Fitting a new bathroom

[richie4236]

Looking for a little advice when fitting a new bathroom.

We have a nice new bathroom suit sitting in our garage ready to be installed. So far we're on our second plumber who didn't show up when he said he would, so I'm starting to think about doing it myself.

I need to pull out the toilet, the sink, and an old disconnected rad and the bath in prparation for our tile-man (assuming he turns up) coming to do the floor and two walls.

Basically, this is my plan, and I want someone to tel me know if I'm making any bad moves.

I intend to pull out all three items, cutting the feed pipes well above the floor level and capping with a compression cap. Once the tiling is done I will put the new stuff in, but have the following questions:

- The current bathroom was fitted in the 80s when the house had old 1950s pipework. Since then the whole house has had a new central heating system installed. There appears to be a 22mm pipe coming into the bathroom to a T which serves the bath and sink. There is a second, smaller pipe (about 12mm?) which does the same thing for cold water. At some point this 22mm pipe "steps down" to the smaller size before it comes up through the floorboards for the sink and does the same thing about three inches before the bath taps. Should I be concerned by this or is it normal?

- Can I use flexible pipes from the existing tap feed to the new taps so I don't have to move the pipes into place?

- How do I seal the toilet to the bit of waste pipe that comes through the wall? At the moment, there's a big white rubber looking thing from the metal pipe to the back of the toilet. Should I replace this, or can it be re-used? What should I use to seal it all? Also, for the few days when there is no toilet there will be an open sewer pipe. How do I close that off temporarily, or do what just have to live with it?

- How good are compression caps? Can I really trust them, or should I turn off the water when my wife and I go to work to make sure we don't come home to a flood?

Any help and/or advice very gratefully received!

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

any old imperial under floors etc is ok providing it's not leaking and ok.

you can use flexis if you want.

i take it you now have a combi fitted ?

toilet fit a multi kwic pan connector

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat...HZOCFFI?productId=17227&imageNo=null&ts=17379

you don't need to seal they seal by themselves. don't use any fairy liquid or you'll have a leak.

with the open soil pipe stick a rag in it or tape a bag over it.

compression cap ends are ok. they won't leak
i've even used pushfit over night never had one blow yet.


make sure all your basin waste pipes etc line up before you tile.

useally plumber does the first fix getting all the pipework in place, or concealed in walls etc then the plasterer and the tiler then the plumber finishes off install.

some tile before bath some tile after bath is in. depending on the situation.
but no point tiling right down back of bath to floor.

 

[poshman]

I am not a plumber but have just finished installing my new bathroom suite and as a competent DIYer it took me 4 days I not being funny but I think you are taking on too much for a novice unless you have a shower and other toilets in your house so you have plenty of time to have a go. are you familiar with all your pipe runs ie isolating is the bath the same size so many questions. best if you are patient and wait for the plumber

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

how do know he's no good at diy

 

[poshman]

how do know he's no good at diy

He must have edtited his post as he originally said he has never done anything like this before or soldered

 

[richie4236]

Did edit my post after I measured the sizes of the pipes rather than quessed.

I've never done any soldering before, or pipework, but I'm pretty confident with DIY. Don't mind learning from my mistakes, just don't want to turn my stairs into an impromptu water-feature by making an obvious error.

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

i am not one to slate anyone for having a go at plumbing,bathrooms, etc
and i don't like to see it done.

but i can say that 9/10 bathrooms i've worked on that have been fitted by a diyer, builder, property developers etc
i have found at least one water regulation broken.

but by all means richie4236 give it a go. thats the only way you'll learn same as any of us

 

[matthew4444]

Richie

I agree with what both hi-spec and poshman have said. My Dad (a very competent DIYer) and I recently installed a new bathroom at my house. This involved stripping the room to a shell - right down to removing the plaster and floorboards. You then get to see the bodges that have been done in the past - my WC was on a plinth simply because someone couldn't be bothered to realign or refit the soil pipe. We found some original lead pipes twisted off presumably from the fire back boiler to the copper hot water tank. Generally people go for the easy option i.e. boxing in pipes rather than going under the floorboards. If you do it yourself you know how it's been done and that you won't have cut any corners. We rearranged the layout and did everything from plumbing to tiling to fixing etc - thanks in part to advice from the people here on diynot.

I would advise on it taking a lot longer than you expect and that you will need reasonable diy knowledge/experience. Remembering things such as cross bonding etc.

Once you have completed it though you can then take pride in something you have achieved yourself. Good luck.

 

[richie4236]

Hmmmm. Good point about the water regs. Hadn't thought about that. Is that something I can get hold of somewhere on the web and have a read before I continue?

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

not seen on net but you can buy the book.

the common problem in bathrooms is backfow prevention useing check valves.