The business with the toilet

Perhaps an interesting side note: The sanitary wholesale trade was fined less than a month ago for price fixing. So somewhere there definitely was a toilet cartel.

You really shouldn’t forget the accessories when it comes to internet prices.

Our bathtub costs 700 euros at Reuter, with adjustable feet and accessories 950 euros, and our sanitary guy sold us the same bathtub, sourced through his wholesaler, for 1300 euros fully installed.

So there is indeed an additional cost somewhere, yes, but not beyond reason or excessively expensive.

I believe it really depends on comparing exactly the same thing.

Thank you for your assessments. I will keep you updated.

Hello, This is fundamentally the wrong approach! The internet won't build you a bathtub or a shower (installing and connecting a simple washbasin or a basic toilet, on the other hand, is not rocket science). These offers are purely object prices; the costs for transport and installation are completely missing.

I don't quite understand? Don't you get an offer or invoice broken down by material and labor? If the item is already 300% above an online price and labor and travel costs are charged further down, I would also question that critically. In general, I always view such an approach critically, as it lacks transparency and comparability. Let's see if the topic becomes interesting for us.

Hello,

I don’t quite understand? Don’t you get an offer or invoice itemized by material and labor?

If you buy through a BU, GU/GÜ, or also BT: No. You are mostly given the final installation prices. Offers itemized by material and labor are only available through the architect; although even in that case there are possibilities on the part of the craftsmen to mix up the price details. Based on the answers from users here, the question remains: for what purpose does an offer need to be itemized?

If the item is already 300% above an online price and labor and travel costs are added below, I would also question that critically. In general, I always view such an approach critically, as it lacks transparency and comparability.

Answering such questions, like those of the OP, in a forum is always a tightrope walk because rarely are all the facts known. Actually, I should not have answered at all (Wrobel was wiser); I gladly admit I was annoyed by the blanket slap on the plumber. How the surcharge is composed, I still don’t know, only that the OP neglected to consider that there is also “small stuff” needed for installation. But even that is not enough; warranties and bonds also cost money and are, proportionally, factored into every step. After all, not only the interested builder wishes for solvent construction partners.

Rhenish regards

I also wonder with such questions whether the small stuff as well as brackets, adapters, and ultimately all pipes up to the last toilet corner are included in the prices – how are laypeople like the original poster supposed to know these prices including installation costs? With the general contractor, everything is priced, including all supply and disposal lines, no matter how long they may be due to floor plan changes – not to forget the warranty.

In this respect, I question 300%.

Hi,

so the question remains: for what purpose does an offer need to be itemized?

simple answer: because the customer wants it that way!

And because transparency helps ensure that the customer doesn’t think they are being taken advantage of, just because the sink should cost three times as much as it does at the hardware store around the corner. With an itemized offer, the reputable provider can show how their price is composed and that they are definitely not just marking up 300 % and paying for golden cufflinks with your sink.

If a supplier refuses to at least somewhat itemize their offer, I unfortunately have to assume that they want to rip me off. After all, in their own calculations, they have itemized it…

Best regards,

Andreas