Bathroom c*ck up - help me work out what to say to renovation people tomorrow

[TapsOff]

Victorian refurb. Little shower room upstairs where there already was one. The builders have put a concertina pipe on my toilet that I hate. I think it looks sloppy, will collect dust and break.

They say it is because the waste pipe is not the same size as the new toilet, and is not a modern size and isn't the right height etc. I feel annoyed they didn't tell me this or give me the option. It is only by chance the furniture is in the same order as it was in the previous bathoom, after all, I could have had it completely reconfigured. Their first design was for that, at the same price, so by that they should have moved the pipe properly.

What can I say to them? I can't live with this, it's ghastly. Does anyone know anything about it? I feel so lost and depressed with my refurb anyway and this feels awful to me.

Well at the very least I’d want them to seal the hole and put a shorter pipe on as that one is clearly too long. That might be sufficient but if not I’d look at boxing it in (but do make sure they leave an access panel).

I had a similar thing when I had a new bathroom, the pipes behind the pedestal on the sink show from the side. The plumber said yes people don't except to see that etc but that's just how it is. It doesn't bother me now but I was reminded of it seeing your post. Quite a lot of home renovation tasks haven't gone exactly as I imagined as there's always factors you don't consider. I would box it if it's bothering you that much. I think we have something similar on our toilet.

I honestly think it looks fine.

This sort of happened to us we were getting the downstairs loo done and bought a new one but couldn’t use it as it didn’t match the old pipes. It was a right palaver trying to return the new loo. My other bathrooms have loos like this and I never really thought about what they look like a quick swiff of one of those flash dusters keeps them looking dust free

I would ask them to box it in and make it look nice, especially as it’s the first thing you see as you walk into the bathroom. I hate saying this but get your voice in your new house. It took me a while to get mine

getting my kitchen done the boxing in of the boiler pipes was absolutely shocking. They tried telling me it was my fault as I was short and could see them

that’s what got me my voice

What would it look like if it was boxed in? Would that be a wooden box? I’m worried that would also trap dirt/dust. What do you think?

Get a close coupled toilet.

The collar listed above is a splendid idea. I have one of these concertina type pipes in my Downstairs loo, due to the size and layout. It does gather dust but it’s not onerous to clean, and it’s not broken in 15 years.

I had to have a Bulkhead built to hide the pipe and the cistern even though I chose a back to the wall pan as I had an impossible to move waste pipe. I painted it to match the wall to make it more unobtrusive.

From what @Wbeezer has said does that mean I might not be able to hide this even if I get a new toilet?

I’m not going to be able to return the old toilet I don’t think, will have to keep it for when I get my downstairs loo done. I don’t want to keep buying unusable toilets.

OP I think it’s the style of toilet. I really cannot stand all that plumbing on show, I think it looks really cheap. Can you change the toilet style completely to one where it’s concealed? I’m not sure how boxing it in would make it look any better because the boxing in might then become the eye sore.

If you can afford it and can manage it swap it out. Otherwise all that effort to renovate the bathroom and this issue is going to keep on bothering you.

something like this

www.bathroommountain.co.uk/traditional-midnight-green-back-to-wall-unit-and-hudson-toilet-with-wooden-seat-c79002

I'm honestly struggling to see the issue. The room looks lovely and I can't see how it would be noticeable unless you were at a certain angle and trying to see it - certainly not from the top of the stairs surely? I have fairly similar and don't really notice it and I don't think it's at all unusual. To be honest, I don't really like the bathrooms that have lots of boxing in - I think they can look like an aeroplane but it's all personal preference. I think yours looks great.

If the issue is that the soil pipe is too narrow (e.g has never been replaced and is prestandardisation OR it's at the wrong height for a modern toilet then yes you may well see a pipe regardless of the style of toilet you choose.

I'm actually surprised that your builders didn't advise you get your soil stack changed as part of the Reno. We've done several Victorian renos and always had to have it done for that reason..

It's not so costly when done at the right stage but would be at least another days work now for you if not more.

We have something like this which hides the pipe work. If you’d can get it changed I would, as I see why it would continually annoy you. Hope the rest of the reno goes well

A big plant there maybe?

DH is a retired bathroom installer, has fitted many of these in his time, he’s always blocked the pipes in with a box around pipe and tiled over, either with matching wall or floor tiles. It’s a lovely toilet area. I would keep it, but box in. It’s not going to be any more dusty than the floor tiles.

you could cover the concertina waste pipe
get 4 inch soil pipe cut it in 1/2 then clad it over the plastic concertina bit join it with silicone then paint it
not saying it would be perfect but easy to clean and it’s not in line of sight so at a glance would look fine

cost wise you’d be looking at £15 for the pipe because you’d have to buy a full length lot cheaper than new toilet

Good grief you're being ridiculous. I get that you're sick of the renovation but really?. Ask them to box it in if you must but this is a standard piece of plumbing.

respectfully, I think you are spiralling. How many people are actually going to pop their head round the loo to see this pipe? Love the tiles by the way

Honestly, this is like when you get so caught up in a renovation that you spend ages choosing between two different shades of grey grouting. You will never notice this once it's done @TapsOff

This isn’t about the toilet. Are you ok? Do you need to talk to someone. It’s a toilet and it looks fine . Unless you don’t clean for months on end then any toilet will catch dust you just wipe or mop it.

It’s completely standard in many (most) homes that you see the pipe. Ours is boxed in, I wipe dust off once a week, there’s not much. In big renovations, especially when you are making all the decisions yourself, you have to pick your battles. I nearly broke down over a boxed in boiler cupboard…I live with it.

i had this but one coming off to the side in my house, it was terrible for dust and to keep clean (sorry). Dp took the toilet out, installed a back to wall toilet then built up around it with units, and a lift up top to store toilet rolls, looks fab now.

Just get it boxed in, it'll look much better. We had a concertina pipe thing in a previous house, always hated it !