So we all know that the bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the house! There comes a time when it is starting to look a bit tired or may have a bad layout, or even leaking!
Time to start again…..but what is the process? Whether you are organising it yourself or a builder is looking after it, you should know the steps involved.
1) DESIGN : The most important step is the planning, get this right and you will have a beautiful and functional space. So get out some graph paper and start measuring where all your existing windows, doors and walls are. Make note of where existing plumbing is but bear in mind that the extra cost of moving plumbing is usually worth it if your bathroom isn’t working for you.
2) DEMO: A messy hard job best left to the professionals or brave DIYers with lots of stamina!
3) FIRST FIT: Plumbing and electrical will be done at this stage. You will need to know what is going where and have specs for products to be used such as toilet set outs, tapware etc. Particularly important if you are using wall mixers for shower/bath/basin as the main body of the mixer goes into the wall at this stage. Think about heights for showers!
4) MAKING GOOD: Walls, floors and ceilings may need patching, relining or re-laid. May take about a week for the render to dry properly
5) WATER PROOFING: Probably the most crucial part of the whole job. Make sure that the waterproofer is licenced and gives you a certificate for the job. The floors of the whole bathroom will be covered and usually about 30cm up the walls except where the bath and shower are, where it will go up to the height of the shower and about half a metre above the bath. The waterproofing must dry between coats and then thoroughly dry before tiling – can take a few days.
6) TILING: Floors and walls are tiled now. The floors will usually have a cement bedding put down first and this will be when the tiler works out the falls to the drains in the middle of the floor and shower. Tiling is done and then grouted.
7) FINAL FIT: Plumbing and electrical are finished off now with all the vanities and tapware etc.
8) PAINTING: Painting of ceilings, doors and any walls that aren’t tiled happens now.
9) SHOWER SCREENS/MIRRORS: Custom made shower screens and mirrors can now be measured and will take about 2 weeks till they can be fitted. The benefit of custom made is that they are made to fit your space exactly. Walls and floors are rarely square or plumb, so a custom shower screen can be made to fit this precisely.
10) ENJOY: Your new bathroom is now ready to enjoy, the process usually takes about 3-4 weeks. Remember for a hassle free job, make sure that you have all your products for your bathroom ready for the bathroom to start. Occasionally a particular tap you may want is on back order or a vanity takes a few weeks to be made or your favourite tile is out of stock. Good planning is the key to a successful renovation.
