When embarking on a bathroom renovation, the question of who buys the fittings—you or your professional fitter—is more than a matter of convenience; it’s a critical decision that influences cost, project efficiency, and, most importantly, consumer protection.
Option 1: Buying materials online (client sourcing)
Opting to source your own taps, showers, and toilets is typically driven by a desire for maximum control over aesthetics and budget.
The advantages for the homeowner
- Potential for significant cost savings: By shopping across various online retailers, comparing prices, and utilizing sales or discount codes, you can often secure items at a lower unit price than a fitter’s quoted rate.
- Unlimited design choice: You are not restricted to the stock available through your fitter’s trade suppliers. This freedom is essential for sourcing unique finishes (e.g., matte black, brushed gold) or specific designer brands that make a statement.
- Direct warranty control: The product warranty is held directly between you and the retailer/manufacturer, which can sometimes streamline a claim process years down the line if the product is defective.
The risks and unforeseen liabilities
The financial and logistical burden of client sourcing can be substantial, often eliminating initial savings.
- Risk of incompatibility: This is the biggest pitfall. You are responsible for ensuring every fitting is technically compatible with your existing plumbing and bathroom structure. Common errors include:
- Ordering a high-flow shower that is unsuitable for your home’s low water pressure.
- Selecting a toilet or basin waste that does not match your pipework connections.
- Failing to check the depth or required space for concealed units (like cisterns or shower valves) behind your wall.
- Liability for product faults and re-fit costs: If a product you supplied is faulty or damaged, your fitter is only liable for the quality of the installation. You are responsible for:
- Arranging the return and replacement of the defective item with the supplier.
- Paying the fitter for any days they are delayed while waiting for the replacement.
- Paying the fitter for the second time to install the replacement item.
- Logistical burden: You must manage deliveries, check goods for damage immediately, and store everything safely on site. Furthermore, you must ensure you order all the smaller, necessary parts (ancillaries), such as wastes, traps, fixing kits, and flexi-hoses, which are often not included with the main fitting and can be confusing to identify.
Option 2: Letting your fitter source (trade sourcing)
This is the standard, low-stress method, where your fitter manages the supply chain, installation, and associated risks.
The advantages of professional sourcing
This option is primarily about security, accountability, and efficiency.
- Simplified, unified accountability: The fitter is the sole contractor providing both the goods and the service. Under consumer law (e.g., the Consumer Rights Act in the UK), if the shower leaks due to a faulty valve, the fitter is liable for:
- Replacing the faulty valve at their cost.
- Covering the labour time for the removal and re-fit.
- Guaranteed compatibility: Your fitter uses their professional knowledge to order products they know will work with your home’s specific plumbing conditions, virtually eliminating installation errors and delays due to incorrect sizing.
- Project efficiency and reliability: All materials arrive checked for damage and on schedule. Fitters typically work with reputable trade brands that offer good quality control, reducing the likelihood of defects and ensuring a smooth, continuous workflow.
- Trade warranty access: Fitters often benefit from faster warranty replacement services from their trusted trade partners, significantly reducing downtime compared to a consumer going through a standard online retailer.
The financial and aesthetic compromises
- Higher Overall Cost: The fitter will apply a small, fair markup to the trade price they pay for materials. This margin compensates them for their time spent sourcing, managing logistics, and covering the significant liability they assume.
- Limited Brand Selection: You will generally be restricted to the brands and models available through their established trade accounts, potentially sacrificing a niche design for reliability and convenience.
- Less Transparent Pricing: The initial quote may bundle the material cost and the labour cost together, making it harder to see the exact price of an item versus the fitter’s markup. (Tip: Always request an itemised quote.)
Conclusion: A strategic approach to sourcing
The decision should be made strategically, weighing liability against savings.
- Prioritise fitter sourcing for technical items: For all fittings concealed behind walls or that are essential for the system’s function, such as thermostatic shower valves, in-wall toilet frames, and boiler components, it is highly recommended to let the fitter supply them. The cost of a re-fit for a faulty concealed unit is almost never worth the initial saving.
- Consider client sourcing for visual items: You can safely source items that require little or no plumbing integration, such as mirrors, accessories, lighting, and even specific tile brands, to satisfy your design preferences and budget.
- Mandatory consultation: If you are determined to buy a specific tap or toilet online, you must send the product’s full technical specification sheet to your fitter for approval before you place the order. They need to verify the connections and compatibility to prevent costly delays.
With Rated People, you have the power to get it done. Find a trusted, local tradesperson today.
