Tiny bathroom ideas?

[halfajack]

I've been wanting to get my bathroom done for about three years but finally giving myself time to do it. I'm struggling to figure out what to do with such a small space but it definitely needs modernised. I've done a floorplan on a free online website and attached a screenshot. Unfortunately it doesn't show measurements.

Left-hand wall is 1260mm. The door is on that wall and is 60mm starting almost right at the bottom.
Top wall is 2700mm, 90° to that is a window taking up the whole length of 750mm.
Bottom wall is 2030mm and the two lengths joining that and the window are very roughly measured length and angle-wise but the one next to the 2030 wall is about 460mm and the other one is about 560mm.
I've positioned the suite items to show where they are now and I think it gives a good idea of how cramped the space is.

A few people have recommended taking the bath out and putting in a shower cubicle. However, I'm not sure this can create much space as the smallest shower tray I've seen comes out a little wider than the bath and the glass sides would make it quite imposing. The only way I think it might work if it's right against the window with the whole window ledge there tiled over and with two glass screens coming at right-angles from the top wall and window. I think that would only work if the toilet could be moved but I'm not sure if that's feasible - big job? The wall with the door is too narrow for a shower, plus there's a big waste pipe there going the whole height of the room so nothing can go right into that corner.

I've researched small bathrooms all day and no space is as cramped as mine. I thought I'd found the solution - an omnitub - a square tub deeper than a bath but shorter. I thought that against the window would look fantastic and a curtain around it would make it suitable for showering. However, it's just a few centimetres big to get through the door!!!

Any ideas would be welcomed and some advice on whether the toilet could be moved would also be great.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Which other (bar window) walls are external and where is your soil stack? I would certainly consider a shower and exclude the bath, but the bath could be positioned on the window wall, this could allow for toilet on far left corner wall as screenshot, then provisions for basin on right corner of screenshot.

 

[OwainDIYer]

However, it's just a few centimetres big to get through the door!!!

How many centimetres - you might have enough if you remove the door and architraves etc.

 

[halfajack]

Thanks both for your replies and suggestions. I had thought that the tub would fit through if we took the door frame off but I worry with it being such an old flat that that would damage the wall around it. Plus, there's another door of the same width to get through (I'll come back to that in a bit).

PrenticeBoy, the top wall borders the flat nextdoor. No other wall is external. There's a big pipe, floor to ceiling, next to the basin plus a big pipe from the toilet into that odd-angled false wall I always I assumed went straight to the pipe on the outside of the wall, but looking today that pipe is actually further along. I'm not really sure how to answer your question - would I have to take up the floor to see where the pipes go?

Here's another idea I've toyed with over the years: there's a narrow vestibule you go through to get to the bathroom (that other narrow door leads into it). It currently has (very shoddy) cupboards along the top wall where we store Christmas decorations, coats, towels, etc. and the fusebox and electricity meter is also in there. I've added it to my plan to give you an idea of size. We've wondered about ripping the cupboards out and make it all the bathroom. It's another thing I've thought might be too big a job, plus it would still be a narrow space. There's also the issue of where to put all the stuff we store in those cupboards now - though there is space on the other side of the left wall to build another cupboard (another job!). Any thoughts? Worth the hassle? It's a second floor two bedroom flat in a nice area where prices tend to stay be quite uniform so not sure it would add much value. The left-right line on the wooden floor shows where the cupboard doors are now.

 

[boringoldcodger]

More questions than suggestions.
What's the big waste pipe that's next to the basin, is it the soil stack for other flat(s) ? If so could you, as PBOD suggests, connect your toilet to that ?
Then put the basin where the (I assume) radiator is, and the radiator where the toilet is.
Install a short bath, e.g.,
http://www.bathroomheaven.com/small-baths/gem-small-bath-1300x700mm-5988.aspx
as close as poss to the window and fit a shower attachment and shower curtain.
If that's no good, if the left wall is reasonably sturdy then fit a narrow basin, e.g.,
http://www.bathstore.com/products/myplan-400-polymarble-basin-2567.html
between the door and the waste pipe - that might be better if the door opens outwards. Then what's behind the false wall (at bottom right) and can that be altered ?

Somehow I reckon there's a lot of head scratching and then work involved.

Cheers, Graham

 

[halfajack]

Thanks for replying, Graham. The big pipe next to the basin I've assumed is soil stack for other flats but am not 100% certain. I think the possibility of moving the toilet might need to be considered by someone handier than me actually seeing it in person. Your suggestions sound feasible and I'll have a think. No idea what's behind the toilet. There are boxed in sections at the top and bottom of the bath - I think there's been lots of quick covering up to get the place ready for selling before I bought it. Might need to just brave it and rip it out to have a look.

You're definitely right about the head scratching, especially with me being so indecisive. The main thing is whether I can commit to a big builder job rather than the simpler bathroom refit.

 

[boringoldcodger]

Another suggestion is to swap the bath and basin round but use, e.g.,
http://www.sanctuary-bathrooms.co.u...uantum-space-saver-5mm-single-ended-bath.html
as the bath (again this'd probably need an outward opening door). Hopefully the bath would have narrowed sufficiently to be able to get past the toilet easily when going to the basin. (Needless to say I haven't worked out the sizes or getting things through the 600mm door)

I used to think I was indecisive, now I'm not so sure.

Cheers, Graham

 

[halfajack]

Great idea. I have to admit, I've never seen a bath quite like that before and it's given me much food for thought. I'll need to try and find one to see in person.

Any thoughts on whether the bigger building job would be worth it?

 

[boringoldcodger]

I've very little DIY experience, I'm OK at thinking about things but pretty useless at actually doing them (and foreseeing the inevitable problems).
If the wall, which you're thinking of knocking down, is brick (or stands any chance of supporting stuff above) then I'd leave it alone. Also I wouldn't fancy having my electric meter and fuse box (consumer unit ?) in the bathroom but I don't know the rules - worth asking in Electrics UK ? - certainly it's the sort of thing you'd need a professional to do any work on (you don't own your meter, so I assume you'd need your electric supplier's approval or they might insist on doing the work).

I might consider moving the wall so that it lines up with where the cupboards get deeper but 'cos of the waste pipe (to the left of the current basin) I'm not sure how you could usefully use that extra space as that pipe is a mini wall.

As you said originally, you've got a very cramped bathroom and making it better ain't straightforward.

Cheers, Graham