Bathroom Reno builder or company recommendations

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by Tom Howes, 31st Jul, 2015.

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  1. Tom Howes

    Tom Howes Active Member

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    Hi all a friend of mine is doing a bathroom and ensuite Reno and looking for a good company or builder to do the job. Any recommendations would be appreciated. The house is in the Northern Beaches of Sydney.
     
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  2. Chabs

    Chabs Well-Known Member

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    I work with a company that sells bathroom products in Blacktown, Western Sydney.

    My #1 tip is to do a licence check through the fair trading website before you decide to proceed with anybody. This check will confirm 1. They are legally qualified to do your work and 2. Any and all past infringements listed against them. My #2 tip is to focus on the quality of the work, rather than the speed or price point. Particularly look out for the waterproofing, I suggest 3 coats of waterproofing.

    I have some trade contacts who live out here but are not strangers to doing work in North Sydney, if your friend is interested, PM me and I'll pass on details. Its still preferable to get someone more local if the price ranges and the work quality are similar though.

    Prices on bathroom products are cheaper out west for the same high end brands or equivalent quality products too. If you're interested, I can message you with the facebook page of the company I work with, so you can see some of the pictures of products and showroom displays. They help out with the selection too, balancing the budget so you save where you can and invest where its practical. For example, a wall mixer is VERY important and I suggest a good one for anybody that wants to hold the house for 10+ years, albeit the mirror above the vanity may be a cheapie if the job is an investment reno.

    It might even motivate your friend to try the 40 min drive, shopping out west for a bargain!
     
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  3. Tom Howes

    Tom Howes Active Member

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    Thanks heaps for the reply.
     
  4. smator

    smator Well-Known Member

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    Hi Chabs
    Looking at doing a bathroom and ensuite myself. Can I get the Facebook page?
    Thanks!
     
  5. ross100

    ross100 Well-Known Member

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    Hi Chabs
    any contacts in Melbourne West
     
  6. Chabs

    Chabs Well-Known Member

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    Hi Ross,

    No contacts there unfortunately, but if you check for 1. past work, 2. Licence qualifications and are 3. easily communicating what you want, that usually covers most things. I also suggest choosing what you want and telling your renovator you want to use those products. If you organise a renovator first, it is incredibly likely they will try and convince you to choose certain products that makes it easier for them, rather than things that will fit your goals. Of course, sometimes certain things may be more expensive, but ask a few renovators their opinions because you'd be amazed by how many renovators claim something simple is "alot of extra work and cost".
     
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  7. ross100

    ross100 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Chabs
     
  8. someonefromwww

    someonefromwww New Member

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    @chab

    I'm looking to do bathroom reno in blacktown area, can you send me fackbook page of the company you work with.

    Thanks

     
  9. Bazel

    Bazel New Member

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    Hey Chab
    Same with the other, could you please send me the Facebook page so I can check it out.
    Thanks
     
  10. Chabs

    Chabs Well-Known Member

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    @someonefromwww @Bazel

    The FB/Instagram page is @atssydney, website is ATS SYDNEY | Showroom for Tiles & Bathroom Products | Online Store , name is ATS Tiles & Bathrooms. It doesn’t do the installations, just supplies products.

    for renovators there’s a lot of variables, and sometimes the right team might be different, I recommend getting a few quotes and looking for previous work.

    remember that when looking for contractors the most important thing is rarely reputation or price. It’s actually evidence that they can do a job similar to what you’re looking for. Then you can compare the other variables. If you want simple work, get evidence of past work that demonstrates that, if you want large format tiles, in-wall cisterns, changing plumbing positions, then you probably don’t want to go with the lowest cost guy (because it will blow out and they’ll ask for extras through the job), etc.

    the most frustrating thing for someone is finding out as a job progresses: “oh, that’s actually an extra, oh that’s not something I can do”, etc..

    real example: friend of mine in Rockdale just did a Reno, and was told by renovator:

    • “mirrors couldn’t be installed by us, you’ll have to pay extra or organise it yourself”
    • “Our quote actually only allowed for framed screens, we can’t install the frameless glass panel for you, you’ll have to organise it yourself”
    • “Can’t use 30x60 or 60x60 tiles on floor at all”
    • “You’ll actually need to pay extra for kitchen to be re-designed” - despite messing up the design
    • Can’t install wall tap for bidet trigger spray

    few other things too.. haha. Overall an okay experience, and the finished look is fine! but a lot of the headache could have been prevented.



    example of a good experience with another customer who told us how happy he was with tradesmen:

    • Smart $6000 toilet was no good, the renovator changed the plumbing back from 300mm offset to have a regular toilet, at cost pricing

    • Renovator added 2x niches, without charging extra

    • No extras for large tiles, because renovator was honest about the bathroom being fairly easy to accommodate that, no extras for frameless glass installation, he was honest that the fixed panels are actually very easy to install (unlike the sliding or pivot panels) etc



    Then there are other things.. one customer had a renovator who was so annoyed his customer bought products from me instead of his preferred place. He **** talked everything and said they were horrible.

    • Told him only PVC vanities are good, and that his MDF vanity purchase (from us) was junk. PVC is only good for water, it does not perform as well over a long period of time with holding its look due to warping and colour changing. Of course with a PVC vanity, the renovator is covered for 7 years from water damage from a poorly installed tap :D

    • Told him that his “universal pop waste” was no good and to return it to us, as it wasn’t compatible. I literally had to educate a licensed plumber how to install it and the customer was annoyed he had to run around after finding out how easy it was. I guess that’s what to expect when a renovator is only used to using minimum cost items ...

    • Talked crap about the tiles, and literally everything. “ I could have got you tiles for just $14pm2, you paid too much at $33 pm2”, haha!
     
    Last edited: 22nd Jun, 2021
  11. GoldDaze

    GoldDaze Well-Known Member

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    Location:
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    Hello All- looking at this thread. In 2016-217 I totally gutted & installed new bathrooms in a house on lower North Shore of Sydney
    I used Above All Bathrooms- the co principals are Marcus & Ben. I looked them up again just now & they are still based at Rydalmere. The 2 bathrooms were close to top spec. I chose & purchased tiles, fittings etc myself although Marcus was helpful in advising me in which of swanky loos I should choose to suit the existing sewer outlet as I did not want to change that part of the plumbing.. I did have the positions of taps etc for basins & bath changed to suit new design They stripped everything out of the bathrooms, new waterproofing then onto plumbing ,tiling etc. They used subbies with whom they had long associations ( this became apparent as the work progressed) which obviously meant work was up to standard & they were aware that some of the fittings were extra exxcie so took extra care . Marcus was running the job but Ben also had input to solve some things. Both were helpful. Marcus even collected a couple of items for me for the job which I had ordered on his way to my job. I do know a bit about renos building etc so they do score as people I can recommend. I think they are set up to just strip right out & start from bare bones so prob not keen to faff with just a bit of vanity replacingg etc But their pricing was quite competitive Do hope this is useful - all the Best.
     

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