advice or plumber/electrician needed in sydney!!

Hi All

I'm embarking on my first IP kitchen & bathroom reno & have had road block after road block :( particulary with keeping trades cost in control :eek:

my biggest issue at the moment is finding a plumber... at reasonable prices of course :D

I've had a couple of quotes thus far & plumbers are changing $2-$2.5k for

* kitchen - roughing in & installing sink, dishwasher & washing machine (2 new connections for dishwasher & washing machine)

* bathroom - replacing old skew pan toilet suite with new one, changing vanity & bath tapware

Additionally, the electrician is charging $1k for 5 new power points in the kitchen, changing 6 single power points in the other rooms to double power points, changing light fixtures!!

So I've already conceded to paying the $1k for electrical but can not yet justify $2-$2.5k on plumbing :eek:

Is $2-$2.5k excessive??

help :confused:
 
Try James at Nuflow plumbing.

www.nuflow.com.au

What suburb is the place in? Maybe the plumber/electrical wasn't close. I know a bulider who charges more if it's in the Eastern suburbs because he doesn't really want to drive there. It does make a difference to the quote.
 
thanks travelbug, i will give james a call

lol my unit is in eastern suburbs! in one of the first buildings too, so most plumbers are surprised when i tell them hot water is shared within the building & most units here dont even have shut off values! :eek:

some of them havent even seen an old skew pan toilet either!! :D

lol the joys thus far!
 
thanks travelbug, i will give james a call

lol my unit is in eastern suburbs! in one of the first buildings too, so most plumbers are surprised when i tell them hot water is shared within the building & most units here dont even have shut off values! :eek:

If it is gas hot water then your shutoff valve should be out in the hallway with a water meter for the hot water. The gas company read this water meter and then charge you for a share of the gas used to heat all the water for the building.

some of them havent even seen an old skew pan toilet either!! :D

Must be real young ones :D- I have a whole block full of skewed pans:(

lol the joys thus far!

I know some plumbers but none of them will travel to the eastern subs.

Cheers
 
i just found out the electrician i had verbally engaged to wire the unit does not hold his own licence!! :eek:

he told me he is in a partnership/ works for his business partner & that his partner holds the contract licence authority & as such does not need his own licence (he likened this to a firm of charted accountants only needing 1 licence)

unsure i called up the office of fair trading & they said that all contractors should have a licence (unless it was a company scenario, which when they checked the number did not)

the electrician was really friendly & helpful...& i feel awful :(

has anyone ever come across this scenario?

or ideas on how to nicely put this guy off?? ;) j/k im worried that having an unlicenced electrician will create future problems & possibly void my insurance?? :(
 
He may be a qualified electrician, but not have his electrical contractors license. If you're worried tell him to get the "partner" to do all the work (who will be too busy, and get his apprentice to do everything anyway).


The electrical work you're getting done sounds like a days work, so you'll be ab le to get another sparky for approx. the same price
 
thanks terrance
i have no doubt he is qualified & was quite insulted when i told him i have to rethink doing business with him :eek:

i've managed to get another one in (just not as friendly :( )
 
I know some plumbers but none of them will travel to the eastern subs.

Cheers

Hi handyandy

I was wondering whether you've ever had to replace your skew pans before? if so, did you find the plumber charging you 2-3x the price of installing a normal toilet? (say $600-$800 compared to $200-$300 for a normal suite)

My skew pan is only 150mm from the floor to middle of waste pipe & that means 'work' for the plumber :eek: (the unusal height is probably as a result of tilles being laid on top of tiles, as the height for the only 2 suppliers of skew pans out there is 185mm for Caroma & 170mm for Imperial)

The reason I wish to change the whole toilet suite is, that the cistern they had replaced a few years ago is not compatible for my skew pan (& as such wastes hangs around :p unless the full flush is always used & depressed for a lot longer!!

