Preparation is the cheapest part of a bathroom project and it has an outsized effect on how smoothly the fortnight runs. None of this takes long, and all of it removes a reason for the job to pause.
Two weeks before
- Sign off the final specification: suite, tiles, brassware, furniture, flooring and lighting.
- Confirm delivery dates and get them landed before the strip out, not during it.
- Tell neighbours if you are on a terrace and skip or van access will be tight.
- Decide where the washing basket, towels and toiletries will live for the duration.
The week before
- Clear the bathroom completely, including the airing cupboard if the pipework runs through it.
- Lift or protect carpet on the route from the front door to the bathroom.
- Take down curtains or blinds in the bathroom and move pictures off the wall directly below on the floor under.
- Find the stopcock and make sure it turns. On older local properties this is the one that catches people out.
- Set aside a storage area for materials, indoors and dry.
The day before
- Bag up anything left in the room.
- Free up a parking space near the door if you can.
- Charge your phone and agree with us who is the point of contact during the day.
- Move pets to a room away from the work and the front door.
Practical things worth doing
- Set up a temporary washing arrangement, even if it is only a downstairs basin and a kettle rule.
- Take a photo of the room before we start. It is oddly satisfying afterwards and useful if you ever need it.
- Note the boiler make and model, and where the fuse board is.
- Check the loft hatch is clear if the room has a fan duct or a shower pump going that way.
What we take care of
- Isolating water and electrics, and capping everything safely.
- Removing the old suite, tiles and flooring, and taking the waste away.
- Dust sheeting and daily clean down.
- All plumbing, tiling and electrical work with our own fitters, tested and certified, then handed over with a written guarantee.
Book the survey first
Everything above becomes far easier once we have measured the room and confirmed the programme. The visit and the fixed price quote are free, and we are fully insured with over 25 years of local work behind us.
Common questions
Do I need to clear the bathroom myself?
Empty the cabinets, shelves and windowsill of anything you want to keep. We remove the suite, flooring and rubbish, but loose belongings are far safer out of the room.
Where will materials be stored?
We normally need a garage, spare room or a dry corner of a downstairs room for tiles, adhesive and the suite. Tiles in particular should be indoors and flat rather than stood on edge in a cold garage.
Do you need parking?
A space close to the door for a van makes a genuine difference, especially on terraced streets. If you have a permit scheme, let us know at survey and we will plan around it.
Should I book the plumber to cap off anything first?
No. We isolate and cap everything ourselves on day one, including the water and any electrical circuits involved.
How much dust should I expect?
Some, but it is controlled. We sheet routes, use dust extraction on cutting where practical and cut outside where the weather allows. The room is swept at the end of each day.
What if my delivery is late?
Tell us as soon as you know. Because our own team does the plumbing, tiling and electrics, we can usually re sequence a day rather than lose the slot entirely.