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Are you looking at a bathroom quote that seems a bit too good to be true?
Perhaps you've heard the horror stories from friends, or maybe you've been burnt before by a messy job or a leak that appeared out of nowhere. It’s a common worry, and to be honest, it’s a valid one.
To help you understand the real risks, here are the key things you need to know before making a decision.
Key Takeaways
A "Fix-It" Job is a Total Rebuild: Rectifying a bad installation isn't a simple patch-up. It means stripping everything back to the brick, repairing the hidden damage, and then paying for a second, proper installation.
The Generalist Trap: A cheap quote usually means one person is cutting corners on specialist jobs like waterproofing and electrics. This is almost always the root cause of disastrous and expensive failures.
Cheap Quotes Create Costly Disasters: The initial saving is often dwarfed by the cost of fixing consequential damage, from rotten floor joists to ruined ceilings and structural repairs.
A Quality Installation is Your Best Insurance: Investing in a professional, specialist team is the only way to guarantee peace of mind and a bathroom that's built to last.
The Unspoken Fear: Why a "Cheap" Bathroom Can Be the Most Expensive One You'll Ever Own
The temptation of a cheap quote is completely understandable.
But after more than 15 years in this trade, I can tell you that a surprisingly low price is often the biggest red flag you’ll see.
A bad installation isn't just about a few wonky tiles; it's about the unseen problems – the slow leaks, the rotting floor joists, the faulty wiring – that can cause thousands of pounds of damage throughout your home.
My goal here isn't to scare you. It’s to give you the information I've learned from being on the front line, so you can spot the warning signs and understand the difference between a genuine value quote and one that’s cutting critical corners.
The True Cost of a Botched Job: A Step-by-Step Breakdown
What Exactly Goes Wrong? The Common Failures We See Time and Again
When we get a call to fix another installer’s work, the issues usually fall into a few familiar categories. It’s rarely just one thing, but a series of problems that stem from a lack of specialist skill.
Leaky Showers and Baths: This is the number one issue. Slow, undetected leaks are the most dangerous, seeping behind walls and under floors. This leads to mould, rotten timber, and damp patches appearing on the ceiling below. It’s a guaranteed disaster.
Poor Tiling and Waterproofing: This is far more than a cosmetic problem. Tiles and grout are not 100% waterproof on their own. The real protection comes from ‘tanking’ – a fully waterproof membrane installed behind the tiles. Cheaper installers often skip this critical step to save a day, which inevitably leads to failure.
Incorrectly Fitted Fixtures: We often find wobbly toilets or baths that aren't properly supported. Any movement eventually breaks the silicone seals, and that’s when the leaks start.
Inadequate Ventilation: A proper extractor fan is essential, but it's an easy corner to cut. Without one, moisture builds up, and before you know it, you've got peeling paint and black mould, making a brand-new room look old and tired very quickly.
The Anatomy of a Fix-It Job: More Than Just a Simple Repair
Fixing a bad job isn't a patch-up; it’s a full deconstruction and then a complete rebuild.
You essentially end up paying for two bathrooms: the cheap one that failed, and the proper one to fix it.
Here’s a breakdown of the phases and what you could expect to pay in our area:
Phase 1: Investigation & Diagnosis
First, a professional has to find the source of the problem. A simple plumber's call-out in Staffordshire can be £65-£115. If the leak is hidden, a 'trace and access' service to find it without smashing through walls can cost several hundred pounds.
Phase 2: The 'Rip Out' and Disposal
Next comes the messy part. The faulty bathroom, tiles, and any damaged materials like plasterboard need to be completely stripped out. That rip-out alone will set you back £600 to £1,000 in labour, plus another £150-£300 for a skip.
Phase 3: Making Good the Hidden Damage
This is where the costs really multiply. Once everything is exposed, you’ll likely need a plasterer at £200-£350 a day. If water has rotted the floor joists, you’ll need a carpenter for structural repairs that can add thousands to the bill.
Phase 4: The Proper New Installation
After all that, you’re back at square one, but with a much larger bill. You now have to pay for a full, high-quality installation on top of all the repair costs. This is the moment the initial "saving" vanishes completely.
A Real-Life Example: The Stone Leak That Became a Structural Nightmare
I’ll never forget the job we walked into in Stone. A lady had a new shower put in by another company a couple of years earlier, thinking she was saving a bit of money.
When we started our investigation, we realised she'd had a bad, slow leak from that shower. The water had soaked, unseen, into the main joist supporting the bathroom floor, the landing, and the top of the stairs. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was completely rotten. The floor was unsafe.
It instantly went from a bathroom job to a major structural repair. We had to get an engineer in, support the ceiling of the room below, and install a new steel lintel to make the house sound again. The cost of fixing this one leak, caused by a poor installation, was many, many times more than the initial saving she had made.
That job crystallised something I've always believed: a bad installation isn't just a bathroom problem; it can become a whole-house structural and financial disaster.
Why Are Some Quotes So Much Cheaper? The Specialist vs. Generalist Difference
So, why was that first quote so cheap? To be honest, it’s usually because you're hiring one person—a generalist—to do the job of four or five specialists.
That person might be a decent plumber, but are they an expert tiler? Do they truly understand how to waterproof a wet room correctly? Are they qualified to do the electrics safely? Often, the answer is no, and that’s where critical corners get cut.
My philosophy is simple: you have experts for a reason. At CSI Bathrooms, our plumbers only plumb, and our tilers only tile. We have a dedicated team of true specialists for every single part of the job.
It's why our quotes seem higher at first, but it's also the very reason our bathrooms are built to last and don't cause these expensive headaches.
Honestly, if your main goal is to find the absolute cheapest price possible, we're probably not the right fit for you. We're the go-to team for people who value peace of mind and want the certainty of a job done right, the first time.
From Problem to Peace of Mind: Your Next Steps
I hope this has given you a clearer, more honest picture of the risks involved. It’s not about fear, but about being informed so you can make the right choice for your home.
When you're looking at quotes, it's worth asking a few direct questions.
A Quick Checklist for Choosing Your Installer
Does the quote specifically mention a full waterproofing system or "tanking"?
Are they a VAT-registered business? (This is often a sign of a more established, professional company).
Can they show you a portfolio of their recent work and reviews from other local homeowners?
If you’re worried about an existing problem in your bathroom or planning a new project and want the peace of mind that it will be done right, feel free to book a no-obligation chat with us.
You can call me on 01785 596002 or fill out the form on our Start Your Project page.
A Final Thought: Insurance vs. Expense
Ultimately, the fundamental question you have to ask yourself is: am I looking for the lowest initial price, or the best long-term value and peace of mind?
My hope is that you see a professional, expertly crafted bathroom not as an expense, but as an essential investment in your home's value and your own sanity.
It’s about avoiding the stress and the spiralling costs down the line, so you can simply relax and enjoy the beautiful, functional space you've always wanted.
