Buying a new bathroom suite can be an exciting time for any homeowner, as it’s where we spend some of our most peaceful and relaxing moments away from the stresses of everyday life.
A bathroom upgrade an opportunity for the owner to put their own stamp on the room and give it some TLC. Alternatively, it may just be outdated and need a complete revamp, from plumbing to fixtures. This can be a rare huge outlay, and so this kind of investment needs to not only provide the appearance but also to be long-lasting.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Advantages of buying a full suite vs. Doing it Yourself
- Where to get inspiration and ideas
- Examples of Bathroom Suites
- Getting Dimensions of Bathroom Suite
- Shopping and Bathroom Suites available
- Costs of a bathroom suite
- Disposing of a Bathroom Suite
- Fitting a Bathroom Suite
- Where you can buy your bathroom suite in our range
Advantages of Buying A Suite vs Individual Fittings
Like most industries, buying habits around bathroom shopping has changed. More people are using the internet to research and shop around, buying what they need from different retailers. According to a 2018 study of 517 householders by Trend Monitor and the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, over half (54%) of bathroom installations were made by shopping at more than one retail outlet.
The main advantages of buying a suite compared to individual fittings from a range of suppliers come down to four areas:
- Convenience
- Expertise
- Cost reduction
- Safety net in the event of problems
Convenience
Visiting multiple showrooms, comparing prices and monitoring websites can take time. While it’s appropriate to get the right bathroom at the right price, it’s easy to lose sight of what you’re after.
To make things easier, many bathroom companies offer full consultation, from finding the right look to organising delivery right to your door. That leaves you to only need to have an idea of what you want, provide the measurements, and organisation of a fitter.
Expertise
Having a single point of contact means that you can call upon their expertise when you need it. They’re also useful for deconstructing any jargon that might cause any confusion.
Cost Reduction
While it might initially save some money, be sure of what you’re after before mixing and matching. Buying from different retailers and suppliers, can result in the size issues, wrong fittings and costly delays that can go beyond your initial budget. Getting fitters out more than once is another easily avoidable expense to be aware of.
Safety Net
Many products come with guarantees to protect consumers in the event of problems. They can vary from 12 months all the way up to 15 years for some manufacturers. Shopping with one retailer also means that you only have one point of contact in the rare event that problems do occur to liaise with suppliers on your behalf and offer additional post-sales support.
Getting New Bathroom Suite Ideas
If you are in need of bathroom suite ideas, there are plenty of places you can look to find inspiration, get an idea for what is trending, and to see how others are making the most of their space. Plan your bathroom changes in advances to determine exactly what you want.
Pinterest is a great platform for home inspiration. While it is lesser used than some of the other competitors, Pinterest allows users to post and pin items they like into mood boards. It is used by a lot of creatives, home design, and home décor companies, which can be great for getting ideas.
Instagram has become one of the world’s most used platforms and, like Pinterest, is used for sharing of images. This is used by businesses and individuals alike and is great for finding products, sharing images and general inspiration. Instagram also has a feature where brands can tag images with a link to the product on their website, so if you see something you like, you can buy it straight away.
Follow Sanctuary Bathrooms Social Media for Home Inspiration
Home Inspiration Magazines and Online Media
Many home design & improvement websites can also provide inspiration. Here are some of our favourites:
Social media and blogs can be a great source of inspiration, with many well-known influencers, designers and celebrities who focus on home improvement and design. Check out some below:
- Greg Penn: Man With A Hammer / Instagram
- Harriet: She’s Listed Instagram
- Jack D. March: Life In A Teacup / Instagram
- Katie Woods: Come Down To The Woods Instagram
- Lisa Dawson: Lisa Dawson Styling / Instagram
- Kate: The Reverend Sister Instagram
Bathroom Suite Inspiration and Pictures
Getting Bathroom Suite Dimensions
Once inspired, and ready to shop, you need to move on to measuring up your dream bathroom.
Start by measuring the floor from corner to corner, working your way around the room in one direction. Don’t feel compelled to move backwards and forwards, as this could lead to errors or mistakes. If it isn’t a conventional rectangular or square room, then break the room up into rectangles, measuring them individually. Once completed, this should give you an ideal floorplan.
