My bathroom is very small, 6 foot long by about 4 foot 8 wide. It's in desperate need of replacing. Firstly, the partition wall that the bath butts up to is completely knackered. It's all rotten, tiles have come off and the wood frame is showing through, damp and rotten. The other side of the wall is the kitchen. In fact, light from the bathroom shows through holes in the wall to the kitchen. So the whole wall needs replacing for starters, which if measured from the kitcken side is about 8 foot high by about 7 foot wide. I don't know if it's called a stud wall or something? There's no brickwork though, just plaster and wood. I'm thinking of getting rid of the bath and just having a shower cubicle, and it would give more space too. Then replace the tiny sink, replace the toilet, retile the walls and floor, remove all the flaking ceiling paint and repaint. I can pay my nephew to do painting since that's his job, but how much am I looking at spending to get the rest done including the partition wall? I don't need super expensive units, just decent stuff from places like homebase or B&Q.
Cost of replacing small bathroom?
- Thread starter Merlin5
- Start date
Get a few quotes from local tradesmen, but don't expect them to turn up on time or anything to quote as if they are any good they wont need your work.
Generally get 2 or 3 quotes (if you can get tradesmen to turn up) and make your decision based on cost vs reputation/first impressions.
Generally get 2 or 3 quotes (if you can get tradesmen to turn up) and make your decision based on cost vs reputation/first impressions.
Soldato
- Joined
- 31 May 2009
- Posts
- 21,456
You could get a joiner out to look at the wall, see if it just plasterboard needs replaced, or the entire stud.
You can see in your bathrooom from the kitchen, heh, interesting way to air both rooms, bathroom smells of chips and kitchen smells of .... anyway.
You can see in your bathrooom from the kitchen, heh, interesting way to air both rooms, bathroom smells of chips and kitchen smells of .... anyway.
A couple of grand would probably be way over the top unless you're going mental with the bathroom suite. Do you have an extractor fan? Get one put in if not as that'll help with the damp.
I think the extractor fan is a brilliant idea, definitely could do with one of those. I tell you what guys, if I could get it done for under 2K I'd be really happy since I also need to spend money in other areas of my flat. My mum scared me a bit as she reckoned it would cost at least 3K since she recently spend over 3K completely redoing her guest toilet room in her bungalow and turning it into a toilet/shower room, and it isn't much different in size to mine, just different shape.
But I'm wondering about the wall being rebuilt, that alone is surely gonna cost a grand or more isn't it, before we even start on the bathroom units and tiling?
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 3,177
i would imagine 1k would be fine. depends on what tiles you want and how many m2 you need (how many walls)
i would recommend full tiling to make life easier in the long run. you will get many years from a full tiles bathroom.
also, tiling is actually quite easy. you can save yourself £1k doing it yourself!
i would recommend full tiling to make life easier in the long run. you will get many years from a full tiles bathroom.
also, tiling is actually quite easy. you can save yourself £1k doing it yourself!
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 3,177
to build a stud wall? man, its half a days work!
you can do it yourself too. what is on the other side though? if its rotten you might find the other side wall is screwed too!
- Joined
- 13 Apr 2010
- Posts
- 18,455
- Location
- Sunny Sussex
Have you got kitchen units attached to the other side of the wall, if so these'll have to come off, any electrics? any plumbing? any tiles? can you get them matched? is the floor rotten as well? skirtings? does the stud wall have a door in it?
Your in central London, don't kid yourself it'll be done for a grand your Mum's right.
Your in central London, don't kid yourself it'll be done for a grand your Mum's right.
Heh, you're joking realBabelfish, I wouldn't have a clue how to build a stud wall or do tiling. No, this is definitely all work I'll need to call in professionals to do. Also, if you say I can save £1K by doing the tiling myself, then that doesn't account for the cost of the tiles, building the wall, materials, wood and plasterboard, so that must surely mean I'm looking at more like £2K+ doesn't it?
Last edited:
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2006
- Posts
- 12,130
I never cease to be amazed by how often these misguided and foolish comments pop up . . . "Brain surgery? No sweat, I do it all the time; a sharp carving knife, a hammer, some skewers and a roll of cling film are all you should need."
@ OP - if you have built stud walls before and have a decent supply of the appropriate tools, it MAY be an easy job - if not, it isn't.
Incidentally, extractor fans now need to have an isolating switch outside the bathroom / shower room - God alone knows why? By law, you are only supposed to have electrical work done by a qualified electrician in a bathroom or kitchen.
I agree with that.
I think you're right. Floor is concrete with tiles over, and nothing on wall other side. It just needs to be retiled on bathroom side when wall is built.
I'm not sure suggestions of 1-2k to re-build a stud wall, tile the whole room (floor too I assume) and replace the suite is entirely reasonable in London. Labour could well be over 2k on it's own.
Just get 3 quotes, preferably from people you've been recommended.
Just get 3 quotes, preferably from people you've been recommended.
We had a bathroom fitted last year. Pretty much included build a stud wall as we had a walk in shower built.
We spent about 3k on the suite and tiles, 2k on fitting, building, tiling, having the old suite ripped out.
That included saying to him, I want this here, that there, that like that and that like that and him working out how to do it. Took him about a week to plan it and rip the bathroom out.
Just to make it awkward for him, there always had to be a toilet plumbed as it's the only one in the house and I work from home.
Wasn't cheap though... 
We spent about 3k on the suite and tiles, 2k on fitting, building, tiling, having the old suite ripped out.
That included saying to him, I want this here, that there, that like that and that like that and him working out how to do it. Took him about a week to plan it and rip the bathroom out.
Just to make it awkward for him, there always had to be a toilet plumbed as it's the only one in the house and I work from home.
Wasn't cheap though... 
Caporegime
- Joined
- 13 May 2003
- Posts
- 34,514
- Location
- Warwickshire
Lol @ £1k.
I'm going to say you'll see quotes around £4-5k, depending on materials.
I'm going to say you'll see quotes around £4-5k, depending on materials.