Plumbing Services

Bathroom mirrors often serve a multi-purpose role. They obviously help with personal grooming and ensure that you look your best, but they can also act as an accessory that helps to finish off the design of your bathroom and can help reflect light in the room. This light reflection is particularly important if you have a very small bathroom, since careful placing of the mirror will help make the room appear much larger than it actually is.

The main issue to consider, when choosing a mirror, is whether you want a one that is illuminated. An illuminated mirror will be helpful if it is to be used when applying make-up and for men it is useful when shaving!

Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes, but you should always aim to get the biggest that you can afford, both in terms of budget and space available. If you are really stuck for space then you could buy a bathroom cabinet that has a mirror on each door.  The plus side of these cabinets is that the mirror is closer to you because it projects into the room slightly. The downside is that they aren’t such a design statement as some of the architecturally themed mirrors that are available.

In addition to the ‘main’ mirror, it may also be helpful to have portable and freestanding models. These can be used if you need to look at your face in detail and they can be moved round the bathroom to get the best light. Light levels do vary during the day, so this gives you real flexibility and control.

When you decide to install a shower, you need to carefully consider two issues.  First of all there is the issue of whether the water pressure will cope with the addition of a shower. Secondly, you need to think about drainage for the unit and its associated piping. It is always worth checking these points out before you buy the shower and if you have any doubts consult a professional.

If your water pressure is low and your water supply is often quite weak in terms of flow, then you need to think about how things can be improved. First of all you could lift the cold water cistern at least 150mm to see if this makes any difference, (it usually does).

If this does not help, you may have to fit a pump, which acts as a booster. This usually does the trick and you will find that your new shower will work perfectly.

Once you have addressed any water pressure concerns, you need to think about pipes and drainage. There is one golden rule when thinking about drains and pipes, ‘the shorter and straighter, the better’. Basically, you do not want unnecessarily long pipes and drains fitted, so always try to make sure that you can link into nearby existing services, which will also minimise the cost. Short and straight pipes will also give you the maximum water pressure available, so it is worth making sure that you carefully plan the route they will take. 

The choice of a WC may seem like a straightforward one; you like the look of it and you like the price of it, what more is there to think about? Well there are some basic considerations to bear in mind when you are thinking about a new WC. Obviously the look of it and the price are two of the main considerations, but you also need to think about other things, such as the type of cistern. The cistern can be high, (which is a very old fashioned style, but if your bathroom is in a period or Victorian house, then this could be very appropriate), low-level, or close-coupled.

Today, a low-level cistern, which sits to the back and just slightly above the WC, is the most common form of toilet. A close-coupled cistern is actually joined onto the back of the toilet, making effectively a single unit. Close-coupled cisterns are usually used where space is an issue. There are also space-saving cisterns available, which can be a real plus in a very small bathroom.

You should bear in mind that the cistern can be concealed. This can look particularly effective where you have a bathroom in which the other facilities are ‘boxed in’ or hidden. If you are considering having a concealed cistern you should remember that there are sure to be times when you need gain access to it, particularly for repairs, so do not make it completely inaccessible.

In very many houses the bathroom is indeed quite small with larger space having been allocated to living and eating than has been awarded to functional activities; so for many householders, space is certainly at a premium in the bathroom.

However, this does not mean that you cannot still enjoy a full range of facilities.  There are some spaces saving tips which will help you to make the most out of the space you do have available.

First of all if space is very tight, then you should look at installing a close coupled toilet since this will save you space in terms of how far the toilet projects into the room.

Next, it is also possible to buy baths which are slightly shorter than normal, but still an adequate length (unless you are exceptionally tall).  These are often narrower as well, so allowing you to get that extra bit of space next to, or at the end of, the bath.

Consider installing a shower over your bath and then fitting a bath / shower screen to make sure that the water is contained.

Fit a countertop wash hand basin and, if space is really tight, then consider installing the wash hand basin in the corner.  Storage space can then be created underneath the basin, enabling you to completely maximise your space.

Finally, consider fitting a towel rail over your radiator or have a heated towel rail adjacent to the toilet.  Therefore, you can have all the luxury of a modern bathroom even in the tiniest of spaces.

If you are sick and tired of your bathroom and want to give it a makeover, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend, then don’t despair, there are lots of little things you can do to make sure that it looks great, without costing the earth.

Firstly and most importantly, you need to set a budget and stick to it otherwise the whole project can become a nightmare.

Next, prioritise what you would like to do. Do you want to have a new shower and bath, or simply fit new taps and panel to the existing units? You need to carefully assess which parts of the bathroom are the ones which you don’t like and then research how much it will cost to replace them. For example, it is easy to specify ‘new taps’, but then you may find that the ones on your bath are very old. This often means that it may actually be cheaper to replace both the bath and taps. You should also try to think practically, so instead of replacing the bath or shower, could you simply brighten them up by installing a new shower screen or bath panel? Taking this option can make a significant improvement, yet will not cost very much.

Since flooring can often date a room, replacing it can transform the look of a tired bathroom and help make it feel more modern and contemporary. Updating the lighting can also help and is a cost effective way of making quite dramatic improvements.

Non-heated towel rails may not be as luxurious as their heated counterparts, but they are still a very useful addition to any bathroom.

