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**[email protected]** · 05-07-2005, 01:01 AM

I'm sure you'll get comments from some more qualified with reno's but $7500 for an IP bathroom is ridiculously expensive, unless the property is worth a small fortune. I have friends who do kitchens and bathrooms for under 10 grand total!

**Ianacek** · 05-07-2005, 01:18 AM

The bathroom could easily cost $7500 on today's market, but I don't think it is worth it unless you have a top of the range property. Half the cost will be labour & profit.

I like to see itemised accounts too, but they are hard to get at the moment. I'm deferring all non-urgent work unless I can do it myself. The motto is "just make it rentable".

I haven't seen your bathroom , but I am assuming it is only marginal, not awful. If this is the case, maybe a spruceup with paint & a few new fittings & a heated towelrail will help it limp on for another few years until carpenters are more available. I would get the shower pressure fixed, because low pressure will eventually cost you rent income. Also, try to get male tenants - they tend to be less fussy about bathroom appearances.

I only have 1 popup plug in my rentals, & it is a nuisance.

**fudosan** · 05-07-2005, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by Ianacek

I would get the shower pressure fixed, because low pressure will eventually cost you rent income.

What is the reason?

**Holly** · 05-07-2005, 09:41 AM

Hi Queenbee
I hate to tell you this but bathrooms are getting expensive. We have just recently completed a complete upgrade of our ensuite at our PPOR and it cost around $3000 with a staff discount for the fittings and my husband completing all the work himself. We have a pretty small ensuite and used 8 sheets of aqualine gib because we layed it hortizitally. We were also going to get the top up plug but it was around $40 more than the standard plug. We also got a glass opening door I think this was about $250 with a discount compared to around $30 for a shower curtain.
If I were you I would get a labour only quote and source the fittings yourself. I think this will be cheaper and you can probably get a discount on fittings for cash. Hope this helps.
Holly

**clips** · 05-07-2005, 10:19 AM

just had a bathroom, about 4m sq, in a rental relined with aquapanel, kept the same bath/shub and basin, put in new heater/light/extractor unit all up cost of 3k. But then that'll be it for 20yrs.....

**FreezingHot** · 05-07-2005, 10:23 AM

Hi Queenbee,

I have just completed a full reno on my first IP and would estimate
that to put in a new kitchen, near new Bathroom, knock out a wall and fully redecorate the lounge and bedrooms it probably cost close to $7000.
I must admit that the builder that did most of the work was a friend
of mine but he is in business to make money and I still had to pay him for his services. I also did a lot of the demolition like take out the kitchen
and bathroom linings which saved my builders time doing this.

The materials used on the bathroom wall were also aqualine about 6
sheets and size of bathroom is the same size as your one, also my builder has used Hardiglaze around the bath area for the water, I decided
to use the old bath as a cost saving and the builder just aligned the gib
and hardiglaze to fit over top. No leaks whatsoever.

I think it would be best for you to do the basics and do away with all the fancy extra's, when our reno was finished it looked 100 times better than
the original state and we achieved this without the need to put in expensive shower dividers and new bathtubs.

I think sometimes when we renovate we tend to look at the finished product as we would like them and not from the point of view of the tenant. I think if it is functional and has a certain appeal, nice colours
clean white hadiglaze finish, nice shower curtain, it really adds to the
overall satisfaction, without the need to spend thousands.

Regards

FH.

**drelly** · 05-07-2005, 10:56 AM

Low hot water pressure is actually really easy to fix. There's a valve that you can buy that attaches to the top of the hot water pipe coming out of the roof. It effectively adds pressure equivalent to another 7m of pipe. Cost me less than $100 and very effective.

**Chemill** · 05-07-2005, 11:36 AM

Another thing you have to remember is that we are in a period where tradesmen are in short demand. He may have jobs lined up and not care if you decline, thus the high quote.

You may be able to save a bit of money by purchasing the fixtures yourself - 2nd hand off trademe, or from paper.

Have you got any other quotes?

some suggestions.

Chemill

**essence** · 05-07-2005, 12:17 PM

I recently needed to get some maintenance done. I got three quotes that had a range of $3,000 (excl GST) difference!

