Bathroom Plumbing

Yes, a plumber can fit a toilet, and it is one of the most common bathroom jobs. We fit and replace:

• Close-coupled toilets: The cistern sits directly on the pan. The most common type.
• Back-to-wall toilets: The cistern is hidden in a unit or boxed-in wall, with only the pan visible.
• Wall-hung toilets: The pan is fixed to the wall on a concealed frame, leaving the floor clear underneath.
• Toilet repairs: A cistern that keeps running, a weak or broken flush, a leaking pan connector, or a toilet that rocks.

A new toilet must line up with the soil pipe, so we check the outlet position before you buy. Moving a toilet to a new position depends on getting the waste to the soil stack with enough fall. Where that is not possible, for example in a basement or loft, a Saniflo installation may be the answer.

The right shower depends on your hot water system, so we check that first:

Pumps must never be fitted to a combi boiler or directly to the mains supply. An electric shower's new circuit is notifiable, so it is installed and certified through our domestic electrical installation service.

We fit shower valves exposed on the wall or concealed behind the tiles, over baths or in enclosures and walk-in showers. Before the valve is tiled in, we pressure-test the connections.

• Basins: Pedestal, wall-hung, semi-recessed and vanity basins, with new taps, traps and pop-up wastes.
• Baths: Replacing a bath with new taps, waste and overflow, and a new panel. The joint between the bath and the wall is finished with siliconing.
• Taps: Replacing dripping taps or fitting new mixer taps, including checking that low-pressure taps suit your system.

Good bathroom plumbing is mostly about what you cannot see:

• Waste pipes: Each fitting needs a waste of the right size with enough fall. Typically 32 mm for basins, 40 mm for baths and showers, and 110 mm for toilets. Every waste has a trap to stop drain smells.
• Water pressure and flow: Low pressure often comes from old, narrow pipes, a partly closed valve or the type of system. We check before recommending a shower or taps.
• Water regulations: Fittings and installation must meet the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. That includes isolation valves on each fitting, so it can be turned off without shutting off the whole house, and protection against backflow.
• Hot water safety: In new homes, hot water to a new bath must be limited to 48°C. We recommend thermostatic valves in any home with children or older people.

If you notice damp patches, loose tiles or a musty smell near the bath or shower, water may be escaping behind the tiles. Our leak detection and pipe repairs service can find it, and our sealing tile joints for waterproofing service can reseal the tiling.