To ask what is worth splurging on in a new bathroom

[HarrysPoorFoot]

A modest house with just the one bathroom.

We don't want it to look like a budget landlord job but equally have to be aware of the budget. Where do you think we could save money and where do you think it would be wise to splurge?

I think tiles are worth spending on.

The bath is surrounded on 3 sides and has a shower over it so it seems a bit pointless getting anything but a basic bath.

Dreadful water pressure means we are restricted in shower choice.

No room for a seperate shower cubicle.

Pump to improve shower pressure
Screen not curtain
Tiles- and make sure grout matches not white unless tiles white
Just lying my bath, new a year ago. Love it!

If it’s going to get wet daily, a good quality metal wall-hung toiletry rack. Ours was about £70 I think, which did seem a LOT at the time, but 5 years later it’s like new - no rust, no metal erosion. Worth every penny!

We got ours done last year, and i think this thread was really useful for seeing what people liked about theirs, and mistakes they'd made www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2760837-To-ask-what-bathroom-mistakes-you-have-made

Some things we did were getting a dimmer switch for the lights, and also a light up mirror, which is brilliant! Think they were the only actual splurge type things.

Buy the best shower you can afford. I would spend on good lighting. Maybe colour changing lights around the outside of the bath, near the floor. Simple white tiles look smart.

I'd go for a mid range white bathroom suite, nothing too basic. I have both extremes. Duravit bathroom a very cheap downstairs loo.

IMO the Duravit isn't worth the extra but the basic suite just doesn't fit together properly. If I had my time again I'd get middle of the road for both.

It's the tiles that make a bathroom special or bland. That's where to spend a bit extra.

Don't know if this is a splurge or standard, but one of the things I love in my refitted bathroom is the heated towel rail. The simple daily joy of stepping out of the shower and wrapping up in a warm towel.......
I also insisted on the bath's side being sliding panels; it's a tiny room, so every bit of storage space counts, and some of the unglamorous necessities can be conveniently stowed out of sight.

We splurged on an expensive bath. I hate a cheap plastic bath that flexes when you climb in it! Or one that’s too shallow with a low overflow so you can barely submerge yourself. A decent bath is an everyday luxury.

I can't stand UK bathrooms. No one ever seems to have bench space. It's all stand alone sinks.
I vote for a decent set of drawers with bench top so there is room to work and store toilet paper, hair brushes, spare soap, tampons etc.

And you will always bless good money spent on good ventilation.

I good solid bath and not one that feels cheap and plastic. Good ventilation so it's not all ruined by mold. I love the storage in mine, keeps it lovely and tidy.

If water pressure is bad would a good electric shower help?

Also cupboard space so you've got somewhere to hide the bog roll.

I would get a decent bath and sort out the water pressure.

Instead of tiles around the bath we use the plastic style sheets..they are brilliant and so easy to keep clean. We then did tiles in the rest of the room.

Also fitted a shaver socket to plug in charger for electric toothbrush. Best thing we did.

Heated towel rail for sure - a floor to ceiling one is great.

Pump for your shower - they make a big difference

I agree on storage, so if you have the room then a boxed-in toilet cistern (usually labelled 'concealed') can also create a decent-sized cupboard & a good ledge to put things on.

We have a pump for the shower which we think makes a massive difference, however this does depend on having a hot water cylinder / certain type of boiler I believe

We have acrylic sheets all around the bath (shower over bath) and no wall tiles. An off cut of the acrylic has been used for the basin splashback. We went for a wider bath for 2 reasons. 1. I am a wider person and 2. It gives us more space to stand when showering. Otherwise the most important thing for us was storage. And more storage. The largest wall cabinet we could fit in, a bath panel with drop down doors so we can use the space under the bath, and the basin built into a floor cabinet.

I vote for a decent set of drawers with bench top so there is room to work

It's probably the sleep deprivation talking, but what kind of work do you do in the bathroom...?