Shower or Bath Fitting in Northern Ireland

If you just acquired an electric shower or thinking about getting one soon, one of the first things that comes to mind is who to call on for help to handle its installation. Well, if you’re confused about the perfect tradesperson you’re certainly not alone! As we’re always told that electrics and water don’t mix, so who do you call when buying an electric shower? Is it a plumber, an electrician or probably someone who with a knowledge of both? Well, you’d find the answer here as we’ve created this post specifically to resolve this concern once and for all.

Refurbishing and renovating any part of one’s home always tends to be a tricky and daunting prospect and without a single doubt, the bathroom is not an exception. With a wide array of things to put into consideration such as plumbing as well as bathroom electrical safety, it always pays to have all your bathroom related questions answered before you go ahead to employ a tradesperson.

Being fully aware any task involving electrical works can be very dangerous, anyone that takes on a job such as fitting an electric shower must be qualified to work with electrics safely. This is referred to in the building regulations sections which is termed as part P dealing with domestic electricals, as such you may hear tradespeople term themselves as being “Part P qualified. What this implies is that they’re registered with a competent persons scheme like ELESCA OR NICEIC to self certify their work. Due to the high risk involved in their field, all electricians should be able to self certify their work, whereas only some plumbers should also be able to do the same. As a result, dedicated bathroom fitting companies should possess individuals who can deal with the plumbing, electrics as well as tasks such as tiling.

Once you’ve chosen the perfect feature to suit the shape and style of your bathroom, it’s time to start putting it to good use. Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to install a bath, but first of all, below are the preparatory tools;

Preparation

Before you install a bath, there are some things that needs to be taken into considerations.Once you have decided where you are going to install your bath, use an electronic detector to make sure there are no hidden pipes or wires in the walls where you will be securing the fittings. It is also advisable to choose walls that have a stud so that you can attach your fittings so strongly.

When assembling your bath, lay it on top of a rug or blanket to ensure it doesn’t get scratched, and remove any protective film from the areas you will be working on, such as around the drain and tap fittings, as well as the sides where the bath will sit against the wall. Always turn off the water at the mains beforehand.

Note: The installation process will vary, depending on the design of your bath. It is always necessary to consult the manufacturer instructions alongside this guide.

MATERIALS

• Drill and appropriate drill bit
• Screwdriver
• Spirit level
• Tape measurer
• Hammer
• Pencil
• Caulking gun and silicone sealant

You’ll also need an extra pair of hands to help manoeuvre the bath into place.

Step 1

Attach the legs and the fittings by securing the appropriate bolts and channels, and then attach the feet.

Step 2

Measure and adjust the bath's position, Once you are sure that your bath is level, mark the places where it will be secured into the walls and floor. If your bath comes with wall fittings, use your pencil to mark the place where they will be secured to the walls. Do the same for the floor fittings.

Step 3

Prepare the wall for the fittings, align it with the wall at the location you marked and use your spirit level to make sure it is even. Drill holes and secure in place, making sure you use fittings that are suitable for the type of walls in your bathroom.

Step 4

Secure your bath by moving the bath back into the final position and align it with the holes you created, or on top of the timber batten. Once again, check that it is level. Turn the water back on and check for any leaks.

Step 5

Seal around the rim, fill it with water and trace silicone sealant around the edges, where the rim meets the wall. Allow it to dry for the recommended time.

The bath waste is primarily responsible for the safe drainage of the bath once the plug is removed. Generally, it’s connected to the overflow which enables excess water to go away if the plug is in and the bath is overfilled. There are times whereby the bath waste can corrode and start to leak, so when this happens its important to replace the components so as to make sure that there’s no excessive water damage as well as other complications. This is a task any DIYer, regardless of the experience level can achieve, however if you lack the confidence to pull this off, then we’d recommend you get in touch with a professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we aim to take you through the bath waste fitting process to ensure you do it the right way. Let’s take a look!

• Remove the old bath waste. Do this by unscrewing the screw probably located at the centre of the waste cover. Then pull the outer cover away from the bath. Locate a larger washer underneath and lift it out, the clean the hole of any old sealant to make a smooth entry for the new waste.
• Disconnect the connector and pipe. Locate the plastic pipe that runs from the bottom of the bath to the overflow rose high up at the bath’s end. You’ll observe a connector at each end of the pipe, remove the pipe from the connectors and unscrew both connectors.
• Connect new fittings to new pipe. Take the new plastic waste and connect it to one end of the new plastic pipe and repeat the same process at the other end with the plastic overflow.
• Connect to the bath. Push or screw the waste up into the hole underneath the bath and connect into the trap pipe underneath. Push the new overflow into the bath’s back and on the front then screw I the rose or the cover of the new overflow.

A bathroom is not only a pretty big investment, but also one that requires thorough planning and consideration before the work can be kick started. This is a task all homeowners will all have to go through at least once and even more so when things break or become worn too terribly to consider repair. As a result, when it comes to fitting a shower you can be sure to dig a bit deep into your pocket to start and get the project over the line. In general, the cost of your new bathroom tend to vary based on the shower installation company or plumber you choose to hire, your location, the materials required, the type of shower and other furnishings chosen and more. In this post, we aim to give you a good insight into the shower fitting pricing so as to help you help you make informed decisions moving forward.

Generally, a standard shower usually costs within the range of £100 to £120 for installation and this usually takes about 3 hours to complete. For an electric shower, you should expect to incur within the range of £100 to £150 on the plumber and a similar price range for the electrician as well. And for the shower enclosure, you can expect to pay within the range of £150 to £250 for the labour and it’ll take up to 4 hours to complete. You’ll also factor in the taps,tiling, underfloor heating, extractor fan, bath, basin and toilet.

Overall, for a complete renovation of your shower, you can expect to incur within the range of £3000 to £5000 with the average duration of the job being 10 days. Meanwhile for a standard installation (only for bathroom fixtures), this will often cost within the range of £2000 to £2500 with an average job length of around 5 days.