Bathroom budgets tend to be planned around sanitaryware, which is usually the smaller half of the cost. The larger half is labour, first-fix pipework, waterproofing, tiling and the unglamorous work of correcting whatever the previous installation left behind.
In older stone-built and rural properties, that last category is the one that most often surprises people — and it is exactly the part a written specification should cover before work starts.
The cost stack, in order of spend
- Labour: strip-out, first fix, second fix and making good — usually the largest single line.
- Tiling and waterproofing: tanking a wet area properly is not optional and is priced by area.
- Sanitaryware and brassware: the widest range, and where budget can flex most.
- Pipework alterations: moving a soil connection or waste run costs more than moving a basin.
- Electrical: extraction, lighting, shaver points and any electric shower circuit.
- Floor preparation: levelling, plywood overlay or screed, especially where an old floor is uneven.
What older properties add
Solid walls, lath and plaster, timber floors with historic movement, and soil stacks in awkward positions all add hours. So does the discovery of lead or steel pipework, or a previous refit done over the top of an older one rather than back to substrate.
None of these is unusual locally — they are the normal condition of housing stock built long before modern bathrooms existed — and they are worth allowing a contingency for.
Where to save without regretting it
- Choose mid-range sanitaryware in classic shapes rather than premium fashion pieces.
- Keep the layout where the existing drainage is — moving the WC is the single most expensive change.
- Tile the wet areas fully and use quality paint elsewhere, rather than tiling every wall.
- Spend on the shower valve and the extraction; both are noticed daily and are costly to change later.
How we price it
We quote from a specification: fixtures listed, tiling area stated, waterproofing method named, and any drainage alteration set out. That way, if something is discovered behind the old suite, it is a discussed variation rather than an unexplained increase.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does a full bathroom take?
- A straightforward refit typically runs one to two weeks depending on tiling and drying times. Layout changes, wet rooms and floor rebuilds extend that.
- Do you supply the sanitaryware or do I?
- Either works. Client-supplied items are fine as long as everything is on site before we start — waiting on a delayed delivery is what turns a two-week job into a four-week one.
- Is a wet room more expensive than a shower enclosure?
- Generally yes, because of the floor former, tanking and drainage falls. It buys level access and a more durable waterproof envelope, which matters for accessibility.
- Will you coordinate the electrician and tiler?
- Yes — we project-manage the trades so the sequence works and you have one point of contact.
Get a bathroom quote built from a specification
Tell us the room size, whether the layout changes and your rough sanitaryware budget.