So, I’m not sure if you remember, but before Christmas I set the team an unbelievably short time frame to get our 2nd floor bathroom refurb done. 10 working days to be precise. My husband Phil, who thankfully thinks of DIY as a meditative exercise, got stuck in too over the Christmas break which helped out enormously, but all credit to the builders hard work and dedication. And at no point was the quality of the finish compromised.
In this instance, Phil helped with strip out, re-routing the plumbing and also took on the role of site labourer by doing runs to the DIY and plumbing shops, running up and down the stairs with materials and taking stripped out finishes to the dump in order to clear space.
I made sure all the new fittings and finishes were ready, quality checked and on site in good time, had the trades briefed and lined up ready to go and helped out with some of the painting.
If you want to save time and money on a refurb project the best thing to do is:
- Specify your fixtures and fittings carefully. You can achieve a high end look without it costing the earth, and
- Pitch in and help out yourself. Labour is the most expensive part of any job so if you can save the contractors time by tracking down materials, doing the trips to the DIY store, cleaning up the site at the end of the day, moving goods on site, and unloading any deliveries this will save a lot of time; time when the team can actually crack on with getting the physical building work done.
Needless to say, I’m delighted with the result. On time, under budget and finally the second floor of our house is completed! What a lovely start to the New Year. Shower Mr P?
tip
In order to achieve perfection (whatever your idea of perfection is) you have to expect and live through the chaos. Building works are messy and inconvenient, but once you’re through that part the desired result will be so worthwhile.
great find
The Hansgrohe ‘Raindance Air’ overhead shower. This shower head adds air to the flow of water so you get the power shower feel but use less water. Eco without compromising the showering experience!