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I have an ugly slime green tub in my bathroom and am in the process of trying to update it. The Bath Fitter of Dumont came in and gave me a $3800 estimate to do a tub liner, the shower walls and a window fitting. Has anyone had any dealings with the franchise in this particular location and/or the product itself? I've researched other locations and the product itself and the opinions are mixed.
I'ved ruled out reglazing as this will only last 3-5 years before it starts to peel. I'm figuring that doing a full gut will cost me much more than what was estimated even if I went frugal.
Hmmm I'd be interested to know as well. I am looking at a house that needs some work in the main bath. I was thinking about using bath fitter if I do buy the house... any thoughts on their workmanship, price, quality?
My neighbor received an estimate and it cost the same as a total reno using tile. If you have a plumbing issue, they may have to cut/remove the walls in order to get to the pipes. IMO, it adds no value to the house.
Earlier this year, I sought estimates to repair our extra, unused bathroom (now that the kids are gone.) First contractor came in and told me it would be cheaper to gut and replace -- $8000.
Problem is, the existing bathroom was high quality -- ceramic tiled, floor to ceiling! The proposed replacement included tile around the tub but just sheetrock for the rest. For $8000, I'd be getting a new but lower quality bathroom -- kind of like trading in a Classic Cadillac for a new Hyundai.
Methinks $8000 is a lot of money in this economy, and methinks a new bath is not really needed. Repairs could be done much cheaper, right?
So I called another contractor. Contractor Two gives me the same line as Contractor One -- and the same price... $8000. I'm not biting yet.
Enter Contractor Three. Before meeting, I tell him over the phone that I want a repair job, not a replacement. I have a punch list of about 18 things that I want done in the bathroom. So we meet. After 45 minutes of chat and humbug, he tells me it would be easier to replace the bathroom -- for $8000!!!
Relatives of mine live 150 miles away at the opposite end of the state. They just renovated their bathroom and other parts of their home. They give me a referral. So the guy agrees to come 150 miles to check out my job. I ask him in advance, why travel 150 miles for a repair job? He says, because I need the work and I know you're going to give me the job!
So he comes. Checks out the job. We go over my punch list item by item. He'll do the work if I buy the supplies. He brought his tools in, I went shopping!
Final cost... $1500 supplies + $1600 labor = $3100. Add five hours of my time for shopping and checking progress. The job includes repaired tiled walls on new wonderboard in the tub, new floor, (though I'd initially wanted to save the floor and just replaced cracked tiles, he said the floor really should be replaced or the replacement tiles would just crack as the originals had, so we replaced it), new toilet, new vanity, new faucets, towel racks, etc. all with better-quality fixtures.
I am far happier with this $3100 "repair job" (that, when done, turned out to be a quality upgrade) than I would have been with the $8000 "new bathroom." The "extra, unused bathroom" is unused no more. (It feels great taking a shower in there!) My Classic Caddy is repainted and tuned up!
I have seen a Bathfitter installed in an older condominium in Westchester County.
It didn't look terrible, but looked very plastic in an institutional sort of way. If the savings over tile were not exceptional, I can't imagine any residential user opting for it.
When we moved into our house the bath tub was something we were hoping to replace since it's pudding brown. We knew it had to go but couldn't afford it right away so we redecorated the room and now it looks amazing. We painted the walls the same color as the tub all the trim and doors in an ultra white, used a very luxe looking white shower curtain and added pops of bright green & dark woods, it looks AWESOME! Very spa like, I love it.
So unless the tiles are also hideous it might be be worth your time to search search search until you find a color combo that would work. I have to agree with PP the plastic surrounds I have seen are very institutional looking, not sure if they have different grades but i wasn't impressed with the one I saw.
Personally I wouldn't do it..know several friends (albeit it's in Florida) who had it done..one developed
a problem in the plumbing behind it.. had to cut access to fix the plumbing issue and Bath fitters are
not responsible to fix the wall...so you are left with a mess...It's not that cheap..I would go the old
fashioned way and get several bids on replacing the tub and tile.......
We had our tub area in Fords done by bath fitters probably about 12 years ago. It was when they first came out. We did not do the tub insert, just the walls, ceiling over the tub and around the window. At that time they only had plain, flat walls, now they have what looks like tile and many designs. We sold the house last year, and the walls and ceiling area still looked good. We used Soft Scrub to clean it and it was still shiny, no scratches. Only thing I had to do was recaulk it every couple of years. Just around where the surround and the tub met, and around the top where the surround met the ceiling piece. The surround itself was one piece, they measured and installed it and it was a perfect fit, even the window opening.
I just had my bathroon done by bath fitters of Dumont N.J. From the time the sales person (Dana)came to our home to the time the installer (Jong) left our home I can't say enough about the job they did. No presure at all from the sales person and the installer who was very nice and truly worked very hard to make sure everything was done exactly the way we wanted it done. The job started at 8AM and was done befotr 5PM. New tub walls moen shower and tub faucets. Looks great! What a difrence In just one day. Job caust about $5,000 but I feel it was worth it to have a new bath room done in a day. Great job bath fitters!!!
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Classic Caddy trumps the Hyundai ~~~
