Has your shower decided to stop working for good? Then you are probably looking into fixing it as soon as possible. Especially if you have only one shower in your house or apartment. Or maybe you have just moved into a place with an unfinished bathroom.
However, the risk of hiring someone to do something on last notice is that the fee might be high. Yet, there are ways to cut your shower installation costs. Let’s analyse the most common questions first so that we can look into it in more detail.
Should I call out someone whos local?
It’s very tempting to get the phone and call the local handyman. There are advantages to doing so, as they know the area and can arrive quicker. But if you live in a district considered as fancy, or if there is only one professional available, you are likely to pay a higher fee for this reason.
Checking online for “shower installers near me” might give you better options. Search engines tend to have a much broader idea of proximity than you, checking other districts as well.
The point you need to understand is that, sometimes, the most affordable option is based a few miles away. Of course, avoid hiring someone based too far away. They will have to add transport expenses to their invoice, making the job more expensive for you.
The cheapest contractors may not necessarily fit the bill
The answer to it will be “no” on many occasions. The best shower installation services are usually provided by contractors who have spent time and money in qualification. As a consequence, they will charge you based on their expertise.
On the other hand, it doesn’t mean the most expensive handyman is the best one either. Some companies might raise their prices just because they have become a brand name. Or because there is no else in the area to compete with them.
Aim at quality first, then pick the cheapest offer among it. This way you can ensure you will be happy with the result.
Shower installation & repairs cost estimates
Providing you have bought the shower head and other materials yourself, the cost of shower installation and repair will vary according to the tasks involved. If you already have everything in place, and your shower head stopped working, it will cost you from £50. But this is assuming there is no need for fixing electricity cables or doing any other task to make your shower work.
The price will double or more, to £100-250, if you want to install a new shower. And it will be much more if your contractor needs to take care of both plumbing and electric work. The invoice gets higher and higher when there is a need for re-routing cables or pipelines.
Should you consider a DIY job instead?
Depends on how experienced and comfortable you are with this type of task. And how big the problem you are trying to solve is. Remember you will deal with something that involves water and electricity, and your safety should come first. Read instructions carefully and stop what you are doing at any sign of trouble.
Also, there are many types of shower installation kits available, and you need to know which one you need. Making the wrong choice will turn into a waste of money, the money you could have used to pay a contractor. When you go to the shop to buy your DIY kit, talk to the salespeople available before purchasing anything. But bear in mind they haven’t visited your bathroom and will give you advice based on what you say.
Buy the materials yourself
In some cases, you can save some money by buying the materials yourself. Of course, you can only do it if you know what you are doing and have time for it. However, you are more able to pick cheaper alternatives and discuss deals than your contractor will be.
Still, let your tradesperson present you the cost of materials anyway. It’s possible they have a deal with a shop that will benefit you. Or that the difference is so small it won’t worth the trouble of you doing it yourself.
Choose a cheaper solution
It might be that you were looking into installing a new shower head, rainfall-style. Or that you want to add massage jets to your shower room. Maybe your dream is having two shower heads or a much nicer stall.
It’s great to have improvements as a goal, but a tight budget won’t make them happen. Meaning you might need to give up of some of the items. Don’t be disappointed because you can save and do it in the future. But be realistic about the amount you can spend at the moment if your goal is to cut cost.
Talk to your shower installer
Another way to cut costs is by talking to your shower installer. Have an honest conversation with him or her and question what is making the fee so high. Then explain how much you can spend and ask them for alternatives.
Don’t think that tradespeople have the sole goal to rip you off. Their businesses depend on references, so they want to make you happy. But if you don’t complain, they can’t guess that the cost is too high. And because they are more experienced than you about shower installation, they can tell you how to stay within your budget.
Make the most of what you already have
Most of the time, what you already have is good enough. And moving things around is the easiest way to increase your shower installation cost. Your new shower should be installed where the pipelines and electricity cables are. Even if you would love to have it on the opposite side of the room.
After doing your research, stop for a while to think what you have asked from your shower installers. Then compare their estimate to your budget. If they are close enough, maybe this is what it is. But a big gap means you should try and implement the suggestions above.
