Find a Bathroom Fitter you can trust in North Shields.

Regardless of the quality or how perfect the products for your new bathroom are, getting the right bathroom fitter for your bathroom refit is just as important to your project as any other thing you can possibly think of. Hiring a fitter is quite simple, but hiring a fitter who can get the job done to your requirements is another thing entirely. To hire the right bathroom fitter, there’s the need to consider all the features of a bathroom as well as any specialized products you may have selected. For instance, you’re going to need a professional tiler if you have quartz resin tiles. Also, if you wish to fit some luxurious underfloor heating, you’d need the services of a qualified electrician. Here are some of the questions you should ask from your bathroom fitter when having your bathroom fitted.

• Have you got any experience working with this type of product? Each and every bathroom fitting job is unique. Your question should lean more towards whether or not the bathroom fitter possesses any experience working with the type and style of the product your selected rather simply asking the number of bathrooms they’ve fitted.
• Request a portfolio. Ask the bathroom fitter if they have any portfolio you can go through. This will give you a good idea of the quality of their works.
• Ask technical questions. Technical questions will go a long way to help you separate the boys from the men. The trick here is to know the answer beforehand, so when the prospective bathroom fitter provides an answer you’d know how good they are. 

Apart from the aesthetic benefits of modernising a bathroom suite, replacing older toilets, cracked baths, sinks and showers with modern energy and water efficient ones could save you money. Also, modern mixer taps offer more precise temperature control.

Once you have your new bathroom installed, or perhaps you’re only replacing the old downlights, you’d probably want to know how to go about fitting your new bathroom downlights. If yes, then you’re not alone! This is a very common question amongst several homeowners and we wish to guide you through once and for all. However, it must be said that if you are not a competent DIYer or probably lack the confidence or skills to pull this off, then it’s advisable to hire a professional to get the best results and also save yourself some money and time.

Here are the list of the tools you’ll need to fit your bathroom downlights: Tape measure, chalk line or laser, pencil, pad saw, hand drill, hole saw and screw drivers.

✓ Measure the bathroom ceiling and mark out the central point of the light which will be where the downlights will be placed. Drill a small pilot hole here.

✓ Check above the ceiling to ensure that there’s no pipes, joists or wires in the way. It’s always a good practice to make sure that there’s sufficient room around where the downlight is to be installed in order to avoid placing it too close to a joist or any other obstacle. You should try as much as possible to maintain a 6 inch gap around the spot where the downlight is placed to make sure the fitting does not overheat.

✓ Use a hole saw or a plasterboard saw to make the cut out for the downlight. Check the downlight’s box for instruction on the size.

✓ Once you’ve been able to make a clean cut ceiling hole, pull through the wiring through the hole so that the downlight can be wired. Once done, then you can fit the downlight into the hole by holding the two springs back against the sides of the downlighter and push up into the hole.

Is your bathroom sink damaged or old and looking fragile? If yes, then you’re most likely interested in fitting a new one as soon as possible. So how do you go about the installation of a new bathroom sink? This is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to bathroom sinks and for a good reason. The fact is, if you’re DIY competent, then this is a task that shouldn’t give you too many hard times. However, if you’re without a proper training or experience, we’d recommend hiring the services of a plumber to guarantee the best results as save yourself some time and additional money which may result from costly errors. In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to bathroom sink installation.

✓ Tap preparation. Apply a small amount of plumber’s mate putty to the base of the taps to be installed.

✓ Install the taps. Identify the taps holes in the sink and squeeze the taps firmly in place, fit the washers and back nuts to the sink’s underside.

✓ Wipe off excess putty. Use a suitable tool to wipe off excess putty that has been pressed out by the tap.

✓ Install the wastage drain. Fit the wastage drain easily into the sink in such a way that the back and front (not side to side) is faced by the two wastage holes.

✓ Tighten the wastage pipe. Squeeze the wastage pipe in, include the washer on the opposite side as well as the nut. Tighten properly with an adjustable spanner and wipe off excess put using a screwdriver or any suitable tool.

✓ Fit the sink to the wall. Put the bolts in position before hanging the sink. Once done, then bolt the sink to the wall and tighten the nut with an adjustable spanner.

✓ Ensure that it’s level with the help of a spirit level.

