DIY ensuite bathroom replacement - build log

[Participant]

Good progress - thanks for posting the updates.

Are you going to put thin plywood sheets on the floor?

My process will be primer, 10mm XPS / cement back board, glued and screwed and covered with SLC.

 

[itsallaboutyou]

My process will be primer, 10mm XPS / cement back board, glued and screwed and covered with SLC.

Are you gonna use tile adhesive for the boards or some CT1 type stuff??

 

[Participant]

Are you gonna use tile adhesive for the boards or some CT1 type stuff??

I'm using S2 rapid set tile adhesive, Ultra Tilefix brand, for both the foam boards and the floor tiles.

Then I'm going to screw it in with wedi-style round washers before the adhesive goes off to make sure it follows the contour of the floor boards, and then correct level with SLC.

If any floor tiles crack after everything I'm doing to prevent that then I'm going to throw myself out of the window, as I've had experience of cracked tiles and grout from poor installation and have researched extensively about how to avoid it.

 

[itsallaboutyou]

I'm using S2 rapid set tile adhesive, Ultra Tilefix brand, for both the foam boards and the floor tiles.

Then I'm going to screw it in with wedi-style round washers before the adhesive goes off to make sure it follows the contour of the floor boards, and then correct level with SLC.

If any floor tiles crack after everything I'm doing to prevent that then I'm going to throw myself out of the window, as I've had experience of cracked tiles and grout from poor installation and have researched extensively about how to avoid it.

Goodo - sounds like you’re following the manufacturers instructions!!

Yeah - I’ve done it that way before and it’s deffo worth all the millions of buckets and sponges you’ll use!!!

SLC is one of the best (and easiest, sorry straightforward) processes out there!

 

[aVdub]

Get some ceiling speakers up there with the spots, nice to just listen to some tunes on when your in the shower.

Did the same with marine grade speakers paired to a bluetooth receiver and glad I did so.

 

[Participant]

Get some ceiling speakers up there with the spots, nice to just listen to some tunes on when your in the shower.

Did the same with marine grade speakers paired to a bluetooth receiver and glad I did so.

I'm going to park this idea for the moment and maybe add them later.

It'll be easy to add at any point from the lighting circuit in the loft and as cool as it sounds, my budget has already been blown and I keep adding new stuff, like £70 for a wall-mounted toothbrush charger .

 

[itsallaboutyou]

I'm going to park this idea for the moment and maybe add them later.

It'll be easy to add at any point from the lighting circuit in the loft and as cool as it sounds, my budget has already been blown and I keep adding new stuff, like £70 for a wall-mounted toothbrush charger .

Ha!! Same here. They’re actually a really cool little addition. No wires is definitely a benefit.

Ours have a dedicated circuit - but very easy to run off the permanent line - not advised to run it off the switch as they’ll only work when the light is switched on..

Nothing like having a bowel movement with whalesong blasting from above your head…

 

[aVdub]

Few things that I have noticed since my build and slight rebuild is:
If a mirror is used for more than lip pouts and hair flicks, then one with a built in demister and good illumination is a must, if not, then a mirror with side illumination (as earlier in this thread) looks killer and add a couple downlights in the ceiling above the mirror and sink, if using it for more than lip pouts etc
OTT, but sometimes you can find TV mirrors for good prices and one worth looking for, but not idea for using as a fine detail mirror.

Tile the window sill with a slight drop back into the bathroom, this will help avoid water build up and the chance of mould if not noticed.
A good quality ceiling extractor with adjustable run on times is a must imo.
Isolation valves, if they can be added in hidden locations are also imo a must and can make life easier than finding a stock **** 20 metres from the issue/change of item and the having to allow that whole pipe of water to drain off before working on...

 

[Oxide™]

We recently had our main bathroom redone as it was in appalling condition (took 2 years to save up after moving in to get it done)

Anyway, here are links to some key things we got for you to consider seeing that it needs electrics in the right place as you are at that point
https://www.bellabathrooms.co.uk/pr...lished-steel-electric-toothbrush-charger.html
https://www.livingandhome.co.uk/pro...net-with-sensor-switch?variant=44354505212155
https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/mira-a...gh-pressurecombi-boiler-11903088-2631-1264099

 

[Participant]

Finally got a bit more done today. Between work, Euro 2024, exercising, and other family stuff, it's really hard to get time (wah).

It would help if I could make myself do it in the evening, but TV and a glass of wine is too tempting.

Anyway updates...

- Shower tray arrived, so I test fitted that to check where the waste will sit compared to the steel and joist. Should just about be ok, but I think I'll need to fit the wall board over the tray rather than behind. The tray weighs 55Kg and it was a real struggle to get it upstairs on my own!

- Fan and fan vent pipe fully installed now with a three pole isolator. Configured it to come on with its own switch so there's a two gang switch doing the fan and the lights independently, which I really like as you don't have to have both on if not needed. I don't think light switches in a bathroom are to spec, but it's how I want it and it's much better than having it outside and / or on an ugly pull string, so I don't care. The fan (Manrose MF100T) is great; very quiet and powerful.

