Bathroom renovation means moving out for 6 weeks. WWYD?

[Devonsent19]

Our bathroom and en-suite are being ripped out and renovated in July/August. The building contractors have advised moving out for 6 weeks. There’s just two of us living at the property-me and my DS 18 who is autistic and averse to change so wouldn’t cope with the building work anyway. So I need ideas of where to go please? I’ve tentatively looked at caravans or Airbnb -Everywhere is so expensive as it’s right in the middle of the Summer holidays. Answers on a postcard please 😊

6 weeks just seems far too long. My kitchen took 3 weeks with an unexpected partial rewire and bathroom 8 days with changes made during the fit

i see from your post that your son will struggle with the noise, it's the ripping out for the first couple of days then cutting the tiles that are the worse. Can you go somewhere just on those days?

There won’t be any noise in the evening and seems a shame to spend money for the full 6 weeks, if it will take that long

Honestly even in Devon and with additional work there is no logical way this should take 6 weeks.

If you do still go with them to do the work hen I wouldn't be moving out, could your son stay with family during the time they are working in the day?

Additionally I would be expecting them to do the rooms separately and leave you with functioning facilities throughout.

We are four days into a two week renovation of our main bathroom and en-suite. Both are being completely gutted and retiled and refitted. The dust from the tile cutting is unbelievable and of course it’s a bit noisy but definitely not worth moving out for.

Also they are completing the main bathroom before starting on the en-suite.

Have you looked into something like this? Got to be cheaper than booking an Airbnb or caravan in the summer holidays

tardishire.co.uk/portable-bathroom-hire-2/

We had to find somewhere for 6 weeks between houses last year. Even in winter and an area not as touristy as Devon, it was impossible finding anywhere. We contacted Airbnb hosts direct to arrange a deal for longer stays and it was still too expensive. Caravan parks. B&Bs. Hotels. Everywhere was charging a fortune. Our only option in the end was the in-laws who lived an hour from DC schools and did a lot of driving for those weeks and stayed at a hotel in the middle for a break.

Our bathroom and en suite took 6 weeks - they did a magnificent job!

I honestly can't fathom how it could possibly take 6 weeks? I'm assuming they weren't in daily but how on earth did they justify the timeframe?

This is bizarre. They should not be asking you to move out at all. My dh works full time and he managed to build the walls and lay the screed, flooring and then fit toilet and shower in less time than that.
You need to say “unfortunately we have nowhere else to go, so you need to do one room then the other, thanks”. You are paying them, they aren’t paying you. Tell them to do one.

We had two of our bathrooms done at the same time which took 5 weeks. We lasted a week at home before moving into an airbnb.

Find a different builder. We had our bathroom gutted, re plastered and totally remodelled. It took a week and we didn’t need to move out. Builder just ensured toilet was functioning on the first day!

That’s ridiculous … have you shopped around?

at least a day to remove each bathroom, a day to make surrounding area dust proof, protective flooring everywhere, bathroom floor removal, relocation of pipes etc, building work, etc etc… takes time. And the results
are perfect 🤩

Did they work every day?

I'm sure your bathroom is lovely but so is mine and they did everything except moving some pipes in 4 days...

A plumber told me they aren't allowed to leave people without one working toilet. Six weeks for two bathrooms is kind of ridiculous IMHO. One at a time would be sensible

We are in the middle of having 2 bathrooms done (back to brick and remodelled family bathroom and en suite, be lovely when done, underfloor heating and everything). 5 weeks, which includes 3 bank holidays. We have not moved out (have another toilet and shower). The work is disruptive and noisy, and the dust and mess is unbelievable. Mine is an old house, which doesn’t help, but there are bags of cement, plaster, grout, tiles, buckets drills and old stuff plus boxes of new things EVERYWHERE. And the dust…..gets everywhere too. But there are also decisions daily and I am glad to be here to see how it is going. On the other hand, I don’t have a child at home who would find it difficult.

It’s undoubtedly a big job, and just the building work/new stuff, not paint or lights or blinds etc is going to be about £15k per room. Cheaper than moving….

At a snails pace? How did they string it out for so long? I had an en suite done in a week a couple of years back and they weren't even here full days

Maybe your bathroom was smaller and simpler. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Our bathroom fitters worked every day and it took just over 5 weeks to do 2 bathrooms.

I would be looking at different companies. Assuming that at least one of your bathrooms still works, they should be able to work round giving you one working bathroom most of the time. Maybe certain days or even 3 or 4 days as a block with no access to water/loo while they do plumbing, but 6 weeks seems ridiculous. Also does it need to be July/Aug - I'm guess where you are you'd happily find a cottage for two of you for a few weeks off season that was an ok price.

Everyday, usually two but sometimes
one worker. One bathroom at a time obviously so 3 weeks each? High spec if that makes a difference

It's a large bathroom and was taken back to brick. I'm sure you bathroom fitters were great but I'm genuinely absolutely amazed that you had builders in everyday for 6 weeks. It really really shouldn't take that long no matter how big and complicated the bathroom is.

6 weeks for a bathroom refit isn't a normal timeframe and I'm not the only one surprised with it on this thread. I think it's reasonable to question the timeframe given the OP is planning to move out for the duration.

Joining the chorus of six weeks is bonkers, but when my bathroom got done (which took a week) we got a seven day pass to a local gym for showering and used the downstairs wc for the loo. Easy enough to do, and even paying for six weeks will be nowhere like as expensive as paying for accommodation for six weeks.

2 bathrooms, like OP. 5 weeks and 2 days. I guess you’ll have to be amazed. We had 3 quotes and they all said 5-6 weeks.

We have had lots of bathrooms refitted over the years, 6 wks sounds long time. Why can’t they do one at a time so you have a single functional bathroom.

When we have developed property, and not living on site, things take so long as the plumber seems to do a disappearing act (ie fitting in other jobs) instead of finishing the job they started so be wary of this, if you are not there to keep an eye on things. Also if they say 8 weeks it is bound to take longer.

The plumber we use, does a good job but he comes up with so many excuses, sanitary wear delivered damaged/child ill/wife in hospital etc.

I sympathise OP. We had 2 of our bathrooms re done and it took almost 6 weeks. We went on holiday for a month and left them to it whilst the worst of it was done.