Help with Bathroom headache

[zanwan]

Morning all

Was hoping somew of the regular plumbers can give me some advice. I've nearly completed my bathroom install, however i've had a few issues. Its taken a while to finish (as i'm working full time also.

However everything is plumbed in and working, toilet, bath, shower, towal rail. The basin hasnt been delivered yet. Floor and walls are tiled but not grouted yet.

Now the home owner has asked me to move the shower about 2 inches to the left. I installed it exactly where she wanted it originally but now she wants it moved. Do i go ahead and do this, and should i charge more for this?

Also she has taken of the row of tiles from around the bath as their as a 5 mm gap between the bath and tiles. I advise dher this gap was for movement in the bath when its filled, emptied etc, but she isnt interested, removed the tiles and want the tiles basically on top of the bath.

What do i do? Refuse to do this or do it and charge more?

This bathroom is turning into a nightmare and you guys were right when you said they will nit pick on every little thing. AAARRRRGGGGH!

This will be my first and last major project (whilst i still hold down a full time job)

 

[adlplumbing]

one you do charge more they are changing hte job not you
more work more pay its only fair
i don`t normaly do the tiling so don`t on that usaly get tiler in but i normay see that tiles goto the bath as bath will only go downward
sorry

 

[Richard C]

Now the home owner has asked me to move the shower about 2 inches to the left. I installed it exactly where she wanted it originally but now she wants it moved. Do i go ahead and do this, and should i charge more for this?

If the amount of work is minimal, sometimes it’s easier & can pay dividends just to accommodate but if she’s changed her mind then she needs to appreciate she has to pay for your additional time &, of course, any materials.

Also she has taken of the row of tiles from around the bath as their as a 5 mm gap between the bath and tiles. I advise dher this gap was for movement in the bath when its filled, emptied etc, but she isnt interested, removed the tiles and want the tiles basically on top of the bath.
What do i do? Refuse to do this or do it and charge more?

I don’t fully understand what you’re saying, can you have another go at explaining how she has managed to take off a row of tiles?

I wouldn’t advise sitting the tiles directly into the top of the bath but a 5mm gap is too much; I only ever leave 2mm & fill/finish with a silicone bead. If it’s this she’s complaining about, I would probably have a degree of sympathy with her view. If it was 5mm before can you get down to 2mm, does this mean you cutting new tiles?

 

[zanwan]

I don’t fully understand what you’re saying, can you have another go at explaining how she has managed to take off a row of tiles?

I tiled around the bath as that was the last bit of tiling i had left. I then went home, and this is when she must have removed them, before the adhesive had fully set.

 

[Richard C]

Thing is M8, if your doing this sort of thing on a professional basis you have to accept that some customers can be nit picking & others a total PITA but they are still king; within reason ! They will often change their mind so it’s as well to give them the opportunity to agree exactly what you’re doing as you go & then be firm but fair on any changes they want to make but, as I said, if it doesn’t involve too much hassle, accommodating them can pay dividends . I do agree with her on that 5mm gap around the bath but taking the tiles off is rather naughty of her; I suppose it would have been more tricky getting them off next day though. Could you have closed the gap by jacking the bath up? If yes, you could always say that’s what you were going to do & now you will have to spend extra time cutting & fixing new tiles!

I’m a little surprised she managed to get them off so easy though, how long had they been on there & what addy did you use?

 

[htgeng]

I’m a little surprised she managed to get them off so easy though, how long had they been on there & what addy did you use?

Must have been that stuff that looks like cottage cheese. I use cement based rapid set and she would have had a right job getting those off

My sense is that she is preparing the ground to reduce how much she pays you. What sort of ballpark price are you charging to supply and fit. Did you give her the price in writing?

 

[Threadjacker]

Your a braver man than me ironnaz, to take on a bathroom for a customer AND be at work 9-5 NO WAY!! It must have gone on for weeks and weeks.

Is this a full tile job or just half tile and lino?

When I'm siting shower postions (especially built in ones) I always temp fix the riser rail and head onto the wall and make sure the customer is 100% happy with the postion ans then leave them to think about it overnight.

5mm gap around bath,? yes too much mate, 3mm max.

 

[zanwan]

Your a braver man than me ironnaz, to take on a bathroom for a customer AND be at work 9-5 NO WAY!! It must have gone on for weeks and weeks.

Is this a full tile job or just half tile and lino?

When I'm siting shower postions (especially built in ones) I always temp fix the riser rail and head onto the wall and make sure the customer is 100% happy with the postion ans then leave them to think about it overnight.

5mm gap around bath,? yes too much mate, 3mm max.

I had the old stuff out and the new tiles, bath and other gizmo's fitted in about 7 days, plus tiled floor late last week, 9 days in total. Tiling was all the way up to the ceiling, i was working till late most days, about 10pm!

not charging much at all but the homeowner is now complaining aboutt he time its taking. But i've explained im working full time nd am doing the absolute best i can! its starting to stress me out but just want this job finished and get paid. I will not accept any cut on the payment as i'm charging ridiculously cheap, bout 600 in total for all the work i've done.

 

[Threadjacker]

You'll learn a lot from this job.

Don't undercharge next time, you could have put a grand on that and still been cheap, tell the customer that. Although it depends on the quality of your work.

He/she sounds unreasonable anyway, how long did you tell them it would take?

One guy working full time could cobble a bathroom together I suppose in 7-10 days but high end quality with no corners cut twice that.

Whats the general finish like?

 

[zanwan]

You'll learn a lot from this job.

Don't undercharge next time, you could have put a grand on that and still been cheap, tell the customer that. Although it depends on the quality of your work.

He/she sounds unreasonable anyway, how long did you tell them it would take?

One guy working full time could cobble a bathroom together I suppose in 7-10 days but high end quality with no corners cut twice that.

Whats the general finish like?

iv definately learn a lot on this job, the first thing being the ridiclous amount i charged. Its a shame looking back now, but having never done this scale of project, i had no idea how much work was involved and how to go about pricing.

I would say the work has been to a very good standard, i was very particular on the tiling (apart from bit around bath which was partly down to her rushing me). I'll post some pics up later for you guys to judge!

7-10 days is about what i would have thought, its taken a bit longer but then the walls were DIY plastered by the homeowner so were uneven which wasnt easy to work around.

 

[Nige F]

Your a braver man than me ironnaz, to take on a bathroom for a
5mm gap around bath,? yes too much mate, 3mm max.

not charging much at all but the homeowner is now complaining aboutt he time its taking. ! its starting to stress me out but just want this job finished and get paid. I will not accept any cut on the payment as i'm charging ridiculously cheap, bout 600 in total for all the work i've done.

You have let yourself be suckered in You genuinely have my sympathy. You got a rogue - because they saw you were cheap.

 

[htgeng]

charging ridiculously cheap, bout 600 in total for all the work i've done.

You have let yourself be suckered in You genuinely have my sympathy. You got a rogue - because they saw you were cheap.

Yes, any self employed installer could have charged 4 times that amount. I've seen a B&Q bathroom install costing £4k and it was nothing special. You have competed against local plumbers/tilers and your full time job is subsidising the work for her. I doubt the local guys near you would give you as much sympathy as us lot are

I think that now she has got you on the ropes she will try to knock you down or keep giving you snagging issues. It will be great to hear how this one is resolved! Don't let it get you down though.