A Complete New Bathroom Checklist

We’ve compiled a complete new bathroom checklist to help ensure your self-build new bathroom or bathroom renovation goes as smoothly as possible. The team here at Boro Bathrooms have 43 years’ experience in the bathroom industry. We have used all of this knowledge to compile this comprehensive checklist in the hope it may help you complete the bathroom of your dreams!

Our customers have the opportunity to purchase our ex display bathrooms, end-of-line, and returned products through our bathroom clearance selection. If you’re set on keeping everything brand new and building from scratch, we also offer a selection of bathroom products, including shower supplies and commercial toilets.

But that’s enough about us for now – onto the new bathroom checklist! A completely new bathroom can add value to your property, increase comfort, and improve your water and energy efficiency. So it’s often a job well worth doing. This checklist is suitable for homeowners, landlords, and anyone else thinking of a self-build or major renovation. So, without further ado…

Proper planning and a realistic budget

Fail to prepare and prepare to fail, as they say. It’s usually true in almost all cases, too. Proper and careful planning will ensure the end result is as exactly as you expected or wanted it to be, or as close as possible to it. You also need to plan for time. You need to make sure there aren’t too many disruptions caused by your new bathroom checklist coming into practice. 

How long will the bathroom be out of action? How will this affect the household or property and the people inside it? Do you need to make other arrangements? These are just some of the questions worth asking before embarking on your bathroom renovation journey. 

Set a realistic budget

According to Checkatrade, the cost of a new bathroom refit is between £5000 and £8000. You may be able to splash out a little more than that or have a tighter budget, but either way, it’s really easy to overspend! So making sure you set out a realistic budget and sticking to it is important. It will ensure you don’t have to find extra cash or sacrifice on some of your design choices later on down the line. For this reason, you should also include around 10-15% contingency in your budget for any unexpected surprises.

For more information, you can have a read of our other blog – How Much Is a New Bathroom?

Check regulations

You must ensure your new bathroom design idea abides by UK building regulations, which covers requirements such as ventilation and electrical safety. You may also need to consider water regulations, especially if you are fitting a new bathroom within a commercial property.

Take inspiration

You may already have a clear idea in mind of how you want your new bathroom to look. But window shopping and getting inspiration from other areas may help you to boost your ideas or motivate new ones. You can create a mood board, browse through online catalogues, or come and visit one of our showrooms in Bury or Rochdale. Here, you can see our products and bathrooms up close, feel the texture of our materials, and get advice from experienced staff members.

Measure twice

And then measure again! You need accurate dimensions of your space for layout planning. This includes where you plan to place your features, storage units, and lighting products.

Get your pipes and power in order

Assess your existing plumbing and electrics. Will they need upgrading or rerouting? If so, this will be another factor to consider in your budget, especially if you require a professional tradesman. It will be cheaper and require less work if your existing features are simply swapped out for new ones in their existing space.

Water pressure check

If you wish to upgrade your shower to a power shower or rainfall shower, you may want to check your water pressure first just in case. Sometimes, a lack of adequate pressure won’t allow these types of showers to function as well as they should. Additional equipment, like a water pump, may be required in this case.

Consider professional help

An architect or bathroom designer can help you with the initial stages of your new bathroom refit. Here at Boro Bathrooms, we provide a design and install service to make your installation a breeze. You may also require a plumber or electrician if you are not qualified or experienced enough to take on any plumbing or electrical work.

Layout and design

With planning now sorted, here are some questions to consider when thinking about the layout and design of your new bathroom:

• Where will the toilet, sink, and bath go?
• What level of storage do you require?
• How bright do you want the space to be?
• Does it need to be future proofed?
• Do you have adequate ventilation?
• How would you like to heat the room?

Here is the first part of your new bathroom checklist:

New bathroom features

The second part of your new bathroom checklist – choosing your new bathroom features. We’ve included the most common features in this table, with items that every bathroom would need, no matter the location or purpose.

Bathroom feature	What to consider
Bath	You can choose a standard, freestanding, corner, or whirlpool bath. Do you need to save on space or have you got room to play with? Does it need to meet accessibility needs? Consider materials and sizes too.
Shower	You can choose a walk-in, enclosure, or over bath shower. There’s also the option of a tray or wet room. Whichever you choose you need to consider if you need a power supply. Is it electric, mixer, or thermostatic?
Toilet	There are a range of wall hung and rimless toilets now available that make cleaning easier. You can also consider a soft close lid to avoid any early morning clatters!
Sink	Would you prefer a countertop, pedestal, semi-recessed, or wall mounted sink? Single or double taps? Think about how much space you have and how many people are going to be using the sink.
Lighting	The lighting options for a bathroom are almost endless. Ceiling spotlights, mirror lights, LEDs, the list goes on. Think about what mood you want to create, and how much work is required for installation. Ensure all lights are IP-rated for bathrooms.

Storage options

In the earlier layout and design section of the checklist, you will have hopefully decided on where your storage options will go, and how much space you have for them. Now it’s time to decide on the storage options you would like! Your choices should match or complement the bathroom features you chose above in terms of both style and aesthetics.

Here are some things you should consider for the storage options in your new bathroom: 

Storage options	What to consider
Built-in vs freestanding	Freestanding storage options will take up more floor space, but built-in options can often take longer to install.
Vanity units with drawers	A vanity unit complements a sink with a storage cabinet or drawers underneath. Here you can organise your towels, cosmetics, or any other bathroom essentials.
Mirrored cabinets	These are usually installed above your sink, but the placement is totally up to you. Offers two functions that save on space – a bathroom stalwart!
Alcoves	Often built into the wall of a shower for shampoo and soap bottles etc. A simple storage option but one that keeps the sides of your bath free from clutter.
Accessories	Towel hooks, shelves, and laundry bins are all examples of accessories that can help save on space and organise your bathroom.

