Complicated bathroom situation

[katymac]

We moved into our new house knowing we wanted to add a wet/shower room on the ground floor for when we were older - we have put our bedroom on the ground floor too

But that is in the dim and distant future when we have saved up for it

The current bathroom looks good but isn't very functional, shower is poor, bath is narrow, sink is chipped and toilet is on a little mini-plinth 3 inches high so my feet don't reach the floor

So do I throw money at the upstairs bathroom now and wait longer for the downstairs one

Or draw a line under it and save like buggery for the downstairs one?

Issue in this is that I need regular baths due to fibromyalgia & the dangling feet thing is not helping my ibs!!

Help?

Since no one knows how much you can save per month no one knows if you would be better off getting a new upstairs bathroom or the downstairs shower room first.

You can solve the dangle foot problem by getting a small stool and resting your feet on that?

I agree that it's difficult to know without knowing your budget. However, the cost is likely to be similar for both. The current bathroom sounds less than ideal but possibly adequate for occasional use by guests so I'd concentrate on sorting out the downstairs.

the WC height makes me think that the soil pipe coming through the wall is higher than usual.

First rule of plumbing is that water runs downhill, so the outlet from the WC must be no lower that the soil pipe connector.

I go on to assume that it is a cast-iron soilpipe going through the wall, because plastic soilpipe is to easy to cut and fit that any competent plumber would do that rather than spend his time whittling a platform.

You can buy a new bathroom basin for £100 or less including taps so start with that if the chip annoys you.

Unless you have a lead or iron wastepipe you could probably get it fitted for £60-£120.

A new WC similar, except if you have cast iron to deal with you might need a scaffold tower as it is very heavy to cut off and lower to the ground. I'd recommend a WC from a well-known UK maker like Twyford or Armitage. Avoid the ones with a button in the cistern lid.
Baths are cheap to buy but labour-intensive fitting and sealing to the wall, and tiling and a new floor cost whatever you want to spend.

Ask around for a recommended local plumber.

Websites are not personal recommendations.

Get a little fold away stool for your feet for now 👍