Bathrooms On Demand

We had an absolutely terrible experience with Bathrooms on Demand from start to finish. The project was handled poorly at nearly every stage, with repeated mistakes, poor workmanship, and extremely frustrating communication throughout.

The first major issue was the bathroom tiling. The floor was not properly levelled before tiling, which resulted in the bathroom floor ending up noticeably higher than the adjoining bedroom floor.

The quality of the tiling itself was also extremely unprofessional. The grouting is inconsistent in multiple places, there are at least two chipped tiles that were installed, and another tile contains a visible defect. We had specifically instructed them not to use chipped or defective tiles, yet they were installed regardless.

Additional damage was caused during the installation process. The stainless steel corner strip by the shower window was scratched, and when this was raised, the response from the owner was, "If I must worry about all the little things then we will never get anything done." This attitude summed up the overall approach taken throughout the project.

We were then advised on a vanity size that we were assured would fit the bathroom layout. After the cistern had already been tiled into the wall, it became apparent that the vanity would not fit as promised. Instead of properly addressing the issue with us first, the owner decided to shift the concealed cistern sideways to create space. Even after this adjustment, there was still not enough room to comfortably use the toilet, with the vanity positioned so close that your arm would press against it while seated. We eventually had to insist that the cistern be moved back to its original position.

We then attempted to return the vanity and purchase a smaller unit, only to be informed that it could not be returned because it had been damaged while in their possession. This resulted in us having to purchase a second vanity entirely. We ultimately had to insist that the cost of the damaged vanity be deducted from the invoice, as it was unusable to us.

Even when the final invoice was sent to us for settlement, the agreed deduction for the damaged vanity, amounting to R8550, had still not been removed. We again had to point out that this amount needed to be deducted. The explanation given was that they "weren't sure what the deductions were" and that the invoice was therefore not final, despite it having already been sent by their office for payment. This came across as extremely disorganised at best and opportunistic at worst.

The workmanship was also consistently poor. We were charged R1600 to paint the bathroom ceiling, yet the quality of the painting was unacceptable. Patchwork repairs on the ceiling are clearly visible, and the paint finish is inconsistent and untidy.

When we explained that we did not want them returning to repaint due to how stressful and unpleasant the experience had already become, we requested a deduction instead. The owner's first response was, "R200 because it was my paint." We then informed him that it was not his paint at all, but paint we had purchased ourselves. He then changed the offer to "Ok, R400." Given the poor workmanship and attitude throughout the project, and because we now need to pay someone else to repaint the ceiling properly, we ultimately instructed that the entire line item be removed from the invoice.

Another issue involved the ceiling trap door. It was left dirty, and one side had been broken during the installation of the new geyser. Although there had been a join in the board already, they further damaged it and did not repair it until the damage was specifically pointed out.

We also discovered that screw covers had gone missing from our existing aluminium door. This was not even an item they worked on and was simply used as an entry point during the renovation. While not a major financial issue, our local hardware stores do not stock these covers, meaning we now need to contact the original door installation company to try source replacements ourselves.

Another major issue involved the plumbing installation. After completion, someone attempted to use the shower and found that the temperature controls were reversed because the hot and cold pipes had been connected incorrectly. They then had to return again to correct the plumbing in the roof space.

The overall attitude and professionalism displayed during the project were equally disappointing. When concerns were raised about the quality of the work and repeated mistakes, there was little accountability. Instead, criticism was met with defensiveness and victim-playing comments such as "Just blame me, I'll take it," despite the problems being directly caused by poor decisions and lack of supervision.

Communication during disputes was also unprofessional and dismissive. Concerns raised by occupants of the house were brushed aside, and at one point dismissive gestures were made indicating that comments or concerns should stop. During one interaction, the owner responded in Afrikaans by saying, "Ek is baie ouer as jy. Ek weet jou houding," rather than addressing the actual concerns being raised.

What makes the experience even more disappointing is that Bathrooms on Demand was approximately R10,000 more expensive than competing quotes. We chose them based on their reputation and expected quality, but unfortunately the result was a stressful and deeply frustrating experience with workmanship and service that fell far below expectations.