Is this quote/estimate excessive? (plumber)?

Question

Ok - I've got a problem with my shower - water leaking from under the tray & making the wooden panelling around base of shower damp. Called a plumber out to take a look - he has quoted me £280 plus VAT just to take out the shower (cubicle, tray, etc) & examine what the problem is.
Is this reasonable?

Answer 1

i would say it is quite reasonable, firstly you dont say where you are does the plumber have to build in parking charges congestion charges etc, also when removing shower trays cubicles etc depending how old they are all manner of problems could occur, by the sounds of it if there is no visible damage to the tray i would bet that the sealant around the perimeter needs renewing i cant understand why he has to remove the tray unless it is cracked etc cant he gain access from below?? regards

steve

Answer 2

The plumber will be looking at the worst possible out come. Removing shower cubicles can be a major pain and can take a lot of time to do.
There are two possible solutions for you to consider:-
1) The most common reason why shower trays leak are A) The sealant around the edges has failed and the water is leaking down the side. B) The drain in the bottom of the tray has cracked around where the drain fitting pops through the shower tray. Most shower tray flex when you use them as they are not very thick and if the drain pipe is rigid the tray will crack.
If its the sealant round the edge put some new silicon around the tray.
If however it is the tray that is cracked it will need to be replaced. If I was you and you were looking to save some of the costs remove it yourself and then get three plumbers to quote for the new shower.
2) If you don't want to be bothered with the hassle of doing the job yourself go out and get two more quotes.

Answer 3

Have you tried the cheap things first? There is usually a screw in the middle of the water outlet which draws the piping under neath tightly up to the tray, if that is loose you wont have a good seal.Are you sure the water is coming from underneath? It could be that the silicone sealent has brken down and water is getting through from the cubicle that way. It is difficult when you can't see the shower cubicle, but there would be a lot of work in taking out the whole cubicle.
Is it only leaking after use, or all the time? If it is only after use then it is more likely to be leaking at the outlet and not the inlet.

Plumbers are expensive.

Answer 4

No! Ring for at least 2 more quotes from other companies- that sounds outrageous. It's not as if the quote is to do the entire job- unless he has to demolish walls or something to get to the source of the leak then I reckon he's having a laugh.

Answer 5

for sure McCain isn't talking to electorate in l. a. between different elements. we do no longer have Joe the plumber. we've were given Carlos and José the plumber, and Miguel and Pedro the electrician.

Answer 6

Yes it is. I would estimate about £ 160 max, It takes about 6 ^ hours.

Answer 7

i am assuming that the euro is 2 dollars american so that is $560, which is steep. What is VAT?

if you have an unfinished basement, you can look up the wall to see where it is coming from

it is a fair price for all that work, but it could be unnecessary, i cant tell you without looking

Answer 8

Depends where you live.If it's london it's about right.
A plumber i know charges £100 a day + parts.(east yorks)

Answer 9

I think it sounds about right, but get another quote to set your mind at rest.

Answer 10

its not dear