Stripping the old bathroom (if you have one)

This can often be a fun part of a new bathroom renovation! Stripping the room bare! Get your hammer, chisel, or whatever tool you require to remove everything, leaving a blank canvas for you to work your design magic. Often, at this stage, you may make adjustments to your original design and layout planning. Once you strip a bathroom bare, you may realise you have more space than you thought, or just see design opportunities completely differently without the visual influence of the old layout. This is also an opportunity to make sure you have the correct measurements one last time!

Plumbing and electrical work

Up to now, you have chosen your bathroom features, decided where they are going to go, and settled on what lighting you require. Before we do anything else it’s time to make sure all the wires and pipes are in the right place. This is often the time when things can start to get a whole lot messier, especially if you need to move piping and electrical components around.

If you are not professionally qualified to do this work, you should consider hiring a tradesperson. Preferably someone who is Gas Safe certified for your boiler work and Part P certified for electrical work. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially if you are new to this type of work.

Here is the checklist to consider for your plumbing and electrical work:

Plumbing or electrical work	What to consider
Plumbing for new positions	Do you need to move any pipes around or install new ones?
Electrical points	Do you require any additional plug sockets, a shaver socket, a toothbrush charger, or wiring for an LED mirror? Will you need additional wiring for any new lighting products?
Extractor fans	Ventilation is essential for a bathroom, so any existing setup should have existing extractor fans. Will you need any more? Do the existing ones need to be refurbished or upgraded?
Switches and controls	Do you need additional switches for lighting, underfloor heating, or anything else electrical you plan to install?

Tiling and wall coverings

Choosing the correct bathroom tiles and/or alternative wall coverings is an essential step of the new bathroom checklist. It’s one of the most influential and noticeable features of any bathroom. It can make all the difference between a new bathroom looking plain and drab or spectacular!

Wall covering considerations	What to consider
Choose your tiles or alternative	Do you want ceramic, porcelain, stone, etc? Make sure to check the size and slip rating. There are also alternatives such as wallpaper and paint, but these are often not as waterproof or as durable as tiles.
Decide layout and patterns	This is largely down to your own personal preference and style. You can choose styles such as metro, herringbone, or large format. You can also opt for patterned tiles for extra aesthetic appeal.
Full height or half height	Half-height tiled walls are versatile, well balanced, cost effective, and easier to change. They also offer low tile maintenance in comparison to full tiled walls. Good ventilation is necessary though, as painted or wallpapered walls are easier to spoil.
Grout colour	This matters just as much as the colours of your tiles.
Waterproofing for wet zones	Do you need any additional splashbacks or waterproofing materials for areas that will be prone to getting wet?

For more information you can take a look at our other blog – Half Tiled Bathroom Ideas.

Flooring

The walls are covered; now to get the floor of your new bathroom installed. There’s more to consider than just how it looks and whether it’s durable enough. The next part of your complete new bathroom checklist is below to help you out!

Flooring considerations	What to consider
Waterproof materials	You can choose from options such as vinyl, tiles, or laminate flooring.
Underfloor heating compatibility	If you wish to install underfloor heating, then your choice of flooring material will need to be compatible.
Slip resistance	This is especially important in family bathrooms and for the elderly.
Design	This is down to your personal preference as the design options are almost endless! Choose a design that matches or complements your wall covering choice.

Finishing touches and bathroom accessories

This is an essential part of a complete new bathroom checklist, but it’s one that relies mostly on your personal preferences and desires. How you want your bathroom to look is totally up to you and will follow your particular style. Bathroom fixtures and decorations are a great way of achieving this.

Bathroom accessories	What to consider
Mirrors	There are heated, illuminated, and storage integrated options available.
Rails, holders and dishes	You need something to hang your towels on, hold your toilet roll and your soap. Just keeping these simple things in place and off the floor will work wonders on the feeling of space.
Plants	Houseplants are a great way of adding freshness and moisture absorption to your bathroom.
Scented candles, diffusers	At times, the bathroom isn’t the most pleasant smelling place in the building. You can combat this with scented candles, diffusers, or an automatic air freshener.
Matching towels and mats	Complete your bathroom design with matching furnishings, towels, mats and robes.

Final new bathroom completion checklist

Once your new bathroom is installed, here are the last things to check before marking it off as complete.

Functionality and fixtures

• Are all taps, showers and toilets working properly with no leaks?
• Does your hot and cold water flow correctly and with good pressure?
• Is drainage quick and quiet with no pooling?
• Do all of your lights work as expected?
• Does your heating work as expected?
• Do any shaver sockets and charging points function properly?

Finishing touches and presentation

• Is the sealant and grout neat and fully cured?
• Are there any chipped tiles, scratched units, or damaged fittings?
• Are your mirrors and any wall hangings securely fixed?
• Do your cupboards and drawers open and close properly?
• Are all your fixtures level and secure?

Ventilation and safety

• Does the extractor fan work as expected?
• Do your windows open and close with ease?
• Are your floors slip resistant when wet?
• Are there any exposed wires or unfinished pipework on show?

Style and comfort

• Are your towels, mats, accessories, and decorative touches in place?
• Does your ambient lighting create the mood you want?
• Is the temperature comfortable and easy to control?

Complete your new bathroom checklist with Boro Bathrooms

If everything is checked off the list above, then congratulations on your new bathroom! If you still have things left to check or are just starting out on your bathroom refurbishment, then we’d be more than happy to help in any way that we can.

We’ve built a reputation in the Greater Manchester area for being the go-to place for beautiful bathrooms and tiles. That comes with a lot of design and installation knowledge we would be happy to share with you.

For more information, please contact us today or call 01706 525 926.