Timescales
How long does a bathroom renovation take?
A realistic day by day timeline, and the honest answer on how long you lose the room for.
The question behind this question is usually how long the household has to manage without a bathroom. That is a fair worry and it deserves a straight answer rather than an optimistic one.
A complete renovation on our schedule usually runs between one and two and a half weeks of working days. Here is what happens in that time.
Days one and two: strip out and first fix
The old room comes out, waste is removed and the pipework is altered to suit the new layout. This is the noisiest, dustiest part of the job and it is when hidden problems reveal themselves.
Wherever possible we leave the toilet connected or reinstate it temporarily by the end of the second day.
Days three and four: preparation and plastering
Walls are made good or boarded, floors are levelled or strengthened and wet areas are tanked. Nothing visible happens, which is why homeowners often think this stage is wasted time. It is the stage that decides whether the finish lasts.
Days five to eight: tiling
Setting out comes first, so cuts land evenly and grout lines run true around corners. Then walls, then floors, with drying time between fixing and grouting that cannot be rushed.
Days nine and ten: fitting, sealing and finishing
Sanitaryware, screens, brassware and furniture go in, the room is sealed, everything is tested and we clean up. Silicone needs curing time before the shower is used, which is usually the last thing we tell you before we leave.
What adds a week
Delays are rarely caused by the fitting. They are caused by decisions and deliveries.
- Products ordered late or arriving damaged
- Layout changed after first fix plumbing
- Hidden damp or rotten floor found at strip out
- Structural changes such as removing a wall
- Waiting on an electrician for a separate circuit
Questions
Frequently asked
How long will we be without a bathroom?
Usually the full working period for bathing, but the toilet is generally usable again within the first day or two.
Do you work weekends to finish sooner?
Not as standard. Rushing curing and drying times is how finishes fail.
Can the job be done faster if we keep the same layout?
Yes. Keeping fittings in their existing positions can remove several days of plumbing and preparation.
When can we use the new shower?
Normally the day after sealing, once the silicone has cured. We will confirm exactly before we leave.
Will you be there every day?
The room is not left standing idle. Where a drying period is unavoidable we tell you in advance so it does not look like an unexplained gap.
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