Planning
The bathroom planning checklist we use
Everything worth deciding before the first tile comes off the wall.
Most bathroom projects that go badly went wrong on paper. Products chosen before the room was measured, a layout agreed before the drainage was checked, an electrician remembered after the walls were closed.
Work through this before you commit to anything and the build itself becomes far less eventful.
Measure the room honestly
Width, length, ceiling height, window position, door swing and the position of the soil stack. Then measure again at floor level and at a metre up, because older walls are rarely parallel.
Decide how the room is used
Two adults showering on a weekday morning need a different room to a family bathing small children. Be honest about whether the bath actually gets used, because that answer changes the whole layout.
Check the services before the style
Nothing in a showroom tells you whether your plumbing can support it.
- Water pressure and flow rate at the existing shower
- Boiler or cylinder type and whether it suits the shower you want
- Whether a separate electrical circuit is needed
- Extraction: is there any, and does it actually work
- Where the waste runs and how much it can be moved
Choose products before work begins
Every item, ordered and in the house or confirmed for delivery, before strip out day. Half of all delays we see come from a screen or a vanity arriving a week late.
Agree the practical arrangements
Working hours, parking, where waste is stacked, whether the toilet is reinstated overnight, who is at home for access. Ten minutes of conversation removes most of the friction from a fortnight of work.
Get the scope in writing
A written scope listing removal, plumbing, plastering, waterproofing, tiling, fitting and sealing means everyone is agreeing to the same job. It also makes comparing quotations meaningful.
Questions
Frequently asked
How far ahead should I plan a bathroom?
Allow a few weeks between agreeing the quotation and starting, mainly so every product is in the house before day one.
Do I need planning permission?
Not for a normal bathroom replacement. Structural changes or work to a listed building are different and we will flag it at survey.
Should I choose tiles or the suite first?
The layout first, then the sanitaryware, then the tiles. Choosing tiles first tends to force compromises later.
Do you need an electrician?
Sometimes, for lighting, shaver points, underfloor heating or an electric shower. We tell you at survey so it is scheduled rather than squeezed in.
What is most often forgotten?
Extraction and storage. Both are cheap to include during the work and expensive to add afterwards.
Services in this guide
Related guides
Free home survey
Ready to plan your bathroom?
Talk directly to Martin about your room, priorities and budget.