Are you thinking about installing a new bathroom in your home? One thing that commonly crosses most homeowner’s mind is whether a task can be done by themselves without having to call on a professional for help and in turn, save them some money. So if you’re also thinking along this route, then you’re not alone!

Asides the kitchen, no other home project is probably more involved when talking about the systems as well as skills required. At times, it can be so complicated most expert DIYers will take a deep breathe before carrying out a remodelling job for a bathroom. Basically, bathroom installation will include electrical works, plumbing works as well as tile works which all requires a highly skilled tradesman. It’s the type of work where every square foot counts as it’s a dense, tight work. Apart from that, there are usually some frequent surprises here and there such as identifying rotting joists as well as sub floor underneath a leaking shower or terribly rusted cast iron plumbing stacks. And to round it all up, you’ll also have to deal with the time pressure that comes with a bathroom remodelling project as the room is a highly essential space within the home. As a DIYer you’ll be under immense pressure to get it all over with as soon as possible for continued usage.

The solution to all the problems is simply to call in a professional who can help you manage the project from start to finish. The advantage of this is that you’ll get a good job done and probably in a quicker time than you would have. However, the main reason why most homeowners might not want to hire a pro to handle their bathroom remodelling job is because of money. Ultimately, if you feel confident enough you can go ahead and do the task yourself. If not, then calling in a reliable professional would be your best bet.

How Much To Tile A Bathroom?

Are you thinking about doing a full renovation or just a facelift of one of the most used rooms in your home - the bathroom? Thanks to its little maintenance requirements, tiling is the most obvious choice for wet areas as well as the popular decoration option for bathrooms. So if you’re planning to tile your bathroom how much is it going to cost?

Just like several other home improvement options, the cost of tiling a bathroom is influenced by a wide range of factors which makes it almost impossible to provide a single, accurate answer to the question. These factors include the size of your bathroom, the materials to be used, the professional tiling company hired and many more.

To calculate the cost of your bathroom tiling, you’ll need to determine the size of the area to be tiled. Simply work out the number of tiles you’ll need by multiplying the width and height and include about 10 percent to cover for possible errors. Generally, tiles can cost from £5 to £20 and more depending on your choice of design. Other materials you’ll have to purchase include tile adhesive, grout and silicone. If you don’t have the necessary tools make sure to get a tile cutter, measuring tape as well as a mixing bucket.

If you want to hire a professional for your bathroom tiling project, you should also consider any work that’ll need to be done before fitting the tiles such as the removal of the old tiles. This can have a great impact on the labour cost, so if you’re intending to save some money you can start by removing the old tiles yourself. Overall, depending on your location and the tiler’s experience can expect to incur about £20 to £40 per square metre. However, some tradesmen can charge a daily rate of about £150 to £200.

It's not a difficult task to replace an old toilet, as long as you can connect it to an existing branch of the soil pipe. You can cut your water usage significantly by fitting a dual flush toilet mechanism.

Step 1

Follow the manual's guidelines, assemble and insert the flush mechanism. Make sure you include the rubber sealing rings where necessary.

Step 2

Place the large rubber gasket into the flush ingang of the pan.

Step 3

Insert the  bolts through the holes in the cistern, using the rubber and large metal washers supplied.

Step 4

Lift the cistern into the pan so the connecting bolts fit through the holes. The threaded section of the flush mechanism should go through the rubber gasket on the flush entrance of the pan.

Step 5

Fit washers to the connecting bolts, and tighten the wing nuts. Make sure you fit these securely - but don't over-tighten them.

Step 6

check if there are no either pipes or cables below the fixing points. Put the toilet in place, and slide the pan outlet into the flexible connector that's attached to the soil pipe. Then drill some pilot holes into the floor at the fixing points. If it's a solid floor, you'll need to make the holes with a hammer-action drill and plug them.

Step 7

Push plastic protective inserts through the holes in the base of the pan, and insert the retaining screws through and into the floor. If the cistern has fixing holes in the back, attach it to the wall by drilling and plugging. Remember to add rubber washers before you tighten the nuts.

Step 8

Connect the supply pipe for the cold water feed, using a push-fit tap connector.

Step 9

Fit the hinge assembly to the seat, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Step 10

Connect the seat to the pan by securing through the holes at the back, using the screws supplied. Then adjust it to sit in the correct position.

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.