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Hello,

Maybe someone here can help. We are planning on getting both bathrooms renovated. The builder quoted us €15.500 with VAT at €2,563. The VAT figure doesn't make sense though. It correlates to over 16% but I don't think that's the proper rate. What do you think?

I hope someone can help you, Diamonds. It won't be me, unfortunately.

See this story and the price quoted kind of freaks me out. A week ago I finally chiselled off the bottom row of large tiles on the wall of tiles along the bath as they had started bulging and I thought get them off, scrape away bits, reapply cement and jobs done. But I got delayed between taking the tiles off, which to be fair I did on a bit of a sudden whim, and the getting of the cement. So in order for us to be able to have showers I made a waterproof cover over the blank part of wall, heavy see-through plastic held in place with polytunnel repair tape and an extra layer of gorilla tape. So far, so good.

Then I noticed after a few days that in spite of my great and working waterproof barrier that the plaster behind was displaying water marks whenever the shower was used. Oh Nooooooo! That means there's a freaking leak somewhere in the plumbing up to the shower inlet. Would mean taking off a whole 2 walls of tiles and that would just be the start of my troubles.

I've spent a few days looking and thinking and I simply cannot afford this disaster. So my plan is to wodge on a load of cement and stick the feckers back on and hope they hold up until things improve with my economy.

Why did I have to poke at this problem in the first place? Ignorance was bliss

I hope your bathroom karma is immeasurably better than mine.

Don't you just hate plumbing! I have similar problems after removing rotten wainscotting on a house that we're selling - still unresolved but the estate agent says leave it for the buyer to fix...

Diamonds of Frost wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 7:42 pm Hello,

Maybe someone here can help. We are planning on getting both bathrooms renovated. The builder quoted us €15.500 with VAT at €2,563. The VAT figure doesn't make sense though. It correlates to over 16% but I don't think that's the proper rate. What do you think?

Might be a mix of VAT rates he’s charging, ie, labour, materials etc. Could be wrong though!

Diamonds of Frost wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 7:42 pm Hello,

Maybe someone here can help. We are planning on getting both bathrooms renovated. The builder quoted us €15.500 with VAT at €2,563. The VAT figure doesn't make sense though. It correlates to over 16% but I don't think that's the proper rate. What do you think?

Move on to another contractor. Time consuming I know.better safe than sorry slow but sure

Will PM you

Thankee. We have gone back to the drawing board anyways and will have a proper look around. My far more intelligent and sensible other half tells me we aren't to go with the first price we get

Isha I love that. It hasn't gone as planned but you tried and I'm sure you'll come up with a fix. Failing that there is always YouTube. And here
I hope the renovation Gods smile on you!

If ye are based in Dublin Diamonds and stuck let me know as I have a good builder I always use for any sort of building work. But he's booked out with work for the next 6 months is the only problem!

Make sure you get some sort of genuine with references before you take anyone on and take your time in picking out someone to do the job.

@ Isha, sounds like you need a decent plumber, that problem will only get worse.

Ncdjd2 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 8:13 am

@ Isha, sounds like you need a decent plumber, that problem will only get worse.

I know! But right now I'd have to pay him in kisses, so it will have to wait.

isha wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 8:17 am I know! But right now I'd have to pay him in kisses, so it will have to wait.

Put up a go fund me page and put the title of "Save my sick kittens"

Say in it due to a water leak you cats are all sick from the inhalation of mould spores and to continue the saving of wild cats in your area you need urgent funds to rectify the leak in your house.

Should be plenty if crazy Americans who will donate for such an urgent cause.

nah it'll just wait. If there's one thing I am good at, it's waiting.

isha wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 8:44 am nah it'll just wait. If there's one thing I am good at, it's waiting.

Water leaks are notoriously difficult to pinpoint the source. The fact that your leak only appears when you turn on the faucet, but manifests itself some where else, possibly points to the faucet leaking, and traveling back along the secured piping, and gathering at the surface where you see its marking.
It could be leaking meters away from that.

