Bathroom Layout Redesign in Merton
Moving a basin or replacing a bath with a shower can solve a cramped layout without enlarging the room. Describe the current and proposed arrangement of your bathroom in Merton. One free enquiry can help you compare up to four quotations from independent fitters, depending on coverage and availability.
For a home in Merton, London, include the neighbourhood and postcode. The fitter needs to know about the building as well as the bathroom dimensions. You can compare the replies without committing to work.
Planning a usable layout around the waste routes
The fittings are repositioned within the same walls, with new waste runs, supply pipes and often new boxing and flooring.
The position of the soil stack and the direction of the joists decide how far the WC can move. These should be checked before any layout is agreed.
Signs your layout needs rethinking
These usually point to a new arrangement rather than new walls.
- The WC faces the door.
- The bath would work better as a walk-in shower.
- The basin has no room for storage.
- There is wasted floor space.
- You would like a double basin.
Information that speeds up a quote
Draw the room with measurements and mark the window, door, radiator and existing fittings. Note where the soil stack is and, if you can see, which way the floorboards and joists run.
Sketch the layout you would like and any alternatives. Tell fitters if there is a neighbour's flat below.
A typical layout redesign sequence
- Check the drainage route and settle the new plan on paper.
- Strip the room and lift the floor.
- Run new drainage and supply pipes to the new positions and test them.
- Box in, board and waterproof, then tile.
- Install the fittings, check the drainage flow and finish.
Allow roughly 7–12 working days for the work itself. A drawn layout agreed in advance helps keep to that programme.
A clear route for people and for drainage
Clear floor space matters as much as the footprint of each fitting. Allow for standing at the basin, cleaning beside the WC and reaching valves. Compact furniture or an outward-opening door may help, subject to the adjoining space and applicable requirements.
Check the floor depth before assuming a tray can sit nearly flush. The trap and waste need room and a suitable fall. Concrete floors, shallow joists or a shared stack may limit the options; a raised tray can be more practical than cutting structure.
A pumped WC brings its own maintenance and use limitations. Ask about noise, access, electrical supply and what happens during a fault. Connections and penetrations in a flat need agreement where shared services or fire separation are involved.
Ask the contractor to include these practical checks in the quotation.
- Check fixture clearances and show the proposed WC waste route on the drawing.
- Plan traps, drainage falls and service boxing before adjusting the floor.
- Test the installed drainage and include making good to any opened ceiling below.
Budgeting for a new layout
For planning purposes, the site gives a London range of £7,000–£15,000 for the re-routing, a new suite, tiling and labour. The figure is an allowance; a survey and written scope are needed for a quotation. Moving the WC to a different wall is usually the single biggest cost.
Joist repairs, a pumped waste or a new ceiling below may be extra. Compare the layouts proposed as well as the totals.
Drainage and approvals
New connections to the soil stack are covered by Approved Document H, and notching or drilling joists is restricted under Approved Document A. Your fitter should say whether building control needs notifying.
Leaseholders should check the lease before moving a WC.
Check any building control or listed building position with Merton Council. An registered building control approver can be used instead of council building control.
Start your Merton layout enquiry
Explain what feels cramped and which fittings you want moved in our free quote form. Ask each fitter for a drawn plan.
London Bathroom Fitters passes enquiries to independent bathroom businesses and is not a contractor itself. We do not survey, supply or fit bathrooms, and the fitters who reply are not our staff. Firms are asked for proof of insurance and for references when they sign up, and any agreement for the work is made between you and the fitter you pick.
Answers before you move the WC
Check these before settling on a new plan.
What is the guide price for a bathroom layout redesign in Merton?
Our indicative London range is £7,000–£15,000 for the re-routing, a new suite, tiling and labour. Moving the WC to a new wall is usually the biggest single cost.
Can the WC be moved in a Merton flat?
Often, within limits. The waste must reach the shared stack with enough fall, and the lease usually requires the freeholder's consent. A fitter will check the route at the survey.
Will the ceiling below be damaged?
The floor has to be opened, so there is some risk, especially with old lath and plaster ceilings. Ask how the fitter will protect it and whether repairs are included.
Can I have a walk-in shower where the bath was?
Usually, yes. The fitter needs to check that the shower waste has enough fall, which may mean a low riser or recessing the tray between joists.
Can a walk-in shower always have a flush floor in Merton?
No. The trap depth, drainage fall and floor construction determine what is possible. A low riser or raised tray may be needed if the waste cannot be recessed safely.
Is a macerator necessary whenever the WC moves?
No. A suitable gravity route may be possible. A pumped system has maintenance, noise and electrical considerations, so ask the fitter to explain the alternatives and why the proposed route suits the property.