When homeowners tell us about a bathroom project that went wrong, the problem is rarely the products. It is usually the installation: a quote that grew, trades that did not coordinate, a finish date that kept slipping, or a phone that stopped being answered once the deposit had been paid.
Choosing the right bathroom installer is the single biggest factor in whether your project feels calm or stressful. This guide sets out the questions worth asking before you book anyone in Berkshire, and what good answers sound like.
Who surveys the job, and who fits it?
This is the question we would ask first. In many bathroom projects, the person who measures the room and quotes the job is not the person who turns up to install it. Details noted at the survey can get lost in the handover, and the installer may discover problems nobody planned for.
Ask directly whether the person surveying your bathroom will be the person fitting it. At Imperial Bathrooms, the surveyor is the installer. The person who quotes the job is the same person who installs it, so there is full accountability and no handoffs. You can read more about why that matters in our guide to installer-approved bathroom design.
What exactly is included in the quote?
Hidden costs are one of the biggest worries homeowners have, and with good reason. A low quote that leaves out key items can end up costing more than a thorough one.
When you compare quotes, check whether each one includes:
- Removal and disposal of the old bathroom
- Preparing walls and floors, including making good any damage found
- Tiling, and whether tiles are included or priced separately
- Electrical work such as lighting, extractor fans and underfloor heating
- All the products, or only the labour
It is also worth asking what is not included. We are upfront that building work, such as knocking down walls or altering supporting walls, is not part of our service. A good installer will tell you clearly where their work ends, so you are not caught out later.
Will you have one point of contact?
A bathroom project involves several stages and sometimes several trades. The fear of being passed around, and of things falling through the gaps between them, is completely understandable.
Ask who you will speak to if you have a question during the installation, and how quickly they will respond. With our fully project managed installations, you are assigned a dedicated point of contact throughout. Alex and Claire, who run the business, are also directly involved, so you are always able to speak to the people who make the decisions.
What does the guarantee cover?
A guarantee is only as useful as the detail behind it. Ask any installer what their workmanship guarantee covers, how long it lasts, what is excluded, and whether it is in writing.
It is also important to understand the difference between a product warranty and a workmanship guarantee. A manufacturer’s warranty covers a faulty product. A workmanship guarantee covers the quality of the installation itself.
Our fully project managed installations include a no-quibble 3-year workmanship guarantee. This applies exclusively to our own installation service. If you choose supply-only and use your own installer, our Supply-Only Guarantee covers our product recommendations and specifications, while the workmanship is between you and your installer. There is a full breakdown in the Imperial Bathrooms guarantee explained.
Do they check the design before it is signed off?
A bathroom can look perfect on a drawing and still cause practical problems once the pipework, the walls and the way the room is used are factored in. A tap may not suit your boiler. A vanity unit may clash with the waste pipe. A shower screen may open the wrong way for the room.
Ask whether an installer has reviewed the design before you sign it off. Every design we produce gets final sign-off from an experienced bathroom installer, so form never overrides function.
How far ahead are they booked?
Good bathroom installers are usually busy. Our fully project managed installations are typically booked up three to four months in advance, on a first come, first served basis.
An installer who can start next week is not automatically a warning sign, but it is worth asking why. It may simply be a cancellation. Either way, the answer should give you confidence that your project will get the time and attention it needs.
Can you see their work and read their reviews?
Ask to see examples of finished projects, ideally in homes similar to yours. Read reviews on independent platforms, and pay attention to what people say about communication and how problems were handled, as well as the finished result.
How long a business has been trading also tells you something. Imperial Bathrooms has been run by the same family since 1978, and in that time we have supplied and installed around 24,000 bathrooms locally. You can browse our projects and read our reviews to see what our customers say.
Do they cover your area?
It sounds obvious, but it is worth confirming that an installer genuinely works in your area rather than travelling a long way for a single job. A local installer is easier to reach if you ever need them after the work is finished.
Our installation area covers Berkshire, including Windsor, Maidenhead, Ascot and the towns and villages around them, as well as Surrey, north Hampshire, Bucks and West London. Find out more on our bathrooms in Berkshire page.
A quick checklist before you book
- Is the person surveying the job the same person installing it?
- Does the quote clearly list what is and is not included?
- Will you have one named point of contact?
- Is there a written workmanship guarantee, and what does it cover?
- Has an installer checked the design before sign-off?
- Can you see finished projects and read genuine reviews?
- Do they regularly work in your area?
Our article on how to choose a bathroom showroom you can trust covers the questions to ask at the design stage, which pair well with the ones above.
Summary
The right bathroom installer will be clear about what is included, accountable from survey to handover, easy to reach, and confident enough in their work to guarantee it in writing. Asking these questions before you book takes a little time, but it is the best protection you have against the problems that make bathroom projects stressful.
If you are planning a bathroom in Berkshire and would like to talk it through, book a design appointment at our Windsor showroom. We will be honest about whether we are the right fit for your project.
FAQs
Ask who will survey and who will fit the bathroom, exactly what the quote includes and excludes, who your point of contact will be, what the workmanship guarantee covers, and whether an installer has checked the design before sign-off.
It can make a real difference. When one team handles design and installation, and the person who surveys the job is the person who fits it, there are fewer handoffs and clearer accountability if anything needs attention.
Look for a written workmanship guarantee that clearly states how long it lasts and what it covers. Our fully project managed installations include a no-quibble 3-year workmanship guarantee, which applies exclusively to our own installation service.
Yes. Our installation area covers Berkshire, including Windsor, Maidenhead and Ascot, as well as Surrey, north Hampshire, Bucks and West London. We also supply bathrooms nationwide on a supply-only basis.
Absolutely. A large part of our work is supply only, and we are happy to work alongside your builder or installer. Our Supply-Only Guarantee covers our product recommendations and specifications, while workmanship by a third-party installer is between you and them.
