Hi ya’ll,
I’m usually over at CooksTalk baking cakes, but find myself with a Breaktime-type question. We’ve been planning a major 2-full-bathroom renovation and I need to try to save a few thousand dollars off the contractor’s bid. Can I save any kind of reasonable amount of money by researching and purchasing the major plumbing fixtures (tubs, sinks, commodes) myself, rather than having the contractor do it? Our architect has put rather generous allowances in the plans for these items, and I can’t help feeling that I could save money by scrounging around on my own.
Or am I getting into a realm that’s going to be more trouble than it’s worth?
TIA for any feedback you can give.
Ruth Wells
“Gardening is the only unquestionably useful job.“
– G.B. Shaw
Replies
First off, ask your contractor if he has a deal with anyone to get a discount. Usually, when buying on an allowance, you can get the same discount the contractor does at places where he deals.
Then compare prices to what you can find elsewhere. Keep in mind, though, that plumbing fixtures are like bicycle parts -- the mfgrs produce several different grades that all look alike but have different quality components, and then they mix up the model numbers so you can never be sure if you're getting the exact same part.
Thanks for the advice, Dan. I never would have guessed that plumbing fixtures would be so difficult to compare apples to apples!
Ruth Wells
"Gardening is the only unquestionably useful job." - G.B. Shaw
It would be a good idea to have some clue as to what fixtures you want in your home instead of relying on an allowance figure generated by your architect.
Sit down with your architect and find out where he got those numbers. A "generous" figure is meaningless. You're probably paying him enough to put some thought and some cooperation into the budget decisions.
When you finish your research and decide what fits your design, your desires and your budget then you will have "specifications" for the job and your contractor can take it from there. If you start buying to save money, remember that you will be responsible for the fit and finish of what you supply and must have it on the job when the contractor or plumber is ready for it. Any failure of the product will be on your head and may (will) involve an extra cost in materials and labor to make it right.
If you do dont expect the contractor to warrantee anything you purchase yourself. Also dont expect him to go swap shopping when an item has a scratch or defective components. And be prepared to pay for his and the subs time when an appliance needs to be changed out.
Often things delivered are damaged or defective in one way or another. The contractor usually adds on a percentage mark-up to recoup his losses when he has to chase parts. You need to be willing to assume that risk and the contractor needs to be willing to give up control of part of his usual business.
Good luck
One of the answeers you got back was correct. You buy them; you are responsible for any problems.LOL.
Maybe, maybe not. Talk to your plumber first.
My main plumber has been stuck on liabilities a couple times with owner provided fixtures, so at the advice of his insurance agent and lawyer, he has a clause that disavows liabilities re same AND he adds a 15% fee to hgis bill when the HO provides the fixtures. There are two good reasons for that:
One is that there are greater headaches involved with such articles. I have a jon right now where the ownere has provided all the fixtuires and has done fairly well, but the drain for the tub she chjose turned out to be the wrong one. Due to tight scedule, he is getting the replacment part ( he can do it a whole lot faster than she can) and has a return trip to deal with installation that otherwise would have been smooth, and I am having to owrk other subs around her mistake in the meantime.
The second reason this is fair is that his insurance rates are now higher because of owner provided items that have failed and caused leaks and damage to houses. One of these I am intimately familiar with to know all the details. It was very definitely because of owner provided cheapies. he3 probably should have declined to install it in the first place. If you do go shopping oprices, stay away from the box stores and go to a plumbing syupply house.
I have another word of warning for you too. There is soimething else I see often with HOs providing fixtures. There tend to think, " OK, since I am saving money on this, I can afford this other special fancy better, nicer one."
But what they fail to know, is that the other special fancy better, nicer one can take a half day to install instead of just an hour, so the labor bill goes sky high. You can't expect a tradesman to bid a job accurately when there are many unknown quanities and qualities, so be ready for upcharges in other ways
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Thanks for the terrific advice, everyone. As I feared, it seems that going it alone on ordering fixtures could create more problems than it would solve. Sounds like the best move I could make would be to sit down with the contractor and the allowances and talk turkey about choosing some specific fixtures (that he approves of, natch) to see how much excess is built into the figures.
Many many thanks! If we ever get this project done (ha), I'll post before and after pix.
Ruth Wells
"Gardening is the only unquestionably useful job." - G.B. Shaw