Then measure the height of the walls from the floor to the ceiling. Finally, measure any features such as windows, cupboards, shelves and doorways (noting direction and how far it opens). It may also be useful to note dimensions in both feet/inches and metres/centimetres/millimetres, just in case products are listed, in a certain way on a website or in a brochure.
Shopping Bathroom Suites
Once you have measured up and have got some ideas, it is time to shop around.
All-in-one Bathroom Suites
A lot of manufacturers offer all in one bathroom suites, curated to provide a particular look or design for a certain size bathroom (for example, small bathrooms).
Buying a complete bathroom suite provides everything you need at a price to suit you. Simplicity and affordability are generally the driving factors.
This can be a good solution if you prefer a particular brand or just want to avoid mixing and matching.
Bespoke Bathroom Suites
Being different isn’t a bad thing. Imprinting your own personality in a bathroom suite with a bespoke look can bring great results.
However, it’s important to get a second opinion when going for a bespoke look. Be certain of your measurements and don’t be afraid to consult a showroom or separate design service to confirm, in case certain products aren’t compatible within your space.
Bathroom Suite Costs
The approximate costs of a bathroom suite really depends on many factors from style to brand, or even the fixtures and fittings you are looking to purchase. It is important, therefore, to take a look at what extent you are improving your bathroom and to set aside a top-end budget you can realistically afford.
In terms of costs, if you are replacing just the main fixtures and shopping on a budget, this can be done at an affordable amount for a basic toilet, bath and basin from around £700 in some cases. However, for those investing more significantly or looking for more luxury, doing a big refurb, or just set on modernising everything, set aside at least £3,000 for the fixtures and fittings. Giving yourself more in the budget will provide more flexibility in terms of final design and the bathroom you can buy.
Bear in mind that additional accessories, tiling, flooring and fitting costs will all add to this cost on top as well, which is why it is important to set a decent budget early on and give yourself the ability to scale back, than having to start from scratch in terms of bathroom.
Disposing of Your Old Bathroom Suite
If you are looking to replace items in your bathroom suite, these should be disposed of in one of two ways:
Sold/Recycled
If the items are of good quality or can be used still, consider selling them or repurposing them locally. This will enable someone else to benefit from them without having to be taken to a waste site.
Local Household Waste Recycling (LHRC) / Tip
However, if they are beyond repair (chipped, cracked, worn) or present a health risk, then dispose of items by being taken to your Local Household Waste Recycling Centre/Tip. Get in touch with your local council if you are unsure about where it is, check the rules and to obtain a pass (if required). Also, make sure to find out the opening times and any associated costs, as there could be charges for disposing of what is deemed construction waste, depending how much you are taking.
LHRC’s enable people to get rid of items based on the material they are made of. Some recycling centres may have designated mixed metal, ceramics and electrical (WEEE) skips for you to place items in. However, there should be someone on hand to advise and direct you if unsure.
Cost of Disposal
If you’re looking for someone to dispose of items on your behalf, make sure they are reputable and carry the appropriate waste licences. If they don’t dispose correctly or any waste fly-tipped is traced back to your home, you can be held responsible. You can check to see if someone holds a waste licence that is still valid on the Environment Agency website. An alternative is to hire a skip, though always check with your provider to make sure what they do, and can, accept.
Fitting a Bathroom Suite
If you can fit a bathroom suite yourself, you can potentially save a lot of time and money. If not, then it is important to find a fitter that suits your budget and can fit within your timeframe.
In terms of fitting costs, according to MyBuilder.com, this could set you back around a further £800-£3,000 depending on the scale of works, size of your bathroom and your location (London prices, for example).
Take your time to research, use places like Ask A Trader, read reviews and qualify the claims on their website too to make sure it is accurate.
Once you’ve found a fitter, make sure you’ve set aside the time for their work. Depending on what needs doing, this could take between 7-10 days to complete so always make sure the house is accessible for this period of time.
Shop and Buy a Bathroom Suite
Feeling inspired and ready to shop for a new bathroom suite? We have a great range already available from some great brands in our Bathroom Suites section.
Alternatively, why not book a 1 hour design session with our expert team, to help create the bathroom of your dreams.
