looking at getting an electric shower..

[nibbles]

been looking at getting an electric shower fitted as the present mixer shower isn't very good, so i asked around various place to find out cost of fitting this is based on a shower costing approx £150 retail three plumbers replied quoting £1200, £1000 and £900 surely this is more than a little bit excessive!

Sounds like it, got mine, a redring 8.5Kw supplied and fitted for £260

[Angua]

At those prices I would expect a complete new bathroom as well.

Are there any bathroom shops in your area who might supply and fit? Whatever you do avoid the big named plumbing firms.

[nibbles]

Originally Posted by atlantis

Sounds like it, got mine, a redring 8.5Kw supplied and fitted for £260

no connections for plumbing or electrics in the bathroom for shower did yours have this already? was the fitter registered etc

[marky]

the power is the biggy if you have existing wiring or need new

some old wiring is only rated at 8.5kw
but over a £1000 it would have to wash my backside whilst i'm out driving the car
__________________

electricians now have to be reg like gas have corgi

Originally Posted by nibbles

no connections for plumbing or electrics in the bathroom for shower did yours have this already? was the fitter registered etc

Price included everything, he had to be registered for my housing trust to approve the work and installation

[Roy MM]

Ex sparks, i could do it for about a ton, you provide the shower unit.

[zoombini]

When you get it, look at the water input, if there is a little filter there then make sure the plumber makes it so that you can get at it in later years to remove & clean it.

Every electric shower I have had needed that filter cleaning to restore it to decent flow after years of crud clogging it up.

[SMHarman]

It sounds excessive, but where do they need to get the power from? The 45A power cable is expensive stuff, do you have space on your main fuseboard?

Would you not be better off getting a pump fitted to the HW supply?

[skyblueheroes]

Thats a lot of money. My fancy new mixer cost £450 and I'd expect an electric one to range from £100 upwards.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by skyblueheroes

Thats a lot of money. My fancy new mixer cost £450 and I'd expect an electric one to range from £100 upwards.

He's talking cost of fitting, not cost of aquiring.
£900 is the price of about 4 days work + VAT for a plumber IMHO.

[Aragorn]

Sounds about the same as I was quoted for installing a new tray, screen and power shower in our en-suite. Got me brother to do it in the end for a fraction!

I would thoroughly recommend spending extra on the shower and getting an Aqualisa Quartz - www.aqualisa.co.uk - very nice shower.

How about getting a condensing boiler to improve the flow - still expensive but saves on heating as well?

Originally Posted by SMHarman

<snip>
Would you not be better off getting a pump fitted to the HW supply?

I agree - we have used one fitted in a holiday chalet and it worked really well.

- main advantage is using a 'normal' 13A supply & not needing to wire into the bathroom.

[Angua]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

Sounds about the same as I was quoted for installing a new tray, screen and power shower in our en-suite. Got me brother to do it in the end for a fraction!

I would thoroughly recommend spending extra on the shower and getting an Aqualisa Quartz - www.aqualisa.co.uk - very nice shower.

How about getting a condensing boiler to improve the flow - still expensive but saves on heating as well?

We have a condensing boiler and the water pressure for hot is still cr4p (we still have a tank). A condensing multipoint boiler however is loads better and in the long run cheaper on fuel.

Whenever I need a plumber he usually charges me £20 whether it's a replacement outside tap or a new radiator valve. He did work on a franchise for one of these "national" plumbing firms and was "told" to charge from the moment he set foot in the house to the moment the job was completed regardless as to whether he was actually doing any work at the time (and people paid quite happily). He hated ripping folks off so now works for the local housing association and does work on the side.

I had my whole kitchen fitted including plumbing and all electrical work for 1K only a year ago so you are definitely being sold a pup on those prices.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Angua

I had my whole kitchen fitted including plumbing and all electrical work for 1K only a year ago so you are definitely being sold a pup on those prices.

True, for 4k I got a new Megaflow tank, boiler bathroom fitted / plumbed, kitchen plumbing, a couple of radiators plumbed amd the electrical work for the CH/HW controls.