What sort of business do we ask to do our bathroom?

[Dumbledoresgirl]

We have a very old house and a very tatty bathroom which we want to totally revamp. I'm not just talking the sanitary ware. The whole room could really do with being gutted and completely done from scratch - walls need plastering, ceiling (partially sloping) has holes in which need filling. The floorboards are in a bad state and could do with being replaced. It needs painting, tiling, flooring, as well as new sanitary ware. Possibly also some made to measure cabinet work as the existing basin with surround and cupboard underneath are in an old blocked up doorway and don't fit exactly, ie there are gaps to either side down which goodness knows how many toothbrushes and bits of soap have fallen and cannot be retrieved. I want to be sure the replacement fits without gaps!

Anyway, my question is, if you have had a similar complete refurb of a bathroom done, what sort of business did you get in to do it? Builder? Decorator? Bathroom fitter specialist? Plumber? Or a combination of different trades? I would really like one or two people to come and do the lot, but I can't work out whether that is going to be possible or not.

[jigster01]

Just about to get this done ourselves, completely gutting it and starting again ...we have the plumber we have used before ( central heating ,boiler etc ) and he will then get the tiler on board ...I believe plumber will also do extractor and lights too ..so just two trade men

[Dumbledoresgirl]

I've just been thinking about it. The ceiling lights and extractor fan are new, as is the shower (though I wouldn't mind a stronger one. The heated towel rail is new too. So those things probably won't need doing again.

It is the unusual structural stuff that is bothering me - the walls needing quite a lot of work, and the ceiling. We've just had some excellent plumbers doing our heating, but I don't think they do bathrooms.

Good luck with yours. Have you any colour schemes/designs in mind? I have my colour scheme worked out (white, teal and light brown) and I can't wait to get going.

[jigster01]

We've only just decided on most things ..been going round in circles! but very light cream porcelain tiles on floor and wall with mosaic tiles on shower wall and sink .They are brown,silver ,greens and blues I think very pretty.Our present suite is traditional which I love but now going all contemporary !
Our plumber is taking down all the old tiles as by the shower they have come loose and it has got damp :( skimming the walls and re tiling.
He's also putting the fan and light on one cord as with 4 grown boys in the house the fan never gets turned on and doesn't help with the condensation ...can't wait. .lucky we have a downstairs loo !!!!

[Dumbledoresgirl]

He sounds like a good man to have. You aren't local to me are you? (one million to one chance that you are!) I'm in Gloucestershire, just in case.

I still don't know who we should be getting in. If I don't find anyone, dh will do it himself. He is somewhat capable - he's done all sorts of DIY recently - but I don't want him doing the bathroom as I want to save him the multiple weekends lost to a job that would take a professional a few days.

[Micah]

We went to the plumbing shop down the road and they did everything. Most usually have plumbers/tilers/chippies etc on board as they all get each other work.

B&q and the like will also do the whole job.

Oh and it's usually best to get one party to run the job- if you source tilers/plumbers etc seperately, you'll often find the warranty conditions might change. For example if you get your own tiler, the fitter can't guarantee the shower won't leak as the tiling has been done after he's finished the job, iyswim. If they bring their own tiler they will guarantee that work too.