Bathrooms in Alston, Cumbria (3)

Installing a bathroom is one of those home improvement jobs that can be straightforward, if you’re replacing a bathroom suite like-for-like, or much more complex – this is usually when there’s a change of layout or significant change in the features of the bathroom.

Here’s an example schedule of the work involved in bathroom design and installation:

1. Plan your new bathroom layout and design, and agree the budget

2. Contact good local bathroom fitters and get at least three quotes before hiring

3. Confirm the final brief and the details of all the materials, sanitaryware, fixtures and fittings

4. Remove the existing bathroom suite, including any tiling and flooring

5. Repair any plumbing and/or electrical issues and update any wiring or pipework, if needed

6. Level the walls, fit plasterboard or tile backing board, and/or complete any plastering, including the ceiling

7. Prepare the floor with any levelling, reinforcing, screeding and/or waterproofing needed

8. Install plumbed features, such as the toilet, heated towel rail, taps, basin, bath fittings, shower, and shower enclosure

9. Install any electrical fittings, such as the lighting, light switches, extractor fan, shaver points, and underfloor heating

10. Complete any tiling work on the walls and floor

11. Add the finishing touches with bathroom accessories

12. Your bathroom fitter should issue you with any necessary certificates that cover their work

Why hire a professional bathroom fitter in Alston?

When it comes to bathroom design and installation, there are many reasons to hire a professional to do the job, including...

• Save time and stress – professional bathroom fitters are experienced in safely and efficiently installing bathroom, much faster than a novice DIY enthusiast

• Professional standards – qualified bathroom installers in Alston will work to a certain professional standard so that you’re happy with the finished result in your bathroom

• Expert advice for the best bathroom fittings– experienced bathroom fitters can offer advice when you’re planning your bathroom to help you make the most of the space for your needs

• Access to discounts – many bathroom fitting experts in Alston will have a strong network of local suppliers who can offer them discounts on fixtures and fittings

  Find the best local bathroom installers in Alston with our handy search tool.

For homes with a small bathroom, there are a number of tricks and tips to help you make the space look bigger than it is and give a feeling of a more spacious bathroom. It’s always worth speaking to your local bathroom fitters for their professional advice about making the most of your bathroom space.

1. Flood the space with natural light. If you only have a small window you can consider installing a skylight or solar tunnel to increase the light in the room, which will open up the space and make it seem larger.

2. Embrace the magic of mirrors. If installing additional or bigger windows isn’t an option, mirrors are the next best thing for increasing the amount of light in your bathroom – you could even mirror a whole wall.

3. All white really works. Keeping everything the same colour (including the ceiling) creates a more seamless space and gives the impression of the room being bigger – and if that colour is white it makes the bathroom even brighter.

4. Tile to the top. If you want tiles in your bathroom, you can create the feeling of space by tiling all the way to the ceiling to avoid any horizontal lines breaking up your walls.

5. Combine your bath and shower. Chances are you already have a combined bath and shower, but if you do have them separately then it’s time to combine the two and have your shower over your bath to gain valuable space in the bathroom.

6. Lay down large floor tiles. Lots of homeowners think a small bathroom needs small floor tiles, but they’re wrong – large, plain-coloured floor tiles actually make the room look bigger and less cluttered.

7. Use clear glass for your shower. You want to remove any visual barriers in small bathrooms and that means avoiding patterned or coloured shower screens – a clear glass screen is much better to open up the space.

8. Install recessed shelves. If you can build shelves into the walls of your bathroom, do it. It will save you space and reduce the amount of objects breaking up wall lines.

9. Keep clutter to a minimum. To make your small bathroom feel bigger you want clean lines and minimal clutter. Keep products stored within a cupboard or on recessed shelves and, if possible, keep your laundry basket in another room. Removing unnecessary clutter will instantly make the room feel bigger.

10. Make use of the walls. By suspending fixtures from the walls you can free up floor space, giving your bathroom a more spacious feel – cabinets, vanities and even toilets can be attached to the wall.

