Has anyone converted understairs cupboard into a loo?

[JustBeingJobless]

I really want a downstairs loo as I’m struggling with mobility and stairs are the bane of my life at the minute. My neighbours have their under stairs cupboard as a toilet (same layout as my house) but can tell me nothing about having it done as it was there when they bought the house.

The cupboard is off the kitchen, door opening outwards, and is plenty big enough to stand up in and to house a toilet and a small sink. The down pipe from the bathroom is about 6ft away from where the new toilet will be (bathroom is directly above), so I’m guessing it will be easy enough to access.

Does anyone have a rough idea how much it would cost for labour for a plumber to do this? I genuinely have no idea I'm looking at £100 or £3000 and don’t want to go to the trouble of getting a plumber out to quote if it’s going to be way out of my price range!

[JustBeingJobless]

Also meant to ask - the fuse box is in there currently; would it need to be moved? It’s not really in the way.

[PigletJohn]

there are special electrical regulations regarding bathrooms, which are rooms containing a fixed bath or shower.

If your room doesn't, they don't apply.

Is the floor wooden boards, or concrete?

How far away is the soil pipe? Depending on age of house, it is likely to run in a corner of the bathroom and the kitchen below; or on the outside wall.

[PigletJohn]

oh, I see now, six feet.

[PigletJohn]

iron or plastic?

[JoJoSM2]

It won’t cost a 100 but probably not as much as 3k. In addition to plumbing, you’ll need to consider electrics: light + switch + an extractor fan. And then all the wall building, tiling, washbasin + loo. It’s quite a faffy job but really worth it.

[JustBeingJobless]

Soil pipe is plastic, floor is concrete. There’s already a light in there. It’s on an outside wall so should be ok to fit an extractor fan.

[PigletJohn]

trenching through the concrete floor will be noisy and dusty, but will take less than a day. So will filling it.

I would have thought something in the region of two or three £thou.

Some of it is plumbers work but you will need a builder's lad for the floor and to core-drill the wall, and an electrician for the fan. Some plumbers do electrical minor works, and vice-versa.

Ask around for a personally recommended local small builder who will sub-contract and add his margin.

Advertising websites are not personal recommendations.

[JustBeingJobless]

Thank you :) I’ve got a mate who will do any drilling etc for me and I know a couple of electricians, so just need to find a decent plumber. I had a guy fit my bathroom suite a couple of years ago. Did a decent job so I recommended him to my dad for his bathroom refit and he made an absolute pigs ear of it, so certainly won’t be asking him!!

[JustBeingJobless]

Will the fuse box be ok to stay in there?

[PigletJohn]

yes, provided it is not in an unsuitable location, for example where it will get bumped into, or have water splashed on it.

It can go in a little cabinet for neatness if you want.

[JustBeingJobless]

No it’s not in the way. I might look at a cupboard to go over it though :) thanks for your help.

[katymac]

Sorry to hijack Justbeingjobless

If said cupboard was to becaome a shower room what would need to happen to the meters.......please PigletJohn?

[PigletJohn]

(most) electrical fittings would have to be placed "outside the zones" which are calculated by distance from the footprint of a fixed bath or shower. Electrical sockets have to be three metres away, which in most UK bathrooms is not achievable.

Some people think that a sink or washbasin is a bath for these purposes. It is not.

electrical.theiet.org/wiring-matters/53/section-701/index.cfm

[katymac]

i'm sorry PigletJohn I don't really understand the link

I'm guessing the meters/consumer unit would have to be moved to the other side of the wall - is that horrifically expensive?

I was hoping for a shower or a bath...

[PigletJohn]

how far would they be from the footprint of the shower tray?

[PigletJohn]

it would have to be in the "grey" part of the pic

from the side

from above

[Wiggler1]

We had ours done a couple of years ago, just a toilet and small sink, no shower or anything. We had a general builder do the whole thing for about £1k, didn't take long either.

[katymac]

Oh 60cms -'m sure I can plan that in as long as I can put the sink or loo closer?

Phew!
Sorry for the hijack justbeingjobless