A family bathroom usually takes 5 to 10 working days to refit, and a cloakroom or en suite 3 to 5. Most of that is the work you never see: pipes, waterproofing and drying time. Here is how it runs.
Choose before you start
Have the suite, taps, shower and tiles chosen and delivered before the old bathroom comes out. Shower valves especially decide where pipes go in the wall, so the exact model matters at first fix. Tiles are worth ordering with 10 percent extra for cuts and breakages, from the same batch so the colour matches.
The order of work
- Strip out. The old suite and usually the tiles come off. Floorboards are lifted where pipes need moving.
- First fix. Hot, cold and waste pipes are run to the new positions. Extractor fan and lighting cables go in. Electrical work in a bathroom is often notifiable, so a registered electrician does or certifies that part.
- Boarding and waterproofing. Walls round the shower are boarded with a water resistant board and tanked. This is the step that stops leaks behind the tiles, and the one most often skipped.
- Floor. The floor is made solid and level. A flexing floor cracks tiles and grout.
- Tiling. Walls and floor are tiled and grouted, then left to set.
- Second fix. Toilet, basin, bath or tray, shower and taps are fitted and connected.
- Finishing. Silicone, accessories, the fan and lights, then a full check for leaks.
Shower or bath?
Many people in smaller houses swap a bath for a walk in shower. It makes a small room feel bigger and is easier to get in and out of. If you only have one bathroom and might sell, think about keeping a bath, as families with young children often look for one.
Where the days go
Drying and setting times are fixed. Adhesive, grout and any self levelling compound all need time before the next stage. One tradesman handling the carpentry, plumbing and tiling keeps the job moving without waiting for the next trade to turn up.
We refit bathrooms and en suites around Cullompton, Tiverton and Crediton. See bathroom fitting or get a free quote.
Common questions
- How long does a bathroom refit take?
- Usually 5 to 10 working days for a family bathroom and 3 to 5 days for a cloakroom or en suite.
- Do you need to tank a shower area?
- Yes. Walls round a shower should be boarded and waterproofed before tiling, because grout alone does not stop water reaching the wall behind.
- Can I use the toilet during the refit?
- There will usually be a day or two without one. If it is your only toilet, tell us and we will plan the work to keep that as short as possible.