Re-configuring upstairs layout/ bathroom

[HedgehogGirl]

Sorry this is a bit of a silly question, but I just have no idea where to start!

Basically I want to knock together our family bathroom and a big cupboard to make a new family bathroom and en-suite off the master bedroom.

I need help with what is possible with the plumbing/boiler (currently in the big cupboard) and knocking walls down.

Should I be looking for a building firm to do the advising and re-configuring and then someone else to do the actual bathroom installations? Or would one firm do it all?

We had a couple of kitchen fitters round to quote who do quite "big" kitchen changes - moving lots of stuff round, knocking through between kitchen and dining room etc. They both have me the number of a builder they work with for the actual brick work, and they both subcontracted all the other trades needed. We went with one of them and were very happy. Other fitters we asked didn't want to take that much on - fair enough. Knocking through kitchens is so popular these days, it makes sense for them to take on the slightly bigger jobs. I think your bathroom sounds like a similar sort of job - not all bathroom fitters will do it but some might, maybe giving you the number of a contact for the actual building work. We also had a quote from a builder to do the lot.

The more you can nail down exactly what you want done, the easier it'll be to get quotes. I would get some plans done from Wickes or B&Q to plan out what's going where so you can explain what needs to move to where.

When considering jobs that require more than one tradesperson (and yours will require plumbing, electrics, tilers etc) I think it's often better to invite local 'contractors' in to quote. That way you only have to deal with one person - the contractor tells the trades what needs doing and when to do it.

Our bathroom fitters advised us to get a builder to work on knocking down walls, and then they took care of the rest. They can work together. Some bathroom fitters/firms have builders they work with and can recommend. This is also the case with electricians who may just come in to do a day's work.

We have just done something very similar - we enlarged our bathroom and created a new en-suite by losing part of our large bedroom. Initially I tried bathroom/plumber types but it was too big a job for them with moving walls and possibly putting in a steel (wasn’t needed in the end) etc. We ended up using the builder who did our kitchen extension. We had our bedroom skimmed with a new ceiling too. The builder managed the plumber and electrician and the plumber managed the tiler and scaffolding. Worked out very well!

We're just about to have something similar done starting next week! We needed a structural engineer first as two of the walls we're playing with are structural so they drew up plans. Worth asking a builder to check if it's structural first as simpler if not.

We got quotes from a range of contractors to compare prices for the different ways of doing it. It was hard finding the right person as the bathroom fitters weren't interested as was too big a job for them, and it seemed piecemeal getting in a builder to do the structural and stud wall work then trying to coordinate getting a separate bathroom fitter in. With young children we want it done as quickly as possible so we can get floor coverings down again.

We've gone with a building contractor in the end who will manage all the trades for us (fingers crossed!). The quotes varied widely so you may have to hunt around to find the right fit.

My parents transformed their old airing cupboard into an en suite and as it was straightforward with no structural walls a bathroom fitter did theirs including building new stud walls etc.

Sorry meant to add we used My Builder for quotes as put the whole job on and asked for people to quote for all or parts of the work.