    Looking for more inspiration for small bathrooms? Check out our guide featuring 11 stunning small bathroom ideas on a budget

We use our bathrooms every day to keep ourselves clean, so it’s important that we return the favour. It’s especially important to regularly clean your bathroom as the combination of water, steam and dirt can quickly become a home to bacteria, fungus, and unpleasant odours.

To help you keep your bathroom in tip top condition, here’s our guide to cleaning your bathroom...

1. Move everything before cleaning. To get the best results from your cleaning, you want to remove all products, towels, mats and other items from the floor and countertops.

2. Start by sweeping. Grab your duster and broom (or hoover), and start by removing any dust, dirt and cobwebs and then sweeping or hoovering up any debris on the floor.

3. Apply cleaner to the shower and bath. You can use a shop-bought cleaning product or make your own using baking soda, water and vinegar. Apply to the bath fittings and shower first, and leave to soak.

4. Move on to other surfaces. Using a clean cloth or sponge, apply your cleaning product and wipe down all surfaces, towel racks, shelves, doors, blinds, tiles and walls.

5. Tackle the floor. Once you’ve finished cleaning the main surfaces, it’s time to clean the floor using an all-purpose cleaner or more of your homemade cleaning solution.

6. Go back to the shower and bath. By this point the cleaning product you applied to your shower and bath should have had a good chance to soak. A light scrub should get rid of most of the dirt and grime, then rinse everything down with warm water.

7. Clean the toilet. Ideally you should regularly scrub the inside of your toilet using toilet cleaner or bleach and a toilet brush – this helps avoid a build up of dirt. Spray the outside of the toilet with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe with a clean cloth.

8. Shine the mirrors. Glass cleaners give the best clean for mirrors, which you can apply and then wipe off with a damp lint-free cloth.

9. Freshen with a spray. Who doesn’t love the smell of a good air freshener? Finish off by spritzing the bathroom with your favourite room spray.

10. Put everything back in place. With your bathroom now clean you can put all your items and products back in their place. Job done.

    Thinking of renovating your bathroom? Find experienced bathroom fitters in Alston with a quick and easy search and start planning your bathroom design and installation today.

The average cost of tiling a bathroom depends on a number of factors, but to help you plan a budget you can expect to pay a tiler around £25 per hour or £175 per day for labour costs. On top of that you then need to factor in the cost of materials.

The cost of tiling a medium-sized bathroom to cover the walls and floor is around £700, depending on the layout of the bathroom and type of tiles you choose. Tiling a shower will cost you somewhere in the region of £375.

When you speak to local bathroom installers in Alston you’ll find some will include tiling as part of the services they offer. Other bathroom fitters will work with independent tilers, and they’ll usually be happy to provide you with details of a reliable tiler for you to contact.

To find out more about prices, check out our guide to tiling costs.

Factors affecting the cost of tiling a bathroom

There are a number of factors that will affect the price you pay for tiling your bathroom, including:

• Size of bathroom

• Layout of bathroom

• Type and size of tiles to be used

• Removing existing tiles

• Quantity and quality of tiles and materials used

• Experience of the individual tiler

• Any preparation work needed

How many tiles do I need for my bathroom?

To plan your budget for your bathroom tiling project, you’ll want to know roughly how many tiles you need for the job. To work out the tile quantities, here’s our step-by-step tile calculator:

1. Measure the area of all walls to be tiled (m2)

2. Measure the floor space to be tiled (m2)

3. Add the two together to get total area for tiling (m2)

4. Decide on the size of tile you want to use and note the area of a single tile

5. Divide the total from point #3 by the area of the single tile

6. The result is the rough number of tiles you’ll need.

Top tip – we always recommend adding 10% for wastage and accidental damage.

Need help planning your tiling and/or bathroom design and installation? Search for bathroom installers in Alston now, or use our quick and easy get a quote feature and get multiple quotes from reliable local bathroom fitters near you.

Bathroom tiling ideas

If you’re unsure what tiles to choose and are looking for inspiration for your bathroom, take a look at our guide to bathroom tile ideas.