A full bathroom strip out and refit usually takes two to three weeks on site, running in a fixed order: strip out, first fix plumbing and electrics, boarding and waterproofing, tiling, second fix, then sealing, testing and handover. The smoothest jobs are the ones where the design is settled, every product is delivered and checked before day one, and the house is ready for a few weeks without that bathroom.

Before the first day

Most delays on a bathroom are decided weeks before anyone arrives. These are the steps that make the difference.

Survey and design

A proper survey (free with our bathroom installations) measures the room, checks where the soil pipe and waste can run, looks at the water supply and hot water system, and notes the state of the walls and floor. Keep the toilet near the existing soil stack if you can, because moving it is the single change most likely to add time and complication. Settle the layout, the shower type and the tiles before you sign, not during the job.

A fixed quote that lists everything

The quote should say what is included: strip out and waste removal, plumbing, electrics, boarding, waterproofing, tiling, the suite, making good and the guarantee. Our guide to what a bathroom installation quote should include goes through it line by line.

Order early and check deliveries

Some items have long lead times, especially made-to-measure shower screens, vanity units and some tiles. Aim to have everything on site before the start date. Unpack it, check it against the order and look for chips or cracks. A cracked basin found on day ten stops the job. The same basin found a week before the start does not.

The installation, stage by stage

Timings below are typical for a full refit of an average family bathroom. Every room is different, and your installer should give you a programme for yours.

Stage	Typical timing	What happens	What you will notice
Strip out	Day 1 to 2	Suite, tiles and old boards removed, water isolated and capped	Noise, dust sheets, a skip or waste bags
First fix plumbing and electrics	Day 2 to 4	New supply and waste pipes, shower valve, cabling for lights, fan and heated rail	Water off for short spells
Boarding and waterproofing	Day 4 to 6	Walls and floor boarded, wet areas tanked, plastering where needed	Quieter, some drying time
Tiling	Day 6 to 11	Floor and wall tiles laid, then grouted once the adhesive has set	Slow, careful progress
Second fix	Day 11 to 13	Bath, shower, toilet, basin, taps, furniture, lights and fan fitted	The room starts to look finished
Seal, test and hand over	Day 13 to 15	Silicone, leak checks, electrical testing, clean and walk-through	You get the room back, with care instructions

Strip out

The water to the bathroom is isolated and the old suite comes out, followed by tiles and any damaged plaster or boards. This is the noisiest and dustiest part. It is also when hidden problems appear: rotten joists under a leaking toilet, old lead pipework or poorly supported floors. A good installer shows you anything unexpected and explains the fix before carrying on.

First fix

New pipes and wastes are run to the positions agreed in the design, and a concealed shower valve is set into the wall at the right depth. Electrics are first fixed at the same time: cabling for lighting, an extractor fan and any heated towel rail or underfloor heating. New circuits, and additions or alterations to circuits in a room with a bath or shower, are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so they need a qualified electrician who can certify the work.

Boarding and waterproofing

Walls in wet areas are boarded with a board designed for bathrooms, and the shower area and any wet zones are tanked with a waterproofing system. Tanking is the part you never see and the part that protects the structure. It needs its drying time before tiles go on, and cutting it short is one of the most common reasons bathrooms fail after a few years.

Tiling

Tiling is usually the longest stage. The floor may need levelling first, and large-format tiles take longer to lay flat than smaller ones. Adhesive has to set before grouting, and each product has its own curing time printed on the bag. A tiler who rushes this stage saves a day and costs you a bathroom.

Second fix

The bath, shower tray or screen, toilet, basin, taps and furniture go in, followed by lights, the fan and the towel rail. For ventilation, Approved Document F sets a minimum intermittent extract rate of 15 litres per second for a bathroom, so the fan should be sized and ducted to the outside properly, not into the loft.

Seal, test and hand over

Silicone goes on last, once everything is fixed and the bath has been filled to settle it. Every joint is checked for leaks, the electrics are tested and certified, and the room is cleaned. You should get a walk-through, the guarantee and any product paperwork. Do not use the shower until the silicone has cured, which is usually at least 24 hours.

What makes a bathroom take longer

• Moving the toilet or the soil stack
• Rotten joists or floorboards found during strip out
• Uneven or crumbling walls that need replastering
• Underfloor heating, which adds a stage before tiling
• Large-format or natural stone tiles
• Late or damaged deliveries
• Design changes once work has started

None of these is unusual. What matters is that your installer tells you as soon as they know, with the cost, and asks before carrying on.

How to prepare your home

Use this checklist in the week before the start:

1. Empty the bathroom completely, including cabinets, towel rails and the airing cupboard if it opens off the room.
2. Clear a route from the front door to the bathroom and protect anything fragile along it.
3. Arrange another toilet and somewhere to wash. If this is your only bathroom, ask when the toilet will be out and for how long.
4. Plan parking for the van and space for a skip. A skip on the road needs a permit from the council.
5. Keep pets and children away from the work area and the route.
6. Agree working hours, access and who holds a key.
7. Decide one point of contact on your side for questions during the job.

Mistakes to avoid

• Starting before every product has arrived.
• Changing the layout once pipes are in.
• Choosing a shower without checking your water pressure and hot water system can supply it.
• Skimping on waterproofing to save time.
• Leaving the extractor fan as an afterthought.

For more on this, read common bathroom renovation mistakes.

How we price it

Installations are quoted as a fixed price after a free survey, so the price you agree is the price you pay. Our bathroom installations are carried out by our own team, and every bathroom comes with a 2 year guarantee on our work. For a sense of what shapes the price, see our bathroom renovation cost guide, and every published rate is on our prices page.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to fit a new bathroom?

A full strip out and refit usually takes two to three weeks. A simple like-for-like replacement of the suite, without retiling or moving anything, can be done much faster. The biggest variables are the tiling, any changes to the layout and what is found once the old bathroom comes out.

Can I use the toilet during a bathroom installation?

Usually for most of the job, but not all of it. The toilet is normally removed at strip out and refitted at second fix, and some installers can refit the old one temporarily. If it is your only toilet, agree this before the start date.

Do I need Building Regulations approval for a new bathroom?

A like-for-like refit does not normally need approval, but some parts of the work are covered by the Building Regulations. New electrical circuits and alterations in the bathroom are notifiable under Part P, and extraction must meet Part F. Your installer should handle the certification.

Do I need to be at home during the installation?

Not all the time. It helps to be available at the start, when the layout is marked out, and at key decision points, such as confirming tile setting-out and positions of fittings. Agree access and keys before the job begins.

What happens if something unexpected is found under the floor?

A good installer stops, shows you what they have found and explains the options and the cost before carrying on. Rotten joists and old pipework are the usual finds, and they are far better fixed now than under new tiles.

Bathroom installations in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire

If you are planning a new bathroom and want a clear programme and a fixed price, book a free survey through our bathroom installations page or call 01462 506374.