Cropper's bathroom blog - update

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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:11 pm

Due to the nature of my work, January is my mad month, when I actually work hard for a change, but in February and March, I have bog all to do really. as a consequence, rather than go and get a real job, I volunteer myself for a home improvement project, to (a) Keep her indoors happy as she grafts away while I do nowt and (b) To spend all the money I made in January.

Last year we all got embroiled in my kitchen nightmares as I threw it all away and started again, and it all went rather well in the end.

This year, I seem to have made rash promises about the bathroom which I am being held to.

Edmundo (now wearing his plumber/electrician's hats) is back on board, working for wine and bacon butties, and a plasterer is about to owe me money, and hopefully be made an offer he can't refuse...

Hayley has been taking notes when we visit hotels / people's houses. Plan is for a combined WC/vanity unit, possibly with sparkly granite top & windowsill (to make up for the fact we couldn't afford it in the kitchen), and bath with powershower (and pump in the attic). Other bits include an extractor fan/light, spotlights in the ceiling, and a chrome heated towel rail/radiator.

Has anyone got or used a whirlpool bath? (I bet Shiver has, as an international celebrity author) Are they worth the money?

Baths are mostly 1700mm, unfortunately I would have to fit one in a 1660mm space. Sad

Is it practical to trim 2cm off each end of an acylic bath?

The room is only small, 5'6" by 7', and here it is in all its horror, before I flatpack it with a lump hammer and bolster chisel. Plan is to leave a bare empty room (apart from the loo base and a water pipe so we can still use it) for the plasterer, then start again.

You can see why I cant wait to get stuck into those ghastly tiles, and get them into a rubble sack.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:19 pm

BLECH I geuss its time for a update on the bathroom. that is some kind of blue,

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

You made me feel a lot better about my crappy bathroom Roy Wink

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

"my crappy bathroom" -- so to speak

And yes, that needs to go....soon.

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 11857 Location: UK

Roycropper wrote:

The room is only small, 5'6" by 7'

Damn, that is small, wouldn't you better of having it just as a wet room with completely tiled floor/walls? That would also give you more space for other things like granite tops without a bath in it, something like this small one:

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:54 pm

Good luck Roy. I did the same to my downstairs bathroom about 2-3 year ago (98% on my own). Best tips I can offer is to plan for the amount of time it will take and then add a week! Laughing

I did mine for under $1000 including tools (had to buy a saws-all to cut the tub to no avail) and a few hundred for the plumber to solder a new control valve for the tub and install the tub drain kit (I tried and failed twice). If you have trouble getting the tub out the normal/obvious way, you can do what I did and cut a hole in the wall in the adjacent room (closet in my case) and pull it out through that hole.

For some reason I can't seem to find all of my inprocess pics of it, only a gutted and completed one. Confused

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:09 pm

@Scam Patroller,

That is awesome, you could shit and shower at the same time!

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:27 pm

Anyone got a tip on how to get rid of the black mould that forms on the silicone seal without re-doing the lot?

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:05 pm

Err, clean it regularly? Laughing

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:05 pm

you would be better off re doing the lot IMHO.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Roycropper wrote:

Has anyone got or used a whirlpool bath? (I bet Shiver has, as an international celebrity author) Are they worth the money?

I have one, and to be honest, I have probably used the damn thing about 10 times in the past 5 years. The bride takes a soak in it every so often, but rarely turns the pump on. If I were to do it again I would have just installed a normal tub and pocketed the difference. Wink

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:47 pm

Cheeking wrote:

Anyone got a tip on how to get rid of the black mould that forms on the silicone seal without re-doing the lot?

Try bleach?

But it sounds like you also need to vent the room better to keep it from coming back.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:05 pm

ask barry scott about new Cillit bang......

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 3551

I have a whirlpool and have used it two times. It takes a LOT of water to take a decent bath. Waste of money, imo.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:02 pm

Mould on Silicone sealant? yup .bleach is the stuff, also, check your DIY store for sealant that it mould resistant, did you use the right stuff? make sure it has a smooth finish, clean regularly and sort out a vent to extract the humid air.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:29 pm

For non-Brits, Barry Scott does the ads for Cillit Bang, and is way too shouty, like your lad typing in capitals.

