Tiling around bath instead of bath panel - is it a PITA

[FishfingersAreOK]

I am toying with having the front of the bath tiled rather than getting a bath panel - what are the pros/cons of this please? Are the workings/plumbings still accessible if it is tiled in or would any plumbing fixes require everything to be retiled?

More expensive but looks better. When bath installed, fix 50x50mm frame to support 10mm marmox tile board (rigid insulation that doesn't warp). Make board in 2 pieces with joint along grout line. Tile marmot board to match other tiling lines. Screw fix to wood frame with decorative screw covers and mastic seal edges so you can remove the bath front later

Looks nicer I think. Ours has a small panel which we can remove if needed to get to taps

It always looks better and you can have an access panel or make the whole thing easily removable most plumbers/fitters will know how. Looks neater and more finished than those plastic horrors!

yes, it is really annoying to have tiling or a panel that cannot readily be removed when access to trap or taps is needed.

Some fitters like to glue the panel into place with silicone sealant, which is especially annoying.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?num=10&hl=en&biw=1920&bih=906&tbm=isch&tbnid=RAUaaY7oxs4XSM:&imgrefurl=www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop/home_and_garden/bathroom/bathroom_suites/113244853_white_tongue_groove_bath_panel_kit.html&docid=Xy5vj79YxtBIKM&imgurl=sainsburys.scene7.com/is/image/sainsburys/113118793_1%253F%2524large240%2524&w=240&h=240&ei=d6UmUPqgKufU0QWouYDACg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=167&sig=116959226681404039139&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=163&tbnw=163&start=0&ndsp=42&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:79&tx=126&ty=159would" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this work for you? it is a removable bath panel but doesn't look cheap or plasticky!

Piglet- yes, our handyman did the silicon thing...

We had the hot water pressurised not long after, and the hot tap sprung a leak under the tap. Took me the best part of an hour (with water running down my kitchen wall beneath all along!) to dig it all out so I could get to the plumbing!

I especially liked this one, in an older house where the panelled doors were painted white eggshell.

You could paint it a different colour if you could be bothered wanted to

we have an antique pine one similar to the one PJ linked to

it was also siliconed and tiled in originally - tiles had to be broken to get it out!!!

(what goes through these people's minds????)