Bathroom Renovation – Plumbing Works

A bathroom renovation typically involves multiple trades: demolition, tiling, electrical, and plumbing. Our responsibility covers water – everything related to water pipes, drainage, drains, gradients, and sanitary equipment. In practice, this part dictates the entire renovation schedule, as the tiler cannot begin work without completed pipework.

• Demolition of old pipework and sanitaryware
• New domestic water pipework to new appliance locations, including shut-off valves
• Reconstruction of drainage branches and connection to the riser
• Drain installation and preparation for floor gradients
• In-wall frame and cistern
• Washing machine and dishwasher connections
• Pressure test of rough-in plumbing before tiling
• Final sanitaryware installation after tiling
• Final inspection: leak test, drainage check, caulking

Bathroom plumbing works are always divided into two distinct stages, separated by the tiler's and waterproofing specialist's work. This division is not an organisational preference but the only technically feasible sequence.

Renovating an apartment bathroom is not an entirely free activity. Part of the system belongs to the apartment owner, part is common property of the building – and the boundary between them is where the most troublesome disputes with the apartment association arise.

• The riser is generally common property – its alteration must be coordinated with the apartment association.
• The branch inside the apartment, beyond the shut-off valve, is usually the owner's responsibility.
• Ventilation shafts must not be sealed off or have their draught reduced.
• An access panel must remain for the riser – a fully tiled riser is a future problem.
• Changing the location of wet rooms within the apartment requires attention to the neighbour's ceiling below.
• Changing floor height and load is not unlimited.

If water stands on the bathroom floor after a shower, the tile or drain is not to blame, but the gradient. Water only moves where the floor directs it, and the gradient is created in the levelling compound before tiling – it cannot be corrected later.

• The drain is installed before the gradients, and its height determines the entire floor level.
• The gradient is created uniformly across the entire shower area towards the drain.
• A linear drain along the wall allows for simpler, one-directional gradients and larger tiles.
• A central point drain requires four-directional gradients and smaller tiles or cuts.
• The drain must have a water trap – without it, sewage odours will enter the room.
• The drain flange must be compatible with the waterproofing system used.
• The drain must remain accessible for cleaning – the basket and water trap should be removable.

Waterproofing is the bathroom's last line of defence. Its purpose is not to keep water on the tiles, but to ensure that moisture seeping through tile joints does not reach the building structure or the neighbour's ceiling. A tile joint is not waterproof – it has always been a wear-and-tear material.

The boundary between plumbing and insulation is precisely at the penetrations. Every pipe passing through the floor or a wet wall is a point where the waterproofing layer is interrupted and must be properly reinstated with a collar. The same applies to drain flanges and the fixings of in-wall frames. If these points are prepared carelessly, even the most expensive insulation material will not save the situation.

• All wet zone penetrations are completed before insulation, not after.
• The drain flange must be compatible with the insulation material.
• Corners and floor-to-wall junctions require reinforcement with tape or collars.
• Fixing points for in-wall frames must not penetrate the insulation layer uncontrollably.
• No drilling into walls or floors after insulation.

Bathroom pipework is short but heavily utilised. It has the highest concentration of appliances per square metre and the most frequent usage cycles. The choice of material and design affects noise, pressure fluctuations, and future maintainability.

Most bathroom problems arise not from use, but from decisions made during renovation. These mistakes are repeated from project to project.

• No gradient or gradient away from the drain – water stands on the floor.
• Riser tiled over completely without an access panel.
• Waterproofing omitted or only applied under the shower area.
• Penetrations insulated with silicone instead of collars.
• Appliance locations decided after pipework installation.
• Shut-off valves omitted to save money during renovation.
• Ventilation opening covered or draught unchecked – resulting in mould.
• Pressure test omitted, and pipework tiled over.
• Cheap tap or cistern with no available spare parts later.

Plumbing works don't span the entire renovation, but they are split into two different periods with waiting time in between. This is what makes scheduling difficult: if rough-in is delayed by a day, the entire renovation shifts by the same amount.

• Demolition – typically half to one day.
• Rough-in and pressure test – one to two days.
• Waterproofing and tiling – another trade's stage, plumber waits.
• Final installation – one day, depending on the number of appliances.
• Smaller upgrade without pipework reconstruction – often one day.

The price of bathroom plumbing works is based on the scope of work, not the square metres of the room. A small bathroom where all appliances move to new locations is more work-intensive than a large bathroom where appliances remain in place.

• Whether appliance locations change or stay the same.
• Extent of pipework reconstruction and proportion of in-wall installation.
• Drain type – point drain or linear drain.
• Wall-hung toilet frame and its mounting options.
• Number and type of sanitary appliances.
• Condition of old pipework and complexity of demolition.
• Riser access in an apartment building and need for coordination.
• Whether materials are supplied by the client or by us.

A properly built bathroom is almost maintenance-free, but some things wear out, and ignoring them only becomes apparent when damage has already occurred.

• Inspect silicone joints every three to five years.
• Clean drain baskets and water traps every few months.
• Check ventilation draught – a blocked opening means moisture and mould.
• Close the washing machine valve during long absences.
• Clean tap aerators if water flow weakens.
• Check cistern mechanism if the toilet constantly leaks water.
• Investigate any wet patch or mould streak immediately, not in spring.

The biggest risk in bathroom renovation is diffused responsibility: the tiler says the pipework was wrong, the plumber says the gradient was the tiler's job. We handle the entire plumbing scope as a single responsible party and guarantee our work.

• Rough-in and final installation by the same team.
• Documented pressure test before tiling.
• Penetrations and drain flanges correctly prepared for insulation.
• Shut-off valves and access panels are part of the solution, not an extra charge.
• Warranty on work and materials installed by us.
• 24/7 emergency service if an unexpected issue arises during renovation.