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re-doing the bathroom - where to buy supplies


Storrsy
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Hi

I recently purchased a property in Brittany and I need to re-do the bathroom (install a new bath/shower and re-tile).

Could anyone give me some help on where to buy supplies - is it best to buy it all in the UK and bring it over or should I go to somewhere like Mr Bricolage?  I don't have much time so I need the quickest and easiest way of doing it!

Many thanks

Anna

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Brico Depot are cheap and chearful, owned by King Fisher who own B & Q. They have a website on which you should be able to price check. Leroy Merlin - slightly upmarket web site not good for prices. At current exchange rates showers and basins may be cheaper in the UK. Tiles will probably be cheaper in France.
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For design and price I'd say Castorama (also owned by B&Q) and you can order on line so it could arrive when you do. Mr Bricolage also has good design and marginally better quality but lead times, can be long ( 13 weeks for 4 sinks) Lepeyre are also online slightly more expensive again probably better quality but we were happy with Castorma and Mr Bricolage. Porcelaosa is also available in France if you want to push the boat out a bit more. If you had more time I'd suggest find your nearest independent plumbing suppliers but lead times can be long and you probably have to order from catalogues but you'd get the best choice.
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[quote user="Scooby"]Did anyone see the recent episode of 'Homes under the Hammer' where the Welsh builder said he was sourcing his bathrooms from France - £150 for a complete suite?  He was very cagey about where exactly he was buyng them...
[/quote]

Not really a bargain when you consider the fuel, toll, ferry (van not car) and extra time.

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Have just bought all the stuff to have our bathroom done, all of it in France from Bricodepot and Castorama, prices about on par with UK for the shower etc, but preferred the styles here. Also bought the tiles in France for 16 euros per Sq mtr, in UK the same tiles were in B&Q for £49 per Sq mtr![:-))][:-))][:-))]

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[quote user="Théière"]

[quote user="Scooby"]Did anyone see the recent episode of 'Homes under the Hammer' where the Welsh builder said he was sourcing his bathrooms from France - £150 for a complete suite?  He was very cagey about where exactly he was buyng them...
[/quote]

Not really a bargain when you consider the fuel, toll, ferry (van not car) and extra time.

[/quote]

That was a repeat from 2008, if not before so the exchange rates were a little different then.

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Just to say that I'd never buy bathroom stuff from BricoDept ever again. At our previous hovel our French plumber refused to fit Mr Bricolage stuff; it all came from a plumbers merchants and was super quality (and quite pricey) and we never had any problems with any of it.

But, this time....at hovel2...we bought two WCs from BricoDepot, the best ones we could find there, and in both cases the mechanisms broke after a couple of months. Our basin came from Ikea in Toulouse and the plug thingy mechanism broke quite soon after fitting; and our izzy whizzy shower cabin came from Mr Bricolage and was an absolute nightmare to put together and plumb in.

So....in future I'll be trusting my plumber.
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