Should I expect my towel rail (non electric) to be fitted like this

[Unhappy]

I’ve paid good money for a bathroom installation. This follows on from having an en-suite installed last year. Both involved replacing existing radiators with flexi pipe behind them with towel rails. When my towel rail was fitted in the en suite the plumber fitted with two very short pieces of pipe from directly behind the towel rail valves - a really nice fit. But my bathroom’s plumber has fitted like the first picture here with a large hole and lots of pipe visible - which I think goes against the point of a towel rail which you can see through. Am I in my rights to have expected a neater fit and get him to change? He says I should have specified at quote stage but it’s not something I specified to my en suite plumber. My expectation from looking at other houses and pics online is that the towel rail should be fitted like the second pic.

 

[Ric2013]

Was it a quick and cheap job?

Well that's what we've been trying to establish. The OP has told us the price but has not been absolutely clear on what was included, or the situation, and whether a detailed quotation was provided, hence my questions in post 22. We don't even know if the existing floor was concrete or whether the plumber had to ply line the floor and provide ply, tile adhesive, grout etc.

Those two elbows behind the radiator valves could at least have been made at the same angle without it being extra effort or cost. So why has the plumber made no attempt whatsoever to make that existing pipe look as neat as it can? Nor does it make sense to fit a towel rail to un-painted wall. Which, as I've said, makes me think the plumber was considering the towel rail to be a temporary fit. I agree there's something that doesn't quite make sense here.

 

[Unhappy]

Hi
The plumber was aware I would be painting. I always thought painting would be better done after the bathroom was installed. On the en suite we just about managed to get behind the towel rail to paint and will do again. I did ask if he could include decorating but he said he could not provide. The extent of the written quote was just an email as follows:

To fit your new bathroom suite including,

Removal of all old suite and disposing off site.

Turning the bath so the taps and shower are on the other side making the bathroom flow better.

Overboarding the floor ready for flooring.

All plumbing work

All plastering work

All electrics

New skirting boards

Tiling the bath area and behind the toilet and sink.
As you can see very little detail was provided. Note that floor tiling and replacement of extractor fans in this and our en-suite (to existing positions) was later added.

The floor was plyboard.

 

[Ric2013]

Would other plumbers agree that the towel rail cannot be considered to be included in that quote as 'bathroom suite' would not normally include a (heat) emitter?

 

[Unhappy]

Perhaps so but it was made clear when the plumber first came that the towel rail would be part of the job

 

[Ric2013]

I don't doubt you, but the papertrail has you over a barrel, in my opinion. That's my point.

 

[WC1]

Discussion of price should perhaps also include an idea of very general location.
The t/r install looks like something someone wasn't planning to do and maybe hadn't budgeted for.