If you were thinking of renovating your bathroom what would you do differently?

[Rescue2024]

Looking for ideas of things to look out for and things to avoid. I’m in two minds of half tiling or full with big tiles.

we have dark grout in the kitchen so I’m thinking the same and if -lasts in the bathroom is a bit too retro.

I couldn't be bothered to go back to sit on the toilet we chose and sent DH. His legs are about a foot longer than mine, so my legs dangle from the toilet in our ensuite now and I never use that one. So I'd suggest sitting on the toilet you are getting.

I really like the shower panels, I always go for colour/pattern where DH is more block colour so I’ll try and find something in between, never knew these sort of things existed

I am really leaning towards a P shaped bath. Can I ask where you have your shelves? Trying to picture best places for them, I would like full tiles to stop mould

Can you see the holes during the day time? We are hopefully having 4 spot lights put in, I’d love a twinkly star light bath.

Don't get bath mixer taps with a small little arch underneath. Complete pain to clean properly.

I would buy a sink with unit in vanity size, the standard one is so deep I can barely lean over when brushing teeth. I'm 5'5!

No marble no white grout. No extreme plumbing changes. All very expensive otherwise. Of in a hard water area no black fixtures. Or get a Harvey..

Chrome fittings that don't need special cleaning products
Composite rather than full cast iron bath (plus a double check it can be got round the turn in the stairs if bathroom on upper floor)

More of a dipped angle towards the drain in the walk in shower. I love the look, but it's annoying when the water goes all over the bathroom.

You might if it's a bright room - our bath is not near the window so we don't see them until they are turned on.

Oh hang on.. what does this mean? I’m a good few inches shorter than you and hadn’t thought itd me an issue with a vanity.

Take a look at stainless steel shower niches.

You probably just need to clean the waste trap. Even a low profile tray with a high volume shower should not over flow.

You can get proper toothbrush charger units that wire in.

I wouldn't have a waterfall tap

Our bathroom is tiny. So basically as you come in, you are facing the window with the sink underneath it, toilet on one side, bath on the other. So the shelves are either side of the window/sink. One is above the non-p side of the bath and one above the toilet. But quite high

Half tile or panel.

High pressure digital shower with a remote controller outside the cubicle.

Chrome fittings for easy cleaning.

Comfort height loo.

Lots of storage.

Niche in the shower.

Soft water.

Centred bath taps.

Accessible isolation on all water inlets taps, loo fill, shower inlets. Access to as much pipework as possible.

Decent storage.

Electric toothbrush charger in a cupboard.

Good lighting and some softer lighting.

Position of towel rails for ease of use. Same with loo roll holder.

Quiet extractor fan.

We're redoing ours now. 17 years ago we got big rectangular white tiles and tiled half way up the wall. This has allowed me to paint the walls many colours over the years. We have been lucky our plumber managed to fit a new bath and shower without damaging the tiles. We just regrouted them and my bathroom is like new again

Definitely consider the height of the toilet, low is far better for bowel elimination and avoidance of constipation. We stayed in an AirBnB in France that had a high toilet and I just couldn't do a No 2 on it, I had to prop my feet up on spare toilet rolls. We only have one tiny bathroom and there is no room for a squatty potty and it would be in the way if left in place the whole time.

What’s a squatty potty?!

In the shower cubicle I’d definitely like a “built in” type shelf for shampoo, etc. not sure if I’m explaining it properly but a sort of tiled alcove shelf. I’m assuming the tiling must be brought forward off the wall so there’s space to make the alcove?

Don't get a flat-based basin. Every last tiny drop of toothpaste and soap just sits there and doesn't rinse away unless you scrub it with a cloth and force it down the plughole!.

I agree with PPs on vanity unit for storage, not pedestal basin; P shaped shower bath with sloping end opposite shower is comfortable for bathing in.

When we had our bathroom refitted there was a mix up with the bath order. I was at work when it was delivered and the plumber had fitted it by the time I arrived home.
We had ordered a single end bath, they delivered a double ended bath.
After a bit of uming and ahring, sitting in the empty bath I actually loved it. The only thing I would do differently is have the slightly wider version. We have a small bathroom and the extra few cm would have had no impact to an area we can’t use anyway.
The one thing we did do was to get rid off that annoying step behind the toilet and sink that houses the waste pipe. We had a false wall put in up the the level of the window which gave us a much bigger window ledge and built in shelves either side of the window. It also got rid of all the different levels.
The first photo is our bathroom, the second is an identical house but with the original style with the boxing in behind the loo and the waste stack on the left, also the false wall was designed so that the bath fitted perfectly in the space with no need to have one of those awkward tiled bits which either leaks or goes mouldy.

That’s the key thing in a bath!

I would also ensure that the extractor fan worked separately to the light, for when I fancy a candlelit bath where I don’t fog up the windows.

I hate the bath the previous owners put in.

Central taps...great.

Central plug...the slightest movement means my bum unpops the plug.

Reclining ends... Hardly any room in the bath to lay out... actual flat bottom of the bath is so tiny.

BF had his first bath in it at Christmas. He loves a bath. He was out in 10 mins as he felt so cramped and was fed up of the water draining out every time he moved.

I'm in North Yorkshire and I just (in the last three weeks) had a quote of £4.5k just to take out the bath, put in a shower tray and tile where the bath had been.