What are the best policies for bathroom planning?

[Live&Learn]

Hello all.

I've just bought a 3 bed mid-terrace and have been informed that the bathroom needs a full rip-out and redone.

I like to do things properly.

Is there a website which determines the best places things should go? Or can I glean this information from your combined experience? Obviously I have got a couple of quotes but I worry (and have experienced) that more often than not businesses just want to offer what's easiest/most profitable for them.

I have attached a basic room plan and what is currently in the room here.

I don't have a budget as such, I will spend whatever needs to be spent. I want to keep costs low but I want it to look and feel nice. My only requirements are a Japanese toilet, full tiling, and a shower over bath. I would like the waste sink water to be reused as flush water but if that's too much hassle I'd rather not.

I'm happy to pay mid range prices to have it look nice.

https://www.diynot.com/diy/attachments/room-plan-png.177193/
https://www.diynot.com/diy/attachments/toilet-false-wall-opened-jpg.177197/
https://www.diynot.com/diy/attachments/toilet-false-wall-opened-1-jpg.177195/
https://www.diynot.com/diy/attachments/toilet-behind-false-wall-jpg.177194/


Another thread I made regarding the house in general is here: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/which-tradesman-for-which-job.534271

Thanks for all your help if you can afford it!

 

[MeldrewsMate]

I think we all would like to do things without compromise, but real life always forces compromises.

I assume the Japanese toilet is of the type that wipes your bum, washes and polishes it too? If so you'll need an electrical supply for it as well as the water and drainage. In my opinion the location of the existing drains and the run of the flooring joists have the most influence on the location of bathroom fittings, so some skilled help in those areas would be a help - have ANY of the bathroom sales outlets shown any interest in these?

Are you replacing the shower with a bath, and doing without the shower cubicle?
An observation is that it appears the toilet waste is fed via a flexible pipe into an angled pan connector, the sort which has the spigot for a 32mm basin connection, and I have yet to find one which has the correct 40mm spiggot to suit a bath or shower waste pipe...so sorting that out would be a good start.
As for re-using the basin water, I'm not experienced in this area but would imagine that the basin waste (and bath waste for that matter) would be fed by gravity into a 'grey water' tank via gravity, there to be filtered and clarified before being of use in toilet flushing (would your bum wiping toilet tolerate anything less than clean water through its heated jet-wash?) and that tank would occupy space below the bathroom, and then you'd need a pump to get it back up to the toilet....all this in a 3 bed mid-terrace? Have you a cellar?
Please, please, please don't consider a Saniflow or similar as a means to lift waste water to a loft unless you really, really have to. They are problems personified IMO.

Will you continue to have the (new) shower screen overlapping the window?

All practical businesses have a profit motive, some much more than others, hence the phrase 'caveat emptor'. It is your job to find one that explains the compromises they are making and why, and your job to satisfy yourself that each compromise is worth the money/time/upheaval saved.

 

[Live&Learn]

I think we all would like to do things without compromise, but real life always forces compromises.

I assume the Japanese toilet is of the type that wipes your bum, washes and polishes it too? If so you'll need an electrical supply for it as well as the water and drainage. In my opinion the location of the existing drains and the run of the flooring joists have the most influence on the location of bathroom fittings, so some skilled help in those areas would be a help - have ANY of the bathroom sales outlets shown any interest in these?

Sorry, the quotes aren't formal. I will get a few in and get some plans

Are you replacing the shower with a bath, and doing without the shower cubicle?

Yes, I would love both a shower cubicle and a bath but I believe there' not enough space

An observation is that it appears the toilet waste is fed via a flexible pipe into an angled pan connector, the sort which has the spigot for a 32mm basin connection, and I have yet to find one which has the correct 40mm spiggot to suit a bath or shower waste pipe...so sorting that out would be a good start.

Thanks, I will look into that.

As for re-using the basin water, I'm not experienced in this area but would imagine that the basin waste (and bath waste for that matter) would be fed by gravity into a 'grey water' tank via gravity, there to be filtered and clarified before being of use in toilet flushing (would your bum wiping toilet tolerate anything less than clean water through its heated jet-wash?) and that tank would occupy space below the bathroom, and then you'd need a pump to get it back up to the toilet....all this in a 3 bed mid-terrace? Have you a cellar?

I have no cellar. Apologies if I misunderstand you, but I believe (hope) the bum spray and the flush water are two different sources. If not then I will not proceed with reusing the waste water. I've just seen "basin over toilet" toilets and assume I could follow through with that system, and keep the cold water tap to be used for the bidet function.

Please, please, please don't consider a Saniflow or similar as a means to lift waste water to a loft unless you really, really have to. They are problems personified IMO.

I'll be sure to avoid that.

Will you continue to have the (new) shower screen overlapping the window?

I'd rather not, it looks revolting.

All practical businesses have a profit motive, some much more than others, hence the phrase 'caveat emptor'. It is your job to find one that explains the compromises they are making and why, and your job to satisfy yourself that each compromise is worth the money/time/upheaval saved.

Yes of course, but as a layman with no experience I wouldn't know how much information is BS. Just like I didn't know that I could change my car oil for £40 tops and I kept paying £200 each time for a "proper" job...only to notice that even the main dealer managed to over-fill it one time...

 

[MeldrewsMate]

...and the old drainage pipes coming from the soil stack (large grey) pipe seem to be unsealed, a source of stinks.

 

[Ryler]

Its a shame its so narrow.