Monday 21 July 2014

How to Find a Reliable Bathroom Fitter

Renovating any room in your home can be a challenge. The bathroom, however, is particularly challenging, and there are a number of reasons for this. First, there is both water and electricity in the room, which makes it relatively dangerous to go messing around with fixtures and fittings. Secondly, you spend a lot of time in the bathroom, so it’s important that you choose a style that you like. Finally, there are issues of damp, so a high-quality damp course is essential.

bathroom fitter Preston

Many people choose to undertake bathroom design themselves, but we would recommend against this given the volume of problems that you might encounter. Instead, you should use a qualified bathroom fitter. This has its own problems: namely, finding a fitter that will do the job well. Here, we will help you to understand how to find a reliable bathroom fitter.

Trading Standards

The first thing that you need to establish is whether the fitter is registered with the Trading Standards register in that particular area.  For example, if you are looking for a bathroom fitter Preston, then you will check the Trading Standards register for the Preston area. It may be that your local area does not run a Builder’s Register, in which case you may have to research several other registers, such as the Local Authority Assured Trader Scheme Network.

If you cannot find details on either of those registers – because, as mentioned above, these schemes do not operate throughout the country – then you will need to rely on other methods of checking. Here are a few companies that will be able to offer you a decent evaluation of bathroom fitters in your area:

  1.       Which? This company has become increasingly popular in recent years. Bathroom fitters (and other types of trader) sign up and pay a monthly subscription fee. Customers are able to comment on the reliability of the tradesperson. You may worry that the tradesmen place their own recommendations and skew results, but Which? takes extra care to eliminate false recommendations.
  2. 2    TrustMark: this is another highly relevant database of tradesmen on the UK. It is backed and supported by a number of government initiatives. They currently hold details of more than 300000 tradespeople. If you’re looking for bathroom fitter Preston, London, or all four corners of the country, then you’re likely to find a reliable one by using this directory.
What To Do Once You Shortlist a Number of Reputable Bathroom Fitters

You need to contact each company with a number of different issues:

  1.     Give them a clear and concise brief of the job that you want when you ask for a quote. It is better to have the builder come in and look at the job so that they can quote more accurately.
  2.      Ask for the quote in writing, with a breakdown of costs, as well as an estimation of completion.
  3.      Check out a number of different references (look at the directories above, and then look online for reviews from customers)
  4.   Use an established business.
  5. Only go for a quote if it comes with a written contract.


We hope that you now have a better understanding of how to choose a reliable bathroom fitter.If you’re looking for a bathroom fitter Preston or Lancashire, then please visit crostonplumbing 

Friday 18 July 2014

How to Cost for a New Bathroom Suite

Bathrooms are relatively cheap in terms of renovation. Many people assume that renovating a new bathroom would be expensive, but in comparison to much of the rest of the house, including the living room and kitchen, it can be extremely cost efficient. This is because there is a lot of completion within the sector, and consequently, this brings down prices. For instance, a relatively decent 3-piece suite (bath, shower, and sink) will set you back an average of £250-£400. Clearly, the lower end will have a more budget feel, but they work equally well. It can be hard to work out the cost of a bathroom renovation. Here, we’re going to help you to work out your new bathroom estimate.

bathroom design service Preston
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What Do You Want?
Before you can start to estimate a price, you need to establish exactly what you want from your bathroom. You have many options, the commonest of which are:

  1. Standard bathroom suite with bath, shower, toilet and sink.
  2. Shower suite, which consists simply of a shower, toilet, and a sink.
  3. Bath suite, bath, toilet, and sink.
  4. Wet room with shower, toilet and sink
  5. Wet room with bath, shower, toilet and sink
  6. Other combinations of wet room 

Once you have established they type of suite that you require, you can then begin to cost for the job.

Costing
You need to work out the cubed footage/meterage of the bathroom in order to establish the size of the accessories that can comfortably fit in the bathroom. For instance, in a 3m3 room, you would not be able to fit a 2mx.5 bath and a 2mx2 shower.

Once you know the correct size of the bathroom, you can then start to look at the various suites on sale that will fit within both your budget and your room.

Next, you need to consider tiling and damp proofing. It is important that you ensure that the room is watertight; otherwise, problems of damp can permeate the entire house. Look at the cubed footage again, and make sure that you buy the correct level of damp proofing materials for that size room. For instance, you need to consider the purchase of paint for the ceiling. You will need specialist damp proof paint that will help to protect against the accumulation of mould.

Finally, you will need to price for the cost of fitting the bathroom. Some people undertake the project themselves, and this is fine if they have the skills and the time to do so, but for most people, it makes more sense to hire the services of a contractor. When choosing such a person, you need to consider their location. For example, a bathroom design service Preston will cost far less than the equivalent in London. In fact, some Londoners will purposefully hire a bathroom design service Preston, simply because the difference in cost is so pronounced. We recommend using a design service because they are able to offer you a much more comprehensive package, and will take out all of the legwork, including the costing.

If you would like further information about bathroom design service Preston, then please visit  crostonplumbing