Bathroom Installation — Planned Properly, Priced in Writing
Tell KJ what you're planning and we'll build a brief before anyone visits, so the quote you get is about your room rather than an average.
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The short answer
A full bathroom installation runs to a predictable sequence: strip out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, any stud or floor work, waterproofing the wet area, plastering, tiling, then second fix and commissioning. Most bathrooms take one to two weeks on site, longer where the layout changes or drainage has to be re-routed. The three things that move the price most are whether fittings move position, how much tiling there is, and the specification of the ware itself. Everything should be quoted line by line before work starts, so you can see what each decision costs.
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Bathrooms & Wet Rooms
Bathroom installation
TL;DR
A proper mid-range bathroom refit in the North West is £6,500–£11,000 fitted, with £3,500–£5,000 of that being labour over 8–12 working days. Cheaper 'all-in £3,995' deals almost always mean like-for-like swaps only, cheap own-brand ware, and no waterproofing under the tiles. We quote line-by-line so you can see exactly what you're paying for.
A bathroom is the single most trade-heavy room in your house. A real refurb needs a plumber, a tiler, a Part P electrician, sometimes a plasterer, and always a project manager to sequence them so nobody's stood around. Get that wrong and an 8-day job turns into a month.
This page covers what a proper full bathroom install includes, honest cost bands for 2026, how long it really takes, and — critically — the questions you should ask any bathroom fitter before you sign anything.
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What does a full bathroom install actually include?
A proper refit is a 6-stage job: strip out and skip, first fix (moving waste and supply pipes, boxing soil stacks, running new electrics), plaster or board out, waterproof tank the wet zones, tile, second fix (fit WC, basin, bath, shower, taps, radiator or towel rail), and commission (test every joint, seal, and electrical circuit).
- Strip out and waste removal (skip hire included)
- First fix plumbing — new hot / cold / waste routes as needed
- Part P electrician — IP-rated lighting, extractor fan, shaver socket, RCD
- Plasterboard or hardie-backer to the wet zones
- Full tank / membrane waterproofing under tiles (not just silicone)
- Wall and floor tiling with the correct adhesive and grout for wet areas
- Second fix — WC, basin, bath, shower valve and head, taps, towel rail
- Silicone, commissioning, snag walk and written handover
How long does a bathroom install take?
A straight like-for-like refit with no moved pipework: 6–8 working days. A typical mid-range refit with a new layout: 10–12 working days. A full wet room or knock-through en-suite: 14–20 working days. Anyone promising a full refit in 3–4 days is either not tiling properly or skipping the waterproofing stage — both bite you within a year.
Honest cost bands for 2026
Prices below are total fitted, including labour and mid-range sanitaryware. Very high-end brands (Villeroy & Boch, Hansgrohe Axor, Duravit) can add £2,000–£5,000 to the ware alone.
Before you commit — questions to ask any bathroom fitter
This is the single most useful checklist we can give you. Ask every one of these before you sign. A good fitter will answer them without hesitation and put the answers in writing. If they can't or won't, walk away.
- Who is the lead tradesperson on site each day — you, or subcontractors you've never met?
- Are you Gas Safe registered? What's your number? (Only relevant if a boiler / gas is being moved.)
- Is the electrical work being done by a Part P registered electrician? Will I get a Minor Works or EIC certificate?
- What waterproofing product are you using under the tiles — Mapei, Schluter Kerdi, BAL WP1, or nothing?
- What's your stage-payment schedule? (Deposit + stages on completion — never full payment up front.)
- How much of the total is labour vs materials? Ask for a line-by-line breakdown.
- What happens if you find hidden problems (rotten joists, leaks, asbestos board)? Is that day-rate or fixed?
- Do you clean and skip everything daily, or does the mess stay in my house all week?
- What's your workmanship guarantee — 12 months, 2 years, 5 years? Is it in writing?
- Can I speak to your last two customers and see photos of those jobs?
Typical prices
Real-world ranges from recent Northwest jobs. Your final price is confirmed in writing before any work starts.
| Item | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Like-for-like refit (same layout, mid-range ware) | 4,800 – 6,800 | 6–8 working days |
| New layout refit (mid-range, moved WC or bath) | 6,500 – 9,500 | 10–12 working days |
| Premium refit (walk-in shower, high-end ware) | 9,500 – 14,000 | 12–14 working days |
| En-suite (small, 2–3 sqm) | 3,800 – 6,200 | 6–9 working days |
| Family bathroom + separate WC combined | 8,500 – 12,500 | 12–15 working days |
| Tiling only — walls & floor (5 sqm room) | 1,400 – 2,200 | 3–4 days, materials extra |
| Waterproof tanking to wet zone | 280 – 480 | Mandatory under any wet-room floor |
| Part P electrical certificate | included | Minor Works or EIC on completion |
Kit & brands we use
We work with mid-range trade brands (Roca, Ideal Standard, Twyford, Bristan, Aqualisa) as our default because parts are easy to source and warranties are honoured properly. If you want Villeroy & Boch, Hansgrohe, Duravit or Grohe SmartControl we fit those too — we just charge you what they cost, not a markup.
Red flags on a bathroom quote
These are the patterns we see when a customer calls us to fix a botched refit. Every one of them is a reason to walk away before you sign, not after.
- Cash-only or 'discount for paying up front the day I start'
- No line-by-line quote — just one round number like '£4,995 fitted'
- Won't put the waterproofing product or brand of ware in writing
- No fixed start / finish date, or 'I'll fit you in between other jobs'
- Vague on who's actually doing the electrics — Part P is a legal requirement
- Pressure to decide today or the price goes up tomorrow
- No proper written invoice offered (very often means the work isn't insured either)
Our promise on this job
No call-out fee — deducted in full from any work booked. Fair, transparent quote before we start. If we can't fix the fault we diagnosed, there is still nothing to pay us. All gas work is signed off by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Talk to KJ about bathroom installation
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