The towel rail actually serves two functions; firstly, it provides towels within easy reach, so that as you come out of the shower or bath you can immediately put your hands on one. Secondly, it enables air to circulate around the towels, with the result that they don’t have to be washed after each use. This is good for the environment, saves wear and tear on your towels and cuts down on the amount of laundry you have to do.

The humble towel rail also has a less obvious function, in that it helps to keep your bathroom looking at its best. A bathroom looks unsightly if there are piles of damp towels simply hanging over the bath. On the other hand, if they are hung over a towel rail then the bathroom will look tidier and more co-ordinated.

Towel rails should complement the look of the bathroom, so if you have a very modern and chic room, complete with chrome fittings, then you may well wish to choose a chrome rail. Alternatively, a more traditional looking towel rail will complement a traditional style bathroom.

The choice of towel rails available, both heated and non-heated, is actually quite diverse, with prices ranging right the way from bargain basement to high-end designer. The only constraints you have, when making your final choice, are what will suit your bathroom and what you can afford.

When you are trying to sell your home, it is common practice to ‘dress’ the house, so that it appeals to as many people as possible and nowhere is this more relevant than in your bathroom. A house that is on the market needs to be as neutral and uncluttered as possible and the bathroom is often a place where bits and pieces can accumulate without you even noticing. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is hide away all the bottles of shampoo, conditioner, shaving equipment and make-up. People will want to come into your bathroom and imagine how it will look with their own items in there.

Next, you need to ensure that the bathroom is clean, not just every day tidy, but absolutely bright and sparklingly clean. If your bathroom is extremely clean you send out a signal that you have cared for the home and that it has been well looked after, so enticing the prospective buyer to look on it in a more favourable light.

If you do have any very decorative items or objects that make a very bold statement, then they should be removed and put into storage until your house is sold. They will simply draw the eye of the viewer and, whilst they may love it, on the other hand they may find it completely unappealing. So err on the side of caution and be very conservative, then when the house is sold, you can re-apply your design flair to your new bathroom.

Cast iron baths are still available and can be easily sourced. This is despite presenting some practical challenges in terms of their weight, the fact that it is not always easy to fit such a bath, since you need to make sure that your floor can support the weight and that they can be difficult to manoeuvre through the bathroom door.

However, before you simply fall in love with the concept of a genuine cast iron bath, do think about the practicalities. Will your bathroom floor support it, if you are installing it in a first floor room? This is actually a serious consideration and although your floor may not instantly collapse when you get the bath into the room, it may lead to structural weaknesses, so check this out.

Next, can you get the bath upstairs? This may sound a stupid question, but it is a real issue. A cast iron bath is very, very heavy and you may well need additional space to get it upstairs, as well as a strong team of people to carry it.

You also need to think about how you use a bath. Give serious thought to the possibility that objects might accidentally be dropped onto it. The surface will chip if it is damaged and this can lead to the formation of rust. You can buy re-touching kits to cover any chips, but these are not easy to apply.

If, after all these considerations, you still feel that a cast iron bath is the one for you and you want that authentic feel to your bathroom, then simply enjoy it.

Bathrooms have evolved a great deal and now are subject to the same type of ‘makeovers’ that every other aspect of the home is.  There are also trends and fashions in bathroom design and sometimes it is hard to know if they are just passing fads, or will actually be a sound way of improving your bathroom and bringing it more up to date.

A recent fashion trend for bathrooms has been the introduction of dual wash hand basins, so two people can use a wash hand basin at the same time, great if you both want to clean your teeth at the same time.  However, it is hard to know if this trend will continue or if it is something which will simply date a bathroom in years to come.  If you are considering putting in two basins, make sure that you actually have the room for it; the basins need to give each person adequate space, so that they do not feel they are in a public toilet, crammed up against the next person.

Some continental bathrooms also come with an optional bidet.  Bidets were certainly popular during the 1980s, but now tend to be more prevalent in households where the householders are over 50. This may not be wholly in keeping with a bathroom design attempting to portray urban chic to anyone who comes in!

One trend which does seem to be here to stay is encasing radiator and water pipes, to give a very clean and uncluttered feel to a bathroom.  It is unlikely that this trend will die out given the heat efficiency factor of these casings; so, of all the trends, this is probably the most recommended one, in terms of being contemporary but lasting.

A good pump can create a really powerful shower, even if you live in a very large house where water pressure may be affected by the size of the house and usage at peak times.  One of the best types of pumps which you can fit is known as a salamander pump.  This pump will actually give the water pressure a real boost, so that you find your shower suddenly is a real deluge of water, whereas before it was a very gentle experience!

One of the benefits of the salamander pump is that it is very ‘plumber friendly’ and is marketed with the strap line ‘fit and forget’.  This means that it is easy for a plumber to install, making it quite a straightforward process and reducing plumbing bills and also it is so reliable that it will perform its function simply, without you having to keep calling a plumber back to rectify any problems. 

Whichever type of shower pump you choose, salamander or another type, make sure that it will reduce any possibility of aeration. Aeration is a term used to describe air getting into a system when you fit a pump to the cylinder or storage tank.  If aeration occurs you may find that the temperature of your shower can fluctuate or find the pump somewhat noisy.  Salamander pumps will usually remedy this problem as part of their design, so they may be worth the extra cost, but be sure to check out the risk of aeration prior to choosing a pump.