Getting a new bathroom

[Pubey]

Hi all,

We're thinking it's time to upgrade our bathroom. It's old and worn and although a reasonable size it doesn't have a separate standalone shower (which we'd love). In one corner there's a chimney breast coming through, and attached to this is the old airing cupboard which now houses the boiler.

This means our bathroom is a weird L shape and not big enough at present to have a separate shower cubicle.

However, you could move the boiler to the top floor and put it in the old water tank cupboard, and free up almost a metre square of space.

I'm guessing that moving a boiler is a big and expensive job (especially as it'll require some roofing work to fit the new flue) however freeing up the space would allow a much better bathroom to be done.

What kind of return do you get on doing a nice bathroom for a house? I'd hope it'd add some reasonable value.

Also, any suggestions, ideas, tips? Seeing as the project will involve severe plumbing, building work, electrics, decorating etc - should I look at specialist bathroom firms, or just find a good plumber who has a decent phonebook?

 

[londonblue]

I doubt it would add a huge amount of value. You're just updating a bathroom, you're not building an extra room, for example. But that isn't a reason not to do the work. If you want it done, then do it.

 

[Pubey]

I doubt it would add a huge amount of value. You're just updating a bathroom, you're not building an extra room, for example. But that isn't a reason not to do the work. If you want it done, then do it.

I'm not expecting to make money or anything, but I'd expect a much more modern fresh bathroom to increase the value a little bit, and a standalone shower to add even more. From what I've read, people say it can add 2-3% with just a new bathroom.

Or the flipside is, when you buy a home, you think about the rooms you need to do up, and adjust your offer accordingly.

 

[Jam_Man]

If your house is worth 200,000 then 2% is £4,000 so Im not sure its much of a return as the bathroom will probably cost that.

That said it makes the house more attractive to buyers if they know they dont have to replace it.

 

[Pubey]

If your house is worth 200,000 then 2% is £4,000 so Im not sure its much of a return as the bathroom will probably cost that.

That said it makes the house more attractive to buyers if they know they dont have to replace it.

Yeah that's all true. I was mainly wondering if it's worth the additional work/cost to free up the space to put a separate shower cubicle in. Most the houses in the area don't have a bathroom large enough, but we managed to get a slightly larger house than most and so want to make the most of it to potential buyers in the future.

 

[DTS]

If you go to Howdens they can send a bathroom specialist around and they can measure, plot and design your bathroom out. Done it a few times on my flats and they are generally really good. May find other finds do this too.

Moving the boiler is not a cheap job. We did it but it meant taking up floors etc.

Don't expect any sort of basic refurb to ever produce a return or at best a minimal one. Do it because it needs doing and also as it will make the house easier to sell when you do move on.

PS - Wife tells me it wasn't Howdens as we used them for the kitchen.

 

[londonblue]

If you go to Howdens they can send a bathroom specialist around and they can measure, plot and design your bathroom out. Done it a few times on my flats and they are generally really good. May find other finds do this too.

Moving the boiler is not a cheap job. We did it but it meant taking up floors etc.

Don't expect any sort of basic refurb to ever produce a return or at best a minimal one. Do it because it needs doing and also as it will make the house easier to sell when you do move on.

And because you live there and want it done.

 

[DTS]

And because you live there and want it done.

Yes essentially this. Very little you can do around the house actually adds any more value than you have spent as basically anyone can do the same. Unless you do a major redevelopment then personally I would see home improvements as enriching your life more than a money making project.

 

[Pubey]

Yes essentially this. Very little you can do around the house actually adds any more value than you have spent as basically anyone can do the same. Unless you do a major redevelopment then personally I would see home improvements as enriching your life more than a money making project.

Cheers Dave.

 

[jstallan]

About 2 years ago we gutted the upstairs bathroom (also got a full size bathroom downstairs). It had sink, toilet and shower cubicle and we just replaced it with new items - it was old, mouldy, cracked and horrid. Ended up taking the walls back to brick as they had 3 layers of tiles on plus wallpaper and a new ceiling. I think the cost was about £6k (parts and labour). Not a big room I might add and would never had previously had a bath in it!

For the shower cubicle, we used Mermaid Aqua Panels http://www.mermaidpanels.com/ instead of tiles. Very nice result.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Paid for a bathroom to be done a couple of years back and it cost £3K...few bits were bodged and it took the threat of legal action for the scumbags to come and sort it out....there's still stuff wrong that I need to sort out myself.

