• Adding colour to your bathroom

• Buying a new bathroom (Part 1)

• Essential, but never boring….toilets!

• How to pay for a new bathroom?

• A guide to bathroom furniture

Bathroom installation – The basics

Buying and fitting a new bathroom is a big decision and one that is key to get right first time. Mistakes can be expensive to put right so it is worthwhile putting in the legwork up front. It can be easy to spend plenty of time, money and resource on planning, choosing and purchasing the actual sanitaryware, however, sadly, the less glamorous part of the process – the installation – can often be overlooked and end up being fraught with problems.

Whether renovating, modernising, extending, or adding an en-suite or cloakroom, a new bathroom is a worthy investment and can not only improve your day to day living but also add value to your property. Alongside design, the quality fit of the sanitaryware is absolutely the most important element of any bathroom project and one that will truly make the difference between you simply being satisfied or over the moon with your finished bathroom.

Installing the bathroom yourself ensures you’ll keep initial costs low but fitting a bathroom can be complicated and therefore you may incur additional costs further down the line if you need to bring different skilled tradesmen on board. Hiring a bathroom installation expert that has all the skills needed to install the different bathroom elements from the beginning might be more expensive, but you are probably less likely to incur additional costs.

Of course, the costs can vary enormously but the average cost of a bathroom refit comes in around £3,500-£5,000. It can be less if you are able to purchase wisely and do all the installation yourself. On the other hand, you may decide on more expensive sanitaryware items and of course, the installation of these more luxurious bathroom fixtures and fittings will cost far more.

As with all home improvement projects there are many factors that affect the price you pay. With a bathroom installation the main ones are whether any electrical work needs to be done such as the installing of a power shower or dual heated towel rail, the amount of plumbing work required, the choice of bathroom suite and any special features you choose, the size of your bathroom, the location, the age and condition of the property and whether additional specialists are required for more complex elements of the installation such as underfloor heating.

Time wise a bathroom installation can take between 5-10 days but again this can vary depending on the size and complexity of the job. Other elements that need to be considered but can easily be overlooked are additional costs relating to extractor fan, lighting, tiling, flooring, pipework adjustment and waste removal.

If you decide not to install yourself but use a bathroom installation expert, take time to consider the following:

• Budget. Decide on your budget upfront and try and stick to what you set. The budget should guide your choice of suite and additional fittings. Don’t forget to allow for the installation within the total.
• Expert advice. Visit a couple of bathroom showrooms and speak to experts taking in photos of your current bathroom as there may be limitations which dictate layouts and specific sanitaryware.
• Quotations. If you decide to get someone in to install your bathroom, do your research and shop around. Some national retailers have their own installers, others expect you to source your own. Local suppliers and bathroom specialists are another option. Whichever route you decide upon, make sure you get comparative prices, and know what they offer in terms of experience and qualifications.

24th Nov 2020