Bathroom extractor NOT on a timer - is that a problem?

[wuntootreefore]

Our builder is saying it's not possible to have the bathroom extractor on a timer because of the way the electrics are done in our house. So the extractor turns off when the light turns off. He's saying to resolve this, he'd have to open up the ceiling of all the adjoining bedrooms until he finds the right cable, which is a huge job.

Is that a problem, or should we press him to resolve this issue? We're paying £10k for a simple bathroom refit and it's disappointing this extractor thing isn't done right.

p.s.

for the benefit of people who say that bathroom extractor fans are noisy, I direct you to Soler & Palau, or their subsidiary Envirovent, who among the many companies who know how to make a modern fan with a ball-bearing motor and rubber bushes that are practically inaudible inside the room, and certainly inaudible outside it with the door closed.

If you have access to the loft or a cupboard or something, you can use a ducted fan, which is too big to stick on the wall but three or four times more powerful, and also very quiet.

Thanks for the further comments. I am inclined to believe the builder... however naive that might be. He's been honest though a bit chaotic. He did a bit of investigative work and located the second power source in an adjoining bedroom. Had we said to go ahead, he would've excavated the ceiling of that bedroom. I don't see why he'd say that to fob us off?

I can't believe some builders say to allow the fan to run for a few hours, in response to PP! 15 mins is standard I think?

Anyway, we've decided to leave it for now. We'll do it when that bedroom is redone, whenever that might be. Thanks all for your help!

a typical builder's fan only shifts around 80 cu.m/hr so is not enough for a room of steamy showers, and has to run on for a long time to get it dry.

more powerful fans can be run for shorter periods.

If you only have baths, the run on time is much shorter (unless the room is badly insulated and has cold walls prone to condensation).

But tell me, do you have access to the ceiling from the loft above?

Thanks piglet John - we don't have access from the loft, as far as I'm aware. The loft has been extended into and is carpeted. I don't think you could access the bathroom ceiling unless you pull up the carpet and have a good look?

This is the fan we chose and bought: Manrose CSF100T 100mm Axial Bathroom Extractor Fan with Timer White 240V

lifting the floor above would be the most straightforward thing to do. Lifting a carpet and floorboards does not cause disruption like chasing throuh walls and ceilings.

Because of the way lighting circuits are run in UK, all the electricity points you need will almost certainly be in the ceiling rose. it normally contains neutral; permanent live and switched live, and a timed fan can be connected to it. so you lift the floor to run the cable to the new fan position, and feed it through a hole in the ceiling, and connect the other end of that new cable to the lighting rose. If you have multiple downlights or spots, it will be the original rose, usually in the middle of the ceiling.

In newer houses, sometimes in the light switch

the idea of a separate supply doesn't make sense.

I don't usually favour Manrose, but that seems to be one of their newer designs, and quiet.

As it will not be wired with the timer, set it to the higher speed before installation.

Thanks piglet John. I'll pass your notes to my husband and see what he thinks. The ship has sailed for this builder but maybe we can ask the next one to do this. I hate builders lifting our carpets though! The first set we had were very respectful but the carpet still suffered after they pulled it up to install spotlights in the floor below.

We did turn the extractor on max. It was after installation - I think you can adjust it after installation. We're now just leaving it to run for 10 mins after showers - the light is LED so hopefully not a huge impact on the electricity bill.

Building regs say you need a timer if there are no windows in the bathroom.
But if you have a window in the bathroom and you are conscious about ventilating your bathroom then it should be okay.
Its just good practice to have a timer that way you don’t have to think about it.

He’s fobbing you off because obviously the fan has a power source from somewhere.
He could have easily changed that power cable into a 3 C+E cable.
He couldn’t be bothered to sort out the fan/electrician.

On a £10k bathroom I’d expect everything to work as it should, including the fan.

Honestly speak to an electrician. It’s barely even worth the mention to lift a carpet, find and lift a loose board and do the work. We’ve just done the same for our kitchen and the carpet in the bedroom above was up for a week. It’s back down now and you wouldn’t even know. Your builder can’t be bothered or probably doesn’t even know how, so is fobbing you off.