What to expect when bathroom installers start work

Before anyone picks up a tool

Every installation starts with a survey. We look at where the soil pipe runs, how the floor is built, what the walls are made of and how hot water reaches the room. Those details decide whether a shower can move to the other wall, whether a freestanding bath is realistic and what the floor needs before tile goes down.

This is also the moment to settle the big choices. Sanitaryware, the shower type, tiles and any extras such as underfloor heating, an illuminated mirror or a concealed cistern all affect the pipework and electrics hidden in the walls. Changing them once the walls are boarded usually means opening things up again.

• Confirm the layout and where each fitting sits
• Choose tiles early so there is time for delivery
• Decide whether we supply items or fit ones you have bought
• Agree where deliveries can be stored dry and out of the way

Strip out and first fix

The first days are the noisiest. The old suite, tiles and often the plasterboard come out, and waste is taken away as we go rather than left piled in the drive. With the room bare we can see the condition of joists, walls and existing pipe runs, which is where any surprises tend to show up.

First fix follows: moving soil pipes, wastes and supply runs to the new positions, installing the shower valve, running cables for lighting and extraction, and laying any underfloor heating. Everything that will end up behind a wall is placed now and pressure tested before anything is closed up.

Boarding and waterproofing

This stage decides whether a bathroom lasts. Wet areas are boarded with the correct backer rather than ordinary plasterboard, then tanked so that water getting through a grout line meets a membrane instead of the wall behind. Shower trays and wet room formers are set with accurate falls so water runs to the waste and nowhere else.

You will not see much of this work once the room is finished, which is exactly why it should never be rushed. It is the part homeowners most often find was skipped when an older bathroom starts leaking into the ceiling below.

Read more: shower leaking through the ceiling

Tiling, fitting and finishing

Once the waterproofing has cured, tiling begins. We set out from the centre line so cuts land where they look deliberate, and we finish edges with trim or mitres rather than a thick bead of silicone. Floor tiles go down over a sound, level base, with flexible adhesive where there is heating underneath.

Second fix brings the room to life: the basin, toilet, bath or tray, screen, taps, towel rail, lighting and extractor fan are fitted and connected. Final sealing, a thorough clean and a walk round with you complete the job, including showing you how the valve, heating and extraction work.

Living at home during the work

Most people stay at home throughout. There will be dust sheets on the landing, some noise during strip out and the occasional short water shut off, which we tell you about in advance. If this is your only bathroom, talk to us at the survey about the order of work so the toilet is out of action for as little time as possible.

Keep the route from the front door to the bathroom clear and let us know about pets, parking and working from home. Small arrangements like these make the fortnight far easier on everyone.