Fitting a replacement bathroom suite

[KentGull]

Is this the kind of job that an average DIYer (me) could do or are there specialists tools etc required?

 

[AJS]

If it helps, I did it and I am an average DIY'er. The biggest problem was not having a bath or toilet whilst the work was going on, cos I am really slow. I also had some leaks on the cistern inlet that took a couple of attempts. So long as you have the usual set of tools, screwdrivers, etc, you should be OK. You will probably need a decent size wrench (stilsons) and a basin spanner, although this is quite cheap to buy. Also you need to know how to join copper pipe, and have the tools to do so. The only other problem I had was getting the right fitting for the toilet to the soilpipe. I couldn't get this in the usual DIY stores, but did a lot of measuring and went to my local plumbers merchant and they knew what I needed immediately. Like everything, take things one step at a time.

 

[Goofyish]

I'm about halfway through my bathroom re-fit and it's taking about 10 times longer than I planned!

The bath and shower are all finished and all tiling around that area complete. The tiling behind the wash basin is complete. I attempted to fit the basin on Saturday, but it was one of those days that nothing went right! The waste trap didn't line up with the pipe in the wall, when I drill the wall for the fixings I hit the frog in the brick, the waste on the basin didn't seal etc etc.. in the end I left it before I through the basin out the window and went to watch the rugby - that really cheered me up!

Haven't touched the bog yet, so looking forward to tackling that one

 

[AdamW]

Frog in the brick?

I am about to completely refit my bathroom (as soon as Wickes actually find the suite I paid for weeks ago) and thought I had done all my research, not to mention bought every bit I need (my living room is full of tiles, flooring, piping and tools). Now I read about frogs in bricks! What is this, and am I likely to hit one in a block wall?

 

[Goofyish]

Frog - the indentation in the face of a brick, which makes it both easy to handle and bed into mortar.

 

[masona]

The frog should always be up and sometime if the bricklayer don't fill the frog with mortar properly the drill tend to feel hollow inside.

 

[breezer]

we had a debate about a frog in a brick years ago on this forum, wonder if its still here................hm.............

 

[KentGull]

Thanks one and all. Looks like I'd better take more than week off work for this one. Wish me luck!

KG

 

[AdamW]

Oh, that is what a frog is.

I think I have an overfed toad in my bathroom: took the tiles off the wall and found that some time in the past there was a shower plumbed into that wall, only whoever installed it seemed to cut a recess out of the block wall using dynamite. Seriously, it looks like someone left their chisels at home that day so just whacked it with a lump hammer until the hole was big enough. So I am going to have to find out if it is possible to buy a single breezeblock, or 3 bricks!

 

[breezer]

Q & B sell single.............bricks, breeze blocks

 

[AdamW]

Q & B sell single.............bricks, breeze blocks

That'll be a tenner each then

Thanks for the tip, I had visions of having to either buy a whole pallet, or having to rely on someone else having a couple spare from building a garden wall or similar.

Last of the big spenders me, off to buy a brick tomorrow no expense spared (they will think I am strange!)