 

[jstallan]

...there's still stuff wrong that I need to sort out myself.

That's been a common theme on the refurbishment of our lounge. People just don't seem to take pride in the work they do anymore - well, in the people we've employed.

 

[jstallan]

... and in the old house we had to replace a back boiler. Couldn't think where to put the new boiler so stuck it up in the loft (the hot water tank was already up there). I think we were fortunate with regards to the pipe runs so the cost to re-locate was about £50-£100 extra.

 

[jstallan]

Also, any suggestions, ideas, tips? Seeing as the project will involve severe plumbing, building work, electrics, decorating etc - should I look at specialist bathroom firms, or just find a good plumber who has a decent phonebook?

Find a good plumber, preferably one who can't start for 6 weeks or more - it's a sign he's good. He might have to contract out the electrical/gas work unless he is qualified in those areas.

 

[MK Shrimper]

That's been a common theme on the refurbishment of our lounge. People just don't seem to take pride in the work they do anymore - well, in the people we've employed.

Amen mate. Had four tradesmen in over the years, only one of them deserved the money.

 

[Eastblack]

About 2 years ago we gutted the upstairs bathroom (also got a full size bathroom downstairs). It had sink, toilet and shower cubicle and we just replaced it with new items - it was old, mouldy, cracked and horrid. Ended up taking the walls back to brick as they had 3 layers of tiles on plus wallpaper and a new ceiling. I think the cost was about £6k (parts and labour). Not a big room I might add and would never had previously had a bath in it!

For the shower cubicle, we used Mermaid Aqua Panels http://www.mermaidpanels.com/ instead of tiles. Very nice result.

Are these any good? I like the look of them, have done for a while in fact just don't know anyone that has them. We are having a bathroom done soon and the guy can't fit us in until July! So, that leaves a lot of time for my missus to keep changing her mind... What do the panels fix to? Plaster? Cheers.

 

[Special Blue]

Are these any good? I like the look of them, have done for a while in fact just don't know anyone that has them. We are having a bathroom done soon and the guy can't fit us in until July! So, that leaves a lot of time for my missus to keep changing her mind... What do the panels fix to? Plaster? Cheers.

It's a tongue and groove system so is fixed through the groove.
Fixing to a plaster wall would be no problem,however for minimal cost in the scheme of things you may want to fit cement board (aqua panel) prior.
If it's a stud wall (plasterboard) I would do as above but fix plywood before cement board to ensure a good fixing.
Hope this helps.

 

[Eastblack]

It's a tongue and groove system so is fixed through the groove.
Fixing to a plaster wall would be no problem,however for minimal cost in the scheme of things you may want to fit cement board (aqua panel) prior.
If it's a stud wall (plasterboard) I would do as above but fix plywood before cement board to ensure a good fixing.
Hope this helps.

it does, thanks. We have one wall brick, the other plasterboard.

 

[londonblue]

Find a good plumber, preferably one who can't start for 6 weeks or more - it's a sign he's good. He might have to contract out the electrical/gas work unless he is qualified in those areas.

Or about to go on holiday!

 

[jstallan]

Are these any good? I like the look of them, have done for a while in fact just don't know anyone that has them. We are having a bathroom done soon and the guy can't fit us in until July! So, that leaves a lot of time for my missus to keep changing her mind... What do the panels fix to? Plaster? Cheers.

Yes, very good. Our system consists of 2 panels that (as already said) lock together. The person fitting them has to be confident in what they are doing as there is no room for error. Ours have a silver trim on the verticals to finish off against plastered walls. Can't remember if special plasterboard was used, but I think it was.

At the time we purchased the items, I think St Anns were a supplier of the boards as were the bathroom/kitchen shop near "Fattys Bar" in Hadleigh (where we purchased the boards and the rest of the bathroom kit). I think B&Q do something similar as do Bath Store but both looked naff and didn't have the colour my wife wanted.

If you contact Mermaid, they will send some samples in the post. Upon delivery there was a problem with scratching on one of the panels - very small hairline scratches could be noticed at certain angles, but the supplier swapped the panel out without fuss for delivery the next day.

For the fitting, we used a guy called Mark Attreed from Benfleet.