What should a bathroom quote include?
Bathrooms hide more cost than any other room, behind the tiles and under the floor. An itemised quote shows exactly what you are paying for, and what a cheap headline figure has quietly left out.
A proper bathroom quote is itemised, never a single lump sum. It should list the sanitaryware by item (bath or shower enclosure and tray, basin, WC, taps, shower valve and head), the waterproofing or tanking of the wet areas, wall and floor tiling supplied and fitted, first and second fix plumbing with any moving of the WC, bath or soil pipe itemised separately, the electrics and an extractor fan, flooring, removal and disposal of the old suite, and making good afterwards. It should also state delivery, whether VAT is included, the timeline and the payment schedule. The costs most often left out, and the reason a cheap bathroom quote can look cheap, are waterproofing, moving the soil pipe, making good, electrical work, underfloor heating and waste removal. To compare fairly, give every fitter the same written brief, ask each to itemise on the same basis, and compare line by line. This is general information for UK homeowners.
The checklist: what a full bathroom quote itemises
- Sanitaryware, listed by item: bath and/or shower enclosure and tray, basin, WC, taps, and the shower valve and head.
- Waterproofing (tanking) of the shower and wet areas behind the tiles. This is essential and easy to hide, so it should be named explicitly.
- Tiling: walls and floor, supply and fit, including trims and grout.
- Plumbing, first and second fix. Moving the WC, bath or soil pipe is a major cost driver and should be itemised separately.
- Electrics: IP-rated lighting and extractor, shaver socket, a heated towel rail, underfloor heating if included, and certification.
- Ventilation: an extractor fan sized for the room, which is a Building Regulations requirement.
- Flooring: supply and fit, with any levelling.
- Removal of the old suite and tiles, and disposal of the waste.
- Making good: plastering, filling and painting where fittings and services have moved.
- Delivery, VAT (or a note that the price includes it), the timeline, and the payment schedule.
The costs most often left out
A cheaper bathroom quote is frequently cheaper only because these are missing.
- Waterproofing or tanking of the wet area, sometimes assumed rather than quoted.
- Moving the WC, bath or soil pipe, which can add a lot and is easy to leave out of a headline figure.
- Making good and decorating after the fit.
- Electrical work and certification, sometimes priced by a separate trade.
- Underfloor heating and a heated towel rail, when the base quote assumes neither.
- Removal and disposal of the old suite and tiles, and VAT.
The bathroom-specific watch-outs
Two things drive bathroom cost more than anything and hide most easily: waterproofing the wet area, and moving the WC, bath or soil pipe. Make sure both are named and priced in the quote. If a figure looks cheap, one of these is usually why.
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Find a vetted bathroom specialistBathroom quotes: common questions
What should a bathroom quote include?
A proper bathroom quote is itemised, not a single figure. It should list the sanitaryware (bath or shower, basin, WC, taps, shower valve), the waterproofing or tanking of wet areas, wall and floor tiling supplied and fitted, first and second fix plumbing (with any moving of the WC or soil pipe itemised), electrics and an extractor fan, flooring, removal and disposal of the old suite, and making good afterwards. It should also state delivery, whether VAT is included, the timeline and the payment schedule.
What is most often left out of a bathroom quote?
The costs most commonly missing are waterproofing or tanking of the wet area, moving the WC, bath or soil pipe, making good and decorating after the fit, electrical work priced by a separate trade, underfloor heating and a heated towel rail, and removal and disposal of the old suite. VAT is sometimes hidden by a low headline figure. A cheaper quote is often cheaper only because these are excluded.
Why does moving the toilet or bath add so much to a bathroom quote?
Because it means re-routing the waste and, for a WC, the soil pipe, which is disruptive plumbing that can involve lifting floors and building up levels. Keeping the sanitaryware roughly where it is keeps costs down; moving it, or reconfiguring the whole layout, is one of the biggest single variables in a bathroom price. If your quote moves things, that work should be itemised so you can see what it costs.
Should a bathroom quote include waterproofing?
Yes, and it should say so explicitly. Proper waterproofing, or tanking, of the shower and wet areas behind the tiles is what stops water getting into the walls and floor and causing damage later. It is essential in a modern bathroom, and because it is hidden behind the finished surface it is easy to under-do or leave out of a quote, so make sure it is named and included.
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