- First fix electrics also done for UFH, wall mounted double toothbrush charger (£60 ), niche led strip, and cabinet.

- Test fitted the Grohe dunny and realised I needed about 5 ancillary bits to make the waste work. On order.

- Spent about another £50 at Screwfix on copper pipe and connectors, foam, and Wago bits.

- Took up some floorboards to start working out the plumbing for the shower (there's no hot pipe near where it's needed as it was an electric shower).

 

[Orifice]

The Grohe frames are great, but its a right ballache having to go from 90 > 110. Would have thought they'd have a better coupling range rather than having to use multiple adapters.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

The Grohe frames are great, but its a right ballache having to go from 90 > 110. Would have thought they'd have a better coupling range rather than having to use multiple adapters.

It comes with one in the box for regular pipework. You need a McAlpine adaptor for clay tho. Fitted two, never had an issue that wasn't my own lol.

 

[jpaul]

(there's no hot pipe near where it's needed as it was an electric shower).

can you do anything to verify flow rate at the high shower head for hot water will be OK ? (neighbours ?)
i have a 30kw ideal combi, you can't really have 2 simultaneous hot water users in the house, and to boot, were about highest point in the village with fairly low water pressure,
so usually the first to call in when one of the water board booster pumps has broken, about 3 times a year.

 

[Orifice]

It comes with one in the box for regular pipework. You need a McAlpine adaptor for clay tho. Fitted two, never had an issue that wasn't my own lol.

Comes with everything except a straight rear connector annoyingly, the only piece I needed, and the 110mm adapter is designed for a socket, not just a pipe. Either way you end up with more potential failure points than a "normal" toilet.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Comes with everything except a straight rear connector annoyingly, the only piece I needed, and the 110mm adapter is designed for a socket, not just a pipe. Either way you end up with more potential failure points than a "normal" toilet.

Ah yeah fair. I think I got mine from Amazon for 17 quid.

 

[Participant]

can you do anything to verify flow rate at the high shower head for hot water will be OK ? (neighbours ?)
i have a 30kw ideal combi, you can't really have 2 simultaneous hot water users in the house, and to boot, were about highest point in the village with fairly low water pressure,
so usually the first to call in when one of the water board booster pumps has broken, about 3 times a year.

Yeah we have pretty good static water pressure, nearly 4 bar. We're fairly close to river level so not sure if that helps.

We also have an existing shower off the combi in another bathroom and it's pretty good; even when someone's using water elsewhere it's much better than a puny electric one.

Another point is that I'm intending to have an unvented cylinder installed at some point in the next year or two.

Comes with everything except a straight rear connector annoyingly, the only piece I needed, and the 110mm adapter is designed for a socket, not just a pipe. Either way you end up with more potential failure points than a "normal" toilet.

Yes a straight rear connector is really required for UK plumbing. You can't go out horizontally with the default kit as the pipe is too close to the back of the frame.

Ah yeah fair. I think I got mine from Amazon for 17 quid.

Exactly the one I've ordered. Should be with me on Thursday then I can finally fit the frame, no doubt with some more farting about.

 

[Participant]

Well I've ended up removing the entire sub floor (~18mm T&G boards) today, partly to make the plumbing easier (or possible really) and partly because the floor was just not strong enough for a bathroom floor.

I'm glad I did because I found a few more appalling examples of lazy / incompetent work...waste pipes going upwards, unsupported pipes, unsecured joists wobbling about, LOTS of building waste left there, no insulation.

I'm fitting 18mm structural ply in its place across the whole floor once I've braced everything.

Have a look at this diamond. That pipe was the basin drain and we now know why it was draining slowly .

Removing this was disgusting, loads of smelly sludge stuck at the bottom.

 

[yak.h'cir]

Disappointing at all the shortcuts/lazy work that is a virtual guarantee to find once you start looking under the surface of any house.

 

[aVdub]

Well I've ended up removing the entire sub floor (~18mm T&G boards) today, partly to make the plumbing easier (or possible really) and partly because the floor was just not strong enough for a bathroom floor.

I'm glad I did because I found a few more appalling examples of lazy / incompetent work...waste pipes going upwards, unsupported pipes, unsecured joists wobbling about, LOTS of building waste left there, no insulation.

I'm fitting 18mm structural ply in its place across the whole floor once I've braced everything.

Have a look at this diamond. That pipe was the basin drain and we now know why it was draining slowly .

Removing this was disgusting, loads of smelly sludge stuck at the bottom.

To quote the Welsh social media building inspector: Shocking.

At least you've now got the perfect opportunity to take that waste and perhaps hot and cold feed into the wall, which will make for a nice finish and better fixing.

 

[Participant]

To quote the Welsh social media building inspector: Shocking.

At least you've now got the perfect opportunity to take that waste and perhaps hot and cold feed into the wall, which will make for a nice finish and better fixing.

Yes that's the plan, put all pipes (water, waste, heating) into stud wall or chased into bricks.