Cowboy Builders

There are levels to this industry.

At the top, there are tradespeople delivering exceptional workmanship with precision and consistency. Then there are good installers, followed by those who are average.

And then there are cowboys.

They operate in a completely different league.

The difficulty is, they can disguise themselves well. On the surface, they may appear professional. The quote might seem competitive, and the promise is the same as anyone else — a finished bathroom.

That said, a recommendation from a reputable showroom is usually a good starting point. At a higher level, they tend to work with installers they trust and are unlikely to recommend someone who doesn’t meet their standards.

But even then, it’s still important to understand what you’re looking at.

The difference becomes clear in the details, and often only once the work is underway, or worse, once it’s complete.

A few years ago, we had the pleasure of working with Jacob and Sophie, completing two bathrooms in their home. They were delighted with the result, so when their daughter later got married and was gifted a house, they came back to us to quote for three bathrooms.

We priced the work accordingly, but the builder already on the project undercut us by £6,000 across all three bathrooms. On paper, it didn’t seem like a huge difference, and understandably, they chose the cheaper option.

Unfortunately, the saving came at the expense of quality.

The project was poorly managed, and the standard of workmanship fell well below what was expected. High-end products and premium tiles were installed without the care or precision they required.

Tiled niches with LED lighting were poorly fitted, silicone was applied heavily and inconsistently, and the overall tiling lacked the accuracy and finish needed for that level of specification. It was, without exaggeration, one of the worst installations we’d seen.

The photos speak for themselves.

What should have been a straightforward installation became a stressful, drawn-out process.

Bathrooms aren’t just about the products you choose — they’re about how those products are installed. Even the best materials can be let down by poor workmanship.

We understand that cost always plays a part in decision-making. But with something as permanent as a bathroom, the quality of the installation is what ultimately determines the outcome.

A cheaper quote doesn’t always mean better value.