Additionally, the toilet lid (also replaced) doesnt stay upright as the toilet is now placed too close to the back wall (which I find aesthetically unpleasing & perhaps uncomfortable if you are a potty sitty, with the lid resting on your back instead of the cistern :eek:

any toilet advice will be much appreciated!
thanks
 
Hi handyandy

I was wondering whether you've ever had to replace your skew pans before? if so, did you find the plumber charging you 2-3x the price of installing a normal toilet? (say $600-$800 compared to $200-$300 for a normal suite)

Replaced many. A skew pan is at least double (if not more) the cost of a normal 'p' or 's' pan. And from memory when buying the 'known' brands they even varied in cost between right and left skew. They tell me this is because there is a lot less demand for skewed pans. Last few I bought were Chinese no brand and cost a lot less than the branded ones - I think they were $150 but may not have been set up for dual flushing. They also look a little strange as the skew part looks like a porcelain part stuck onto a generic pan. Maybe this is the way they are now going to be manufactures - no 'p', 's' or skew but on add on to a generic pan.

My skew pan is only 150mm from the floor to middle of waste pipe & that means 'work' for the plumber :eek: (the unusal height is probably as a result of tilles being laid on top of tiles, as the height for the only 2 suppliers of skew pans out there is 185mm for Caroma & 170mm for Imperial)

The reason I wish to change the whole toilet suite is, that the cistern they had replaced a few years ago is not compatible for my skew pan (& as such wastes hangs around :p unless the full flush is always used & depressed for a lot longer!!


Additionally, the toilet lid (also replaced) doesnt stay upright as the toilet is now placed too close to the back wall (which I find aesthetically unpleasing & perhaps uncomfortable if you are a potty sitty, with the lid resting on your back instead of the cistern :eek:

any toilet advice will be much appreciated!
thanks


The Australian skew pans were about the $300 mark but that is now some 6 years ago.

Cheers
 
there are only 2 Australian suppliers of skew pans - & the other is Caroma for $800!!

I guess if they are monopolizing the market, they can charge whatever! :eek:
they are after all just toilets!!
 
The person doing the work needs the licence or be under the direct supervision of a licenced electrician/contractor. This is not negotiable. If you have future problems you will not be able to claim a thing if you use this guy.

I have had an electrical contractors licence for 20 years (tho im out of the industry now) and i would suggest you don't use this company as it sounds a bit dodgy.



i just found out the electrician i had verbally engaged to wire the unit does not hold his own licence!! :eek:

he told me he is in a partnership/ works for his business partner & that his partner holds the contract licence authority & as such does not need his own licence (he likened this to a firm of charted accountants only needing 1 licence)

unsure i called up the office of fair trading & they said that all contractors should have a licence (unless it was a company scenario, which when they checked the number did not)

the electrician was really friendly & helpful...& i feel awful :(

has anyone ever come across this scenario?

or ideas on how to nicely put this guy off?? ;) j/k im worried that having an unlicenced electrician will create future problems & possibly void my insurance?? :(
 
thanks for the support evand & everyone else whose posted

i feel much better that ive gone with my gut feel & engaged another electrician!

roughing in starts this week....finally!! :D
 
Here are some pics of bathroom with skew pan. Pic quality a bit grainy as mobile phone pics.

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The old connection was a cast-iron connection which was replaced with the rubber booties type that you can now see. Looks a bit bulky but we could have installed a slightly smaller connecting pipe which would have looked less bulky. The reason we went for the full 100mm pipe was the risk of a blockage and then a plumber call out.


Cheers
 
[The old connection was a cast-iron connection which was replaced with the rubber booties type that you can now see. Looks a bit bulky but we could have installed a slightly smaller connecting pipe which would have looked less bulky. The reason we went for the full 100mm pipe was the risk of a blockage and then a plumber call out.


Cheers[/QUOTE]

ahhh i see - great thinking, i will pass that onto the plumber!
how come your toilet was eventually set so far away from the vertical stack? (was this so its centered between the stack & bath?)

here are my bathroom woes

20100304 - Barncleuth before 023_450x600.jpg

20100304 - Barncleuth before 031_450x600.jpg

20100304 - Barncleuth before 039_450x600.jpg
 
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