I remembered another contractor, rang him and he came in ANOTHER $1,500 (excl GST) LOWER again. And he could start the soonest too.

My policy - always get a minimum of three WRITTEN quotes.

**FreezingHot** · 05-07-2005, 12:40 PM

Written quotes are great, but always check their workmanship and any
satisfied customers they had done work for.

A good price does not always mean a good quality job, as I found
out when I got a cheap price from a handyman to lay some carpet I brought for my first IP.

Sometimes you pay for what you get. Medium price may be a better
way to go.

FH.

**QueenBee** · 05-07-2005, 02:49 PM

I have been trying to get other quotes, but I can't seem to get anyone to actually even turn up to do the quote, let alone doing the job.

Yes, I agree about all the unnecessary items that he quoted for. I didn't actually ask for them, he knew it was a rental but put them in anyway. The bath already has a surround of white hardiglaze.

As for that valve, I had one of those installed, that was what all that money was for that I paid the last plumber, but it doesn't work. The guy that gave me the latest quote said he thought the wrong shower head had been installed.

I am sick of paying good money out to plumbers especially, when they don't even seem to be able to fix something quite simple.

I recently had a blocked toilet, the tenant said he suspected that it was blocked down the pipe somewhere, but the Plumber just got shitty at him when he tried to tell him what was wrong. Said he wasn't a Plumber and didn't know what he was talking about. Well 3 plumbers later, it was blocked. All of these Plumbers (except the last one who actually fixed it) had been highly recommended by people who said they were good and knew what they were doing.

To me - if a toilet bowl is filling up with water when it is flushed, it is blocked. But what did the plumber do - changed the washer. What did he do when I rang him back half an hour later to say it was still happening - turned the washer around. What was the bill $75.00. Then he said it needed a new ball-cock and it was going to cost me $175.00. The toilet is now unblocked by another Plumber who charged $95.00 and actually managed to do the job properly. And there's nothing wrong with the ballcock.

Then I said to this plumber, the tap is dripping, can you fix that while you are there. So he doesn't fix the tap, but says I need new taps, new pipework and $250.00. This is the same one who changed the washer around!

I don't think there are any decent tradesmen out there anymore. I can't wait for it all to come tumbling down around them one day, when there isn't enough work for them. What goes around, will come around eventually. I hope.

QB

**FreezingHot** · 05-07-2005, 03:06 PM

QB

Yes it can be frustrating.

These so called trademen are meant to know what they are doing and
a lot of the time do. It seems to me that you have a lot of problems with
them especially where you come from.

I try to find a tradesman that I can trust and one that will not offer all
sorts of no brain solutions, ask lots of questions and sooner or later
you find the right answers.

I have only been into property investing
for a very short while and am no expert, but I have built up a team that
I think can help me when I really need them, sounds as if you need to do
the same. If a tradesman does a job for me and I am unsatisfied they
never get a call again. Period.

I am lucky in the fact that most of my help has been given to me from
good advice from my builder friend.

In short, find tradesmen you can build a good business relationship with
and they will be less likely to lead you down the garden path.

FH.

**QueenBee** · 05-07-2005, 03:43 PM

I am finding it quite hard to find one that I trust. All the Plumbers I have ever called on, I have never called back for another job because I felt they have either ripped me off or not done a very good job.

Maybe it's because I'm female, that they feel they can lead me up the garden path. I suppose eventually I will find someone that is both good and that I can trust, but in the mean time, it could be an expensive operation.

All the Plumbers except one have been recommended by people I know that have used them. Maybe, they were ripped off, or had shoddy jobs done too but didn't realise. Maybe I'm too intolerant of poor workmanship because I'm in the trade game too. I don't rip people off, so other people shouldn't either. But I know it doesn't work like that.

And don't even start me on builders! That's even if you could get one to return a call.

QB

**FreezingHot** · 05-07-2005, 03:57 PM

My sympathy goes out to you.

You don't sound as if you have had much luck!

Maybe it's because I'm female, that they feel they can lead me up the garden path. I suppose eventually I will find someone that is both good and that I can trust, but in the mean time, it could be an expensive operation.

Why don't you get your Husband to sort these nasties out, maybe they
will not lead him to the forest.

FH

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