Bathroom design in Greater Manchester

What does a new bathroom design cost in Greater Manchester?

Design has no separate fee on a supply-and-fit job. A complete fitted bathroom in Greater Manchester typically costs £6,100–£11,250 including VAT. Prices in Greater Manchester run at about 6% below the UK guide, based on North West England labour rates.

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

Which towns do we cover in Greater Manchester?

• Manchester
• Oldham
• Wigan
• Bolton
• Stockport
• Salford
• Rochdale
• Sale
• Bury
• Altrincham
• Middleton
• Ashton-under-Lyne
• Leigh
• Stretford
• Urmston
• Chadderton
• Eccles
• Tyldesley
• Hyde
• Walkden
• Prestwich
• Radcliffe
• Cheadle Hulme
• Heywood
• Denton
• Stalybridge
• Ashton in Makerfield
• Westhoughton
• Farnworth
• Saddleworth
• Hindley
• Droylsden
• Whitefield
• Swinton
• Royton
• Atherton
• Old Trafford
• Dukinfield
• Failsworth
• Hazel Grove
• Irlam
• Horwich
• Bramhall
• Ramsbottom
• Bredbury

Water across much of Greater Manchester is soft. That leaves you free to choose matt black, brushed brass or clear glass without worrying much about limescale. Hardness varies street by street, so check the figure for your postcode with your water supplier. If you are in Manchester and weighing a bath against a walk-in shower, the layout options show both with their prices.

What the job includes

• Checks on the soil stack, waste routes, joist direction, water pressure, hot water system and existing electrics
• A written, itemised quote, with the price fixed in writing once the layout and products are agreed
• A lighting and electrical plan showing switches, fittings, shaver socket and extractor fan
• A conversation about who uses the room, when, and what does not work about the current one
• Elevations and tile layouts on a design, supply and fit project, so the setting-out is agreed before tiling starts
• A product list covering the suite, brassware, furniture, tiles, lighting and ventilation

Decisions to make first

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.