How Long Does a Bathroom Renovation Take?

A standard bathroom renovation, with a new suite and full tiling but no big layout changes, usually takes around 2 to 3 weeks on site. Moving pipework, adding new electrics or more complex tiling pushes that towards 3 to 5 weeks, and structural changes or a brand new bathroom can take longer again.

Those ranges come from MyBuilder's national guide to bathroom renovations, and they match what most homeowners can expect. They are a guide, not a promise. The size of the room, what is found behind the old tiles and how quickly the suite and tiles arrive all make a difference.

Below is the order the work normally happens in, what tends to hold a bathroom up, and how to cope with the room out of action.

Typical bathroom renovation times at a glance

• Standard refit: new bath or shower, toilet and basin in roughly the same places, with full tiling. Around 2 to 3 weeks.
• Refit with changes: moving the toilet or shower, new lighting circuits or a more detailed tile layout. Around 3 to 5 weeks.
• Bigger projects: structural work, a new layout from scratch, or turning another room into a bathroom. Often 5 weeks or more.

Planning, choosing the suite and ordering tiles usually adds a week or two before anyone starts on site, and longer if you pick something made to order.

The order of work, stage by stage

1. Strip out. The old suite, tiles and any damaged boards or flooring come out. This is when hidden problems show up.
2. First fix plumbing and electrics. New supply and waste pipes go in, and cables for lights, an extractor fan or a shaver point are run while the walls are open.
3. Boarding and plastering. Walls and ceilings are made good. Around the bath and shower, wet-area boards are often used instead of standard plasterboard.
4. Waterproofing. Shower areas and splash zones are tanked so water cannot get behind the tiles. Liquid membranes go on in coats and need drying time between them, so this stage cannot be rushed.
5. Tiling. Walls and floor are tiled once the waterproofing has cured, then grouted.
6. Second fix. The bath, shower, toilet, basin and taps are connected, lights and the fan are fitted, and everything is tested for leaks.
7. Finishing. Silicone sealing, painting, accessories and a final snagging check.

What usually causes delays

Problems hidden behind the old bathroom

Slow leaks around a bath or shower tray can rot floorboards and soften plaster for years before anyone notices. Once the old suite is out, any damage has to be put right before the new bathroom goes in. In older homes across Hornchurch and the rest of Havering it is also common to find pipework that needs updating once the walls are open.

Waiting on materials

A missing tile batch, a damaged shower screen or a back-ordered vanity unit can stop one part of the job. Ordering everything early and checking deliveries on arrival saves a lot of waiting.

Drying times

Plaster, tanking membranes, adhesive and grout all need time to dry or cure before the next stage goes on top. In cold, damp weather this can take a little longer.

Changes partway through

Swapping a tap is usually fine. Moving the shower once the pipework is in and the walls are boarded means undoing finished work.

Living without your bathroom

If it is your only bathroom, plan for a period without a working shower or bath, and possibly without a toilet for part of the job. A few things help:

• Ask which days the toilet will be out of action and whether it can be refitted temporarily overnight.
• Line up somewhere to shower, such as a gym, a family member or a neighbour.
• Clear the room and the landing before day one, and move anything you do not want dusty.
• Keep children and pets away from the room and the tools.

How ATR runs a bathroom job

Our bathroom renovations are done from strip out to the final silicone line: plumbing, plastering, tanking, tiling and fitting. We do not subcontract the work, so the people who quote the job are the people who do it, and the aim is one continuous job rather than a half-finished bathroom sitting unused for weeks. The tiling and finishing stage is where most of the detail is, and we do not call the job done until it has been snagged properly.

If you are also planning a kitchen, our guide on how long it takes to fit a kitchen covers the same questions for that room.

Planning a bathroom in Grays or Havering?

We are based in Grays and cover Thurrock and Havering. Call 07795 673584 or ask for a free quote and we will come and look at the room, talk through the layout and give you a realistic idea of how long your job will take.