I’m planning on installing a new bathroom mirror as part of my re-model . It’s 76″ X 36″ with 2 cut-outs for lights. The price quotes for this range from $200 to $650 and as far as I can know they’re the same product.
Can anyone tell me what determines the quality of a mirror and what I should be looking for?
Thanks in advance,
Paul
Replies
Risk for the cut-outs is driving the cost diff
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I'm not sure about that. All three quotes included 4" diameter cut-outs#1 $150 plus $50 for two cut-outs optional delivery and installation for $225#2 $450 including cut-outs install $75-100 depending on location#3 $650 including cutouts $75 for delivery and installationMy question is what are the qualitative differences in mirror manufacturing and available grades
I paid about $180 for a very similar mirror, only 60" long though.
But my electrician cracked it so I had to buy another. Be careful tightening the fixtures.
I also got an estimate in the $450 range.
The place I bought from also did high volume discount auto glass. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
you ccould have diffes like beveled edges, diff glass thicknesses, quality of polish on cut edges.But my bet is thisThe glass is all the same.
Each outfit knows their breakage rate for errors when cutting out for these projections They calc a rate to charge for each hole based on that risk of how likely they are to have to do the job twice.The cheapest might not even have a rate and he is assuming he will always get it right or will eat the mistake himself.It runs me around five bills for a glass this size cut and installed
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Look in it. If you see yourself clearly...pay the bill.
fka (formerly known as) blue
yes there are different quality levels in glass and mirror ... but thats not what you are seeing... you are seeing someone making more money on what is prob the same mirror from the same manufacturer... one shop might be union... who knows...
thats the reason you got 3 prices... most people don't....
sometimes i trust one guy and don't shop a price if it's in my ball park of thought/budget
if i don't have a guy i trust/like then i get 3 quotes if they are all in the same ball park 10% one way or another... i take that to be the "market"
if they are all over the place +/- 40-60% then i get more quotes and educate myself as to why... sometimes the lowest is as good or better than the highest...
I've mentioned my sprinkler system here 10x but... it's a great example under our code... a sprinker head has to be UL and they cover a prescribed area... nothing more or less (less and one head going off will prevent another from going off so more heads is not better) code is code... it's apples to apples everytime under our code... the only difference here is a wet or dry system... i got 7 bids and none were within 20k of each other... 39k up to 210k and everywhere in between... I talked to the head city mechanical inspector... the fire marshall... fire inspector... spent time online... there is a sprinkler forum... i went with the low guy... great people... family owned 70yo business... engineer on staff...ect..
the worst i've ever seen is the paving/asphalt guys.. but thats another story... go with the lowest installed price... unless ur like me and willing to risk the $$ on something i'm sure you can do
p
Do the lights have to be in the mirror? Cutouts in mirrors tend to be problematic.
As far as quality, the only Q I would have is are the 3 bids for the same thickness of glass? I might be wrong, but I believe that the thicker the glass (to a point), the less the distortion. OTOH, in my own house in our 2nd bath I installed a thin cheap azz mirror from either blowes or hd and it seems fine other than the scary person I see in there :-). In your case I think I might go with ponytail and go low bid.
BTW - for a plate glass mirror that size I wouldn't try installing it myself.
Another BTW - I'm assuming this is a vanity mirror. 36" H with the lights in it seems a bit odd, and the lights must be rather low. The vanity mirrors I have installed are either 40" or more often 42" high and the lights are mounted above. If you were to decide to move the lights up, the good news is that the sheetrock work behind the mirror doesn't have to be real purdy. OTOH, maybe the lights in the mirror is some special look you are going for...
PS - on a house I'm building right now it just got sheetrocked and now I see that the electrician mounted an outlet in a place that looks like it will be into the vanity mirror, but I still need to do some measuring. If so, my options are:
1) have a mirror installed that isn't as wide as the vanity top. The easy way out for any slimy guy...
2) Get the mirror guys to cut a hole in the mirror. Not an option in my book.
3) Call electrician back to move outlet and get the just installed but not yet painted drywall all torn up. This is probably what I will do. Electrician will try to get out of it, but if he can't get it done I'm sure his boss can :-)