Bathroom strip-out in Edinburgh

What does a bathroom strip-out cost in Edinburgh?

Our guide range in Edinburgh is £600–£1,750 including VAT. Prices in Edinburgh run at about 4% below the UK guide, based on Scotland labour rates.

Typical

Strip-out only

£600–£950

Waste taken away

Strip-out and prep

£950–£1,750

Walls boarded or patched

Back to brick

£1,450–£2,900

Rotten timber found and repaired

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

Which towns do we cover in Edinburgh?

Water across much of Edinburgh is soft. Soft water is kind to grout, so mid-tone and darker grouts stay looking fresh. Hardness varies street by street, so check the figure for your postcode with your water supplier. For Queensferry homes built before 2000, we ask about textured ceilings and old floor tiles before quoting a strip-out.

What the job includes

Dust sheets and floor protection on the route out through the house
Lights, fan, shaver socket and heated rail disconnected and made safe by a qualified electrician where needed
Removal of the bath or shower tray, enclosure, basin, WC, furniture and accessories
The soil pipe sealed against smells once the WC is off
Wall and floor tiles taken off with as little damage as possible to sound plaster
Isolating the water and capping the supply to each fitting with a proper end, then checking for leaks

Decisions to make first

Keep or lose the plaster

Tiles often come off leaving plaster that can be tiled again. If the plaster comes away with them, the wall is boarded or re-plastered.

Timing

Strip out just before the fit rather than weeks ahead, so the house is without a bathroom for as short a time as possible.

Asbestos testing

In a home built before 2000, a sample test before work starts settles whether a ceiling coating, floor tile or boxing panel needs specialist removal.

The floor

Old vinyl or tiles on a ply overlay can come up with the ply. Tiles bonded to a screed may need grinding back or overlaying instead.

Rules that apply in Scotland

Homes built before 2000 can contain asbestos in textured ceiling coatings, old floor tiles, cistern lids and boxing panels, so suspect materials should be tested before strip-out if there is any doubt. Bathroom waste should be taken away by a licensed waste carrier. Disconnecting electrical items should leave every circuit safe and is a job for a qualified electrician, and any work near a boiler or gas pipe is for a Gas Safe registered engineer.

In Scotland, removal work does not need a building warrant, but structural work, altering drainage or forming a new bathroom afterwards may. Where a warrant is needed, it has to be granted before that work starts, so plan the strip-out around it.

Bathroom strip-out in Edinburgh: questions

How much does a bathroom strip-out cost in Edinburgh?

A bathroom strip-out in Edinburgh typically costs £600–£1,750 including VAT, based on Scotland prices. The free survey and itemised written quote give you the exact figure for your home.

Which towns in Edinburgh do you cover?

We cover the whole of Edinburgh, including Queensferry, Colinton, Currie and Balerno. If your town is not listed, we still cover it — get in touch with your postcode.

How long does a bathroom strip-out take?

Most jobs take 1–2 working days on site once the products have arrived. We confirm a start date and a day-by-day plan when you approve the quote.

Is the water hard in Edinburgh?

What happens to the water and toilet during a strip-out?

The bathroom supplies are isolated and capped so the rest of the house keeps its water, and the soil pipe is sealed to stop smells. If there are no isolation valves, the water may be off to the whole house for a short time. If the bathroom has your only WC, raise it at the survey so the toilet comes out as late as possible.