a straight sided tub then I would look at Kawaldie (sp?) steel baths.
Our resin shower tray came via a local discount wholesaler from Just trays and was good value for money.

 

[robgil]

I got an entire late victorian/edwardian antique bathroom from E bay for very very little money, but it took ages looking for it and researching it.

 

[masochists-r-us]

Agree with Pford and Robgil. We got one of these lovelies from Ebay and after a good clean and a new paint job it looks and works a treat.Not exactly 17th C though.

 

[robgil]

Does that shower have jets that do your body from the sidesd as well as from above?

 

[masochists-r-us]

Yes,but not at the same time. It's an either/or. Highly recommended bathing experience though !

 

[jocelyn plummer]

:shock:

 

[Maddie-Rose]

I also have to recommend victoria plumb, they are very reasonable, and often have sales. Failing that ebay is amazing