Bathroom design in County Durham

What does a new bathroom design cost in County Durham?

Design has no separate fee on a supply-and-fit job. A complete fitted bathroom in County Durham typically costs £5,800–£10,750 including VAT. Prices in County Durham run at about 10% below the UK guide, based on North East England labour rates.

Guide prices for County Durham including VAT. Your itemised written quote after the free survey is the price that counts.

Which towns do we cover in County Durham?

• Darlington
• Hartlepool
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Durham
• Chester-le-Street
• Billingham
• Stanley
• Consett
• Newton Aycliffe
• Bishop Auckland
• Seaham
• Thornaby-on-Tees
• Peterlee
• Yarm
• Spennymoor

Water across much of County Durham is moderately hard. Easy-clean glass and good-quality brassware are money well spent. Hardness varies street by street, so check the figure for your postcode with your water supplier. We measure Darlington bathrooms on site before drawing anything, so layouts are based on your walls rather than a standard plan.

What the job includes

• A conversation about who uses the room, when, and what does not work about the current one
• A product list covering the suite, brassware, furniture, tiles, lighting and ventilation
• A measured survey of the room, including ceiling heights, slopes, window and door positions and any boxing
• Checks on the soil stack, waste routes, joist direction, water pressure, hot water system and existing electrics
• A lighting and electrical plan showing switches, fittings, shaver socket and extractor fan
• Layout options drawn to scale, showing the bath or shower, WC, basin, storage and towel rail

Decisions to make first

Planning for later

Timber noggins in the walls for future grab rails, a wider door or a level shower floor cost far less to build in now than to add later.

Keep or change the layout

Keeping the WC and shower where they are saves on plumbing. The WC is the costly one to move, because it is tied to the soil stack.

Tile setting-out

Centring tiles on the window, basin or niche avoids thin slivers at the edges. Large tiles mean fewer joints but need flatter walls.

Storage

Fitted furniture, a vanity with a tall cupboard, or recessed niches and a mirror cabinet. Recessed storage costs no floor space but needs a stud wall or deep boxing to sit in.

Rules that apply in England

Changing the layout inside an existing bathroom does not need planning permission. The design does have to respect the electrical zones around the bath and shower under BS 7671, the water fittings rules for new WCs and taps, including a maximum 6-litre flush, and adequate extract ventilation. Listed buildings need listed building consent for alterations affecting their character, including new soil or vent pipes through walls, and in a flat the lease often requires freeholder consent for moving the WC or adding a new vent.

In England, a new connection to the soil stack or new drainage can be building regulations work under Part H, and new circuits or alterations to circuits in the bathroom are notifiable under Part P. Where a new bathroom is formed, Approved Document F asks for extract at 15 l/s intermittent or 8 l/s continuous.