The honest answer for most Stoke-on-Trent homes is 7 to 14 working days. Here is what happens on each of those days, so you know whether a job is on track and can plan around it.
The day by day timeline
- Day 1, protection and strip out. Floors and stairs are covered, the old suite comes out, tiles come off and the waste goes straight into the skip or van.
- Day 2, first fix plumbing. New hot, cold and waste runs are set to the agreed layout and pressure tested before anything is covered.
- Day 3, first fix electrics and carpentry. Cables for IP rated lighting, shaver point, extractor and any underfloor heating. Floor strengthening or overboarding where needed.
- Day 4, walls and floor prep. Boarding, plastering or tile backer board, plus tanking to any wet area or wet room floor.
- Day 5, drying and setting out. Plaster dries, tiles are set out dry so cuts land in sensible places rather than a sliver in the corner.
- Days 6 to 8, tiling. Walls then floor, with adhesive and grout given proper curing time. Large format and patterned layouts sit at the longer end.
- Day 9, second fix plumbing. Suite, taps, shower, screen and radiator or towel rail fitted and tested.
- Day 10, second fix electrics and finishing. Lights, extractor and heating commissioned, trims and accessories fitted.
- Day 11, sealing, snagging and clean down. Silicone, a full walk round with you, then the room is cleaned before we leave.
What adds days
- Moving the toilet or altering the soil stack.
- A tanked wet room floor with a graded fall.
- Rotten or bouncy floorboards found at strip out.
- Herringbone, hexagon or large format tiling.
- Materials arriving late, which is why we ask you to confirm choices early.
How we keep to the timeline
Plumbing, tiling, electrics and finishing are done by our own team rather than three separate subcontractors chasing each other. Materials are checked in before we start, the room is surveyed properly so surprises are rare, and you get a start and finish date in writing with the fixed price quote.
Questions to ask any fitter
- Will you be on my job every day until it is finished?
- Who does the electrical work and the tiling?
- What is the finish date on the quote?
- What happens if something is found behind the old suite?
Common questions
How long does a full bathroom installation take?
Most full bathroom installations take between 7 and 14 working days, depending on the specification and whether there are structural or layout changes.
Why do some bathrooms take longer?
Layout changes, soil stack work, floor strengthening, large format or patterned tiling and plaster drying times all add days. Waiting on a late delivery is the most common avoidable delay.
Are you on site every day?
Yes. Once we start, the room is ours until it is finished. We do not start a second job halfway through yours.
How long before I can use the shower?
Silicone and grout need curing time, so we normally ask for 24 hours after final sealing before the shower is used.
Can a bathroom be fitted in a week?
A straight swap with the same layout and modest tiling can be done in roughly five to seven working days. Anything involving moved plumbing or a tanked wet room floor realistically needs longer.