C-H-E-A-P--B-A-T-H-R-O-O-M-S

[dydey90]

I need to replace my main bathroom and ensuite and would prefer to do it myself rather than hand over a blank cheque to a plumber.

Where go for bits? Tried B&Q, Wickes and Victoria Plum but they're all a bit pricey.

Later on I may also need to add an FAQ section, for example what do about taking off toilet drain without getting covered in piss.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[arry]

Bathstore another option - but TBH the quality isn't there.

When we did ours we did the sensory design stuff, ie everything can be cheap apart from the stuff you touch - so an expensive tap, flush mech and towel rail.

[dydey90]

I'm hoping this will end with lots of value added to my house, so I think quality gear is a must.

Also to come later; how to remove a radiator without getting wet.

I'd like towel rails. Especially in the en suite, where it would be in bum warming range whilst using the toilet.
____________________
This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Rogerborg]

[chris-red]

[stinkwheel]

Same way you do everything else. Find it in a shop then buy it on ebay.

Just had mine done. Got a plumber to do it because my time is worth more than my money and my plumbing sucks.

Towel rail. Not cheap but fucking awesome!

If it's to do up for selling. Wickes do cheap and basic plain white bathroom stuff. Which is what people want to see in a house they buy.

I'm staying in my house so I've splurged on genuine linoleum flooring with underfloor heating and a totally kick-arse walk-in shower instead of the bath. People like to buy a house with a bath but seldom use it.

Be prepared for all sorts of nightmares/bodges and bullshit when doing up a bathroom. The plumber took 16 feet of redundant copper pipe out of mine where past refits had just added to the last one. There was downstairs wiring coming up then back down, wall voids behind tiles and six different types of plaster. The wastes were all above floor level and had to be re-drilled to avoid putting the shower on a plinth.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[dydey90]

[stinkwheel]

Fuck tiles. Showerboard is where it's at. You even get showerboard that looks like tiles.

No more mouldy grout.

I was about three grand to have mine fitted. I supplied almost all of the materials at easily another grand. So yes. Expensive. That wasn't a plumber though, it was a bathroom fitter. Plumbers do the pipework, tilers do the tiling, sparkies do the wiring. This guy was certified in everything he had to be and did the lot.

That was a total strip down to bare walls and floor, replaster, new sub-floor and new ceiling. Underfloor heating. New cludgie, shower, basin, towel rail. Shower board in the shower, new tiles, wood cladding halfway up.

He's done a cracking job. It's a genuine pleasure to go in there and take a dump and, more importantly, happy wife.

Has probably de-valued the house because no bath now. Form my point of view, wont need doing again for my residency in this house.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[garth]

Showerboard is bollocks IME.

If you're tiling yourself and they're stud walls, it's unlikely the old tiles will come off nicely. Make your life easier by just reboarding the walls with moisture resistant boards first - that way you are going to a nice flat surface. Batten the walls, then cut to the floor afterwards. Work out the spacing before you start so there are no tiny cuts to the ceiling or floor, mark out on a wall the top of window, bottom of window, top of door and try to get a nice balance. Spread the adhesive on the wall, not the tiles.

Speedfit push fittings are a blessing. Fit isolators to the basin and shitter. Hot left, cold right...


When removing said shitter, isolate the feed, flush the toilet a few times, remove the feed, remove the cistern, pour the remaining water down the pan. Undo the pan fixings, if on a flexi hose tilt it back to remove some of the water. Carry it downstairs and out the door at an angle, so not to spill water. Stuff the hole in the waste with some plasic bags to stop the smell.

It's nice not to have a big step into the shower but you need a decent fall on the waste, it depends on the room.

Find out the rad pipe spacing before you start, make up the towel rail and take a measure for how far it will stand off the wall, so you can get the holes in the floor half right. I hope for your sake it;s not microbore pipe because that can be a pain in the arse, although alot of the time it's on the tails done like that. Draining the system is probably the safest method.

Bit of LSX and some PTFE around the threads to avoid leaks.

Maybe get some pictures up if you want some ideas?

Are you tiling the floor?
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[garth]

[garth]

With regards to bits, City Plumbing sell good stuff, part of the Travis Perkins group like everyone.

I like Zamori trays.

Don't eat with your fingers.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[stinkwheel]

Screwfix also stock a lot of basic bathroom stuff. And they deliver.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[dydey90]

I should have probably given some idea of the sizings here.
En suite (main priority) I'm just doing shower and towel heater, maybe tiles behind sink to match up too. Alcove shower, as in three walls and bifold door. Entire room is shower, sink, toilet all facing each other, probably only about 8' by 2' 6"

Main bathroom is bath, sink, toilet around 5' 6" by 6"

So not a lot of space to play with. Getting a bit worried about taking the tiles out of this shower too without caving the wall in from what's been said! If I replace the shower basin then the tiles have to come out, as it looks like there's a 760mm basin in an alcove that is not 760mm wide, even taking the tile depth into account so there must be a bit of wall chiselled out to have got that in, then tiled over on top.
____________________
This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[garth]

Can't you rip out one of the alcove walls?

Less cave like, could then fit a larger tray and normal screen.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[arry]

[grr666]

Cuprofit copper push fits are better. Buy a release tool though.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Ebbs73]

You could have a nose at https://bathcoeu.com .

They do some good stuff for the price , I get all my stuff from here .

They have a couple of shops and do deliver , not sure on there range .
They have wet wall for a good price , I'm fitting some tomorrow .


I do get a good discount as I've an account but you can push it and see what they'd do.
From my experience you'll budget £2000 and it'll be far more .
Buy cheap , endless hassle fitting it , problems later and it's still a cheap suite .

Good luck .

[arry]

They're closely followed by

[dydey90]

[garth]

I've never had an issue with JG speedfit fittings. But don't use cheap ones, and while I'd agree that other means may be better, for someone doing a DIY job, I'd hazard a guess that the chances of messing up a push fit vs soldering are favorable
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[dydey90]

Soldering is just like TIG welding for beginners right?

I'm not sure if I'll be replacing the actual shower mechanism itself, as there's nothing wrong with it. If I do though, I just assumed compression fittings were the way to go.
____________________
This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[almostthere]

toolstation are good for cheap gear, basic sanitaryware cheap as chips they also do towel rails and shower valves
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[331X2]

I re-plumbed my house in speedfit around 11 years ago and never had any issues, 22mm runs to 10mm manifolds for the heating and 15mm for hot and cold water.

Use the proper tool to cut the pipe and use the superseal type inserts and you'll never have a problem if you push them home properly...

[BTTD]

Mate managed to flood out his flat (and ruin the ceiling on the one below) when he used push fittings.
Reason it failed, he cut the pipe short so had to put tension on it to reach the next joint which meant a 90 bend fitting was being pulled outwards. Funnily enough it started to leak as the seals aren't meant to do that.
He then blamed the fitting rather than admitting he was a mong.

[Fowlersrs]