How would you do up this bathroom?

[HouseRenovations]

Have never done any bathroom renovations before so wondered how to go about this.

Would you:
a) go to a showroom, use their consultation service and have them design and install everything from start to finish- complete bathroom overhaul. Would have to pay VAT.

b) have a local joiner rip out the wood panelling and flooring, buy the bathroom suite, get a local plumber to install it, then have the joiner put in new flooring and something on the walls (haven't decided what yet). Workmen are sole traders and not VAT registered.

c) keep the wood panelling and just replace suite and flooring using local tradesmen. Do a minor tidy up and paint panelling.

Obviously C would be cheapest, but would there be much difference in price between A and B? Has anyone done one or the other (or all 3 at some point) and how did it go? Were you happy with the results?

We're about to do our bathroom using the Drench design service. You pay £100 which you then get back if you spend £1000 on your bathroom suite, taps, mirrors etc. Then show your builder the designs so they know exactly what you want.

I had the bathroom company design the installation and then everything from the design through them. I then had a local bathroom fitter and tiler do the work - they quoted two thirds the cost of the bathroom company. I pulled out the old suite and took the old tiles off the walls and floor myself, which saved me almost £1,500 and a good couple of days’ time. I’d definitely recommend doing B, and if you can do some of the grunt work yourself then go for it.

I’ve also done C in the past when I was just sprucing an old bathroom up to sell a flat and was really impressed by the result. If you used a good quality white or light grey paint for the panelling and changed the toilet seat and the curly fixtures, I don’t think it would look half bad. You’d have something fresh and modern looking as an interim measure.

Photos attached - an old wooden bathroom painted up. Not bad for about £150 in total.

option C will still cost you about 3 k so depends on your budget! Is the suite & panelling to your taste and in good condition?

I would go to a showroom (eg Wickes), get their suggestions & prices, then take it from there

I'd probably keep loo in same place (moving v expensive) & bath most likely already in most logical place. Would you move the sink?

I personally am not keen on your tiles, so I would replace those with white, I'd paint the panelling, & poss move the sink/replace the vanity. This would make a bathscreen possible (I dislike shower curtains)... but all depends on your taste! I'd hope to do that sort of job for maybe 2-3K (I live in outer London)

@ComtesseDeSpair: that's an amazing transformation! (especially for £150)

@HouseRenovations: if you are doing option B, I'd be checking that the trades are passing on that 20% discount (or some of it) to me - many don't!

Oh wow that's a great transformation just with paint!
It's an old cottage so the panelling might look nice and "rustic" if painted a nice colour and with the flooring changed.
Re the suite...we plan to keep everything in the same location so would just be replacing like for like. The suites themselves are very reasonably priced in the likes of B&Q and Wickes.

This is the kind of rustic style I have in mind if keeping the panelling...

Can't tell from the photo but if the suite is in reasonable condition then updating taps/toilet seat and painting the panelling will give you a fresh look

The bath and sink are pretty old and chipped. The toilet is in good condition.

We did half of a and b... local showroom consultation and design. Shopped around for every single item on there, down to the loo roll holder, for the best price and they price matched everything.

Then got local trades to install it all.

I love wood panelling in a bathroom so I would get rid of the panelled cupboard under the sink, paint the rest in a lovely colour and maybe get new tiles around the bath/shower. Maybe new flooring and taps (difficult to see in the photo).

Did you know that all new loos have horribly weak flushes? Yours looks like a good old fashioned one that will deal with anything thrown at it.

I’d keep the wood panelling and paint it, but spend money on getting reasonable quality bath, basin and toilet. Cheap DIY store job lot sanitary ware is just that, cheap. Toilets take a lot of use, the internal workings, seat fittings etc need to last.
Lighting makes a lot of difference as well. LED down lighters can make a bathroom sparkle compared to a single bulb fitting.

Thanks for all the tips. I'll have a good think and get a few quotes.
It's hard to know how much to spend as this isn't our "forever house" but at the same time I do want to raise the value of it as much as possible over the next few years.