Is it showing the leak near where you took the tiles off? If this is why you took the tiles off, it points to it gathering here from somewhere else.
If it only leaks when you turn on the faucet, but is the feed line before the faucet, then that points to the faucet.

Thanks Kadman, that is what I think too and before I do anything drastic like hammer off two walls of tiles I'm going to get a plumber to have a look at the faucet.

Does it happen with the hot or cold tap.

If you were luck enough to know someone with a thermal imaging camera, this would pinpoint your leak location immediately.

Don't want to take up the price quote thread because it would be interesting to see what is the expected price, but by faucet I mean the place half way up wall where the shower hose emerges from tiles or the turning on faucet nearby which is a combination of hot and cold. I am going to have my lads look at it this weekend. There's no mould at the moment so it can be endured for a time.

How did you find taking the tiles off Isha? It's something we are considering doing ourselves.

Diamonds of Frost wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 3:47 pm How did you find taking the tiles off Isha? It's something we are considering doing ourselves.

The row I took off had loosened a bit and it was easy enough. But I would have to find out how to take off well affixed tiles. I dread it but my mother was an avid DIY person and did many large tiling jobs, even when an older woman, so I think it must be possible!

Spade is useful for removing tiles, or a 3" bolster chisel and a small lump hammer.

I know some have used a reciprocating tool for tile removal. But I have no idea how effective it is,

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/milwaukee-m18 ... lsrc=aw.ds

We have someone else coming to take a look on Thursday. We won't be going with the first lad and his weird calculations

Husband said he would be able to take the tiles off himself over a weekend. If it saves us a few grand then and he is confident he can do it, and re-tile, then why not.

Diamonds of Frost wrote: ↑Fri Jul 15, 2022 10:26 pm We have someone else coming to take a look on Thursday. We won't be going with the first lad and his weird calculations

Husband said he would be able to take the tiles off himself over a weekend. If it saves us a few grand then and he is confident he can do it, and re-tile, then why not.

If hubby is up for the challenge then there are plenty of youtube vids that will point him in the right direction on tiling. There are minimal tools needed, level, straight edge, tile cutter he can hire or buy from screwfix cheaply, masonary drills for drilling holes in tiles possibly, tape measure. And plenty of patience.Once all the tiles are off and ready for tiling, start the smallest area first to see how things go for him. If it is too tricky, then you can always call a pro now that its ready.

Another cheaper option is direct labour route. That way a labour rate to a pro for a nixer, without paying a contractor a labour rate to send him on holiday to spain for 2 weeks.My son uses a site for direct labour from vetted professionals for his jobs because its too far for me to travel. You can check them out and they will quote for free. He has used electricians, tilers and plumbers and security alarm guys.

Great advice Kadman. Will be using it in a while when organised. Meanwhile to cope with a holding repair against the slightly damp plaster son the elder has replaced the tiles and used tec7 which bonds even under water apparently, and this will temporarily sort out my bathroom issues. The lads insist there's no leak and the wet is water that has permeated some grouting cracks which said son has covered, but Lookit, whatever, job looks grand.

Tek 7 is agreat adhesive, but bloody expensive for sticking tiles to a wall. Wall tile adhesive would have been cheaper.
Tek 7 does not set rock solid either like wall tile adhesive, so might be a hit and miss affair as regards maintaining a seal with the grout.
But who cares, its a quick fix which may last longer than you expect, its cheap, and now that you have the sons onboard for the repairs....its a win, win

There have been developments.

We got a more professional seeming quote and the guy also seems very with it and sound. So we will go with him and I shall have my sanitary haven while the husband will be relegated to under the stairs

How are you getting on with yours Isha?

Diamonds of Frost wrote: ↑Thu Aug 04, 2022 4:04 pm There have been developments.

We got a more professional seeming quote and the guy also seems very with it and sound. So we will go with him and I shall have my sanitary haven while the husband will be relegated to under the stairs

How are you getting on with yours Isha?

Would you believe the tek stuff was a great success and the son being an engineer helped and everything is all sealed up and holding fast. It looks good. So I can safely postpone renovations for a while.