Does anybody have any tips for replacing a bathroom - and how much did yours cost?

[TheMightyLois]

We're about to get quotes to install a new bathroom. It's a small room, and we're just going to replace bath, toilet and basin like-for-like (no moving anything around) and tiling around the bath and behind the basin.

Would just be handy to get an idea beforehand so I know what to expect.

Also, does anybody have any tips on how to go ahead? We only have the one loo and I can't face it being out of action for too long.

depend on where you live and what tiles and sanitary wear you want tbh. you can get the sanitary wear and tiles yourself you can then shop around for what u like and the best prices!! topps tiles do a great selection and also you can use tesco vouchers there too!!!! get several quotes for plumbers and tilers. an all in one service from a company will cost you alot more. All depends on what u want to spend! ebay to has some good bargains for all things taps can be very expensive. are u going to be doing any of the work yoursevles? if not minimum 1K for very basic bathroom then upwards!! skys the limit!!

Check out independent tile shops (we used Al-Murad in Walthamstow).
The independents often have a better range and cheaper tiles than the big chains IME.

victoriaplum.co.uk do good deals online.

Chris Stevens DIY on Holloway Road, London sell to trade and public. Cheaper and better quality than the likes of B&Q and Bathstore IMO.

my tip is dont buy it from B&Q

My husband is a Plumber and works as a Salesman for a Plumbers Merchant. He bought and fitted our new bathroom and ensuite.

I've learnt that he doesn't rate the likes of B@Q products, you pay for what you get apparently. He deals with Plumbers who have been asked by customers to replace bathrooms. The Plumbers will either show them brochures or send them in to choose...they (plumbers) will then buy items and add on a fairly hefty % to the cost in addition to the fitting costs.

In my humble opinion, developed from years of listening to him drone on, its better to go straight to a plumbers merchants, buy from a plumbing salesman NOT SHOWROOM (they need to earn commission so ramp up prices) and then get a plumber to fit it for you. Anything extra required by the plumber, you buy.

Hope this helps. We replaced our family bathroom 2 years ago and it cost £800. dh only pays cost though and there were no fitting costs. We have a large bathroom with corner bath, shower over it, units and the usual toilet basin etc.

Thanks all. I've been looking at prices today and I think we can get the suite, shower, taps and tiles for under £1k.

We were thinking of B&Q tbh, but after this thread i'll definitely look elsewhere! Thanks for the suggestions.

Any idea how much all the fitting/tiling might cost? Its a tiny room,and I don't think it should be a complicated job.

No no no dont go to b&q.
We thought we take the 'easy' route of getting it all done and supplied by them. Its been a disaster. Its still a giving us problems 3.5 years on. And it was expensive even with their 'January offers' (5k) and we have a very small bathroom.
You cannot guarantee the work because they sub-contract so its the luck of the draw who installs your bathrooms. If you get a cowboy like we did, you may end up spending 18 months getting everything replaced (like we did) due to appalling fitting of everything (bath, tiles, shower screen, shelves, taps, toilet in particular still giving us problems, grouting, fan, electric socket, radiator)
Also as I have found, they cannot source 'old' parts (ie a toilet seat just 3 years old) and use bizzare fittings in many of their toilets.

I would say your labour costs would be around £1500 if everything is going in the same place and you're not tiling the floor.

We are having ours done next week - fingers crossed.

We have sourced almost all our stuff from the internet - Webtiles (Laura Ashley tiles), Victoriaplumb shower screen & taps, Bathempire - heated towel rail, Shower doctor - electric shower etc. Also Plumbworld & Tradebathrooms.
Topps tiles were silly prices and the same shower we are getting was twice the price in B&Q or Homebase.

It's been a bit of a hassle and you need the plumber or Pigletjohn (on here) to give advice on the technical side but hopefully we are almost there.

We have a local plumber doing ours and it should come in around £750 labour, would have been £600 for like for like but we are moving things around a bit. DH is doing the tiling.

We are currently having ours done. Bathroom is about 2.5 metres square.

Free standing bath, taps, shower, shower cubicle sink and toilet came to £1800.

Tiles came to £300.

Fitting including all tiling and grout etc plus electrics (light And mirror) is £1300

We bought our bathroom suite from B&Q last year and its fabulous . We got the Fabian toilet and basin and then a different bath ( can't remember the name ) . My husband did all the work himself because he's a bit of a DIY whizz and also doesn't like using tradesmen as nobody works to his perfectionist standards . It's tiled completely in Laura Ashley tiles with some nifty detailing . All in it cost under £1000 and it is an average sized room , looks as good as some friends bathrooms who have paid thousands , but that's because there was no labour costs . However it did take about 6 weeks to complete and fortunately we have other bathroom facilities .

This is all enormously helpful, thank you.

Basically we have a little over £2k to spend, and didn't want to waste time getting quotes if we weren't able to afford it. Another month of saving I think and we'll probably just manage it.

Thanks again!

I did it all on ebay. X

Fitted, late last year a replacement loo, basin and shower bath with screen and panel plus gravity fed shower and about 6 square metres of tiling cost about £1600 plus £1000 fitting.

Next time DH is doing it himself though as the fitter was utterly rubbish and he spent last week redoing part of the tiling where grouting had cracked due to tiles not being properly stuck down....

Had a good experience buying from Bathstore recently for downstairs loo goods, would use again I think.

That was from a local independent kitchen/ bathroom/ bedroom type of company, BTW - we got warned off B&Q too.

Thanks for the avoid B&Q tip...