The extractor fan I have my eye on removes 31L a second, so mould shouldn't be an issue any more. I can ignore it for now, like the broken bog roll holder, when she complains I just say 'its OK, I'll get a new bathroom'.

From what you say, it looks like the whirlpool thingy is a waste of cash, the fact that the space is too short for a 1700mm bath is a hassle, I've been told not to start trimming one to fit (if anything, chase out grooves in the wall or remove a line of bricks and plaster back), on the other hand 1500mm is way to short for the space. Guess I'll have to look out for the right size bath. Mine comes from an age when metric baths were far too exotic for the UK.

The good news is that the cast iron bath is worth a few quid down the scrapyard. Smile

I've been told to gently coax it into quarters with a lump hammer.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:31 pm

Roy

I'd be very careful trying to saw the extra off the bath. There was a very similar question in last Saturdays Guardian colour supp and it wasn't recommended. However Edmundo seems to be pretty handy IIRC so he might be the man to do it.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:18 pm

To get ride of mold and mildew stains what i use is a soft toothbrush and baking soda just wet the toothbrush dip it in the baking soda and oxidising action cleans it right up plus the baking soda helps get rid is odors

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:18 pm

Right, get measuring yer baths! I took the panel off and measured wall to wall, 168cm. It was obviously an issue when the original was fitted, the plaster thins away to nothing at each end, outside brick wall at one end, plasterboard at the other.

Baths do have a lip around, so that's what I'd be trimming, then I could tile down to the ragged edge. As you say, MM, Edmundo is handy with a jigsaw, i watched him cut my worktops freehand. The other issue would be if I had to cut a couple of cm off the side panel, that would be Harder to make neat. (EDIT - actually, it would be hard against the vanity unit, so i would be OK) He wont let me f*ck it up though, he has industrial strength OCD.

I guess I'll be down the plumber's yard with a tape measure - how long actually is a 1700mm bath? Do the vary by a little from one make to another? Do I hack a groove in the brick wall if it's only a matter of 2cm, slot it in and swing the bath down from above?

Google finds me freestanding baths at 1680mm, but I want a Pshaped one, a freestanding one would have unsightly gaps in the corners.

this is the one I want: LINK

Easier said than done I guess. all will be discussed over a pint or five of Budvar with Edmundo on Friday night.

Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:33 pm

Your Barry Scott sounds a lot like our Billy Mays. Confused

EDIT - (hit wrong button) I can't stress that you need to plan it out 100% before you start, because once you start you can't really start (at least if you only have one bathtub/shower stall in the house).

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:24 am

OMG that blue!!!!!

As for the mold - - you have to clean that thing regularly or you get that! Then when you use bleach sometimes you get stains from the mold that bleach doesn't remove - - How do I know? I went to stay with a friend and was so disgusted with the tub that I had to bleach it - and it all didn't go away - LOL It was left stained. I do NOT have the black mold on mine - don't ever get it.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:12 am

For mold - Scrubbing bubbles.

Seriously, it takes it all away with zero effort, just a little waiting.

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:48 am

Thank's one and all, the bleach did the trick!

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:58 am

Whirlpool bath - I've tried them - waste of money; you'll never use it more than once or twice.

You can't really cut down a bath but you can buy 1600mm baths. However, are you measuring the room with the tiles on the wall ? You may be able to fit a 1700mm bath in there by knocking a rebate into the wall either end (also makes for a nicer fit if you do). If you have thick plaster then you might not even need to chop into the brickwork.

I fitted a new bathroom last year, just finished in time for christmas.
Being me though, rather that replace the existing, I decided to convert a bedroom into a new bathroom so I had to fit pipes, waste etc as new.

Admittedly I had a slightly bigger space to work with than you have (about 10x7, but it's worth doing planning/research before you get stuck in)

Came out ok though :

Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:07 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVHUAco_k-g this is barry scotts ad made into a hardcore dance mix.

and yes, before you ask, if he was seen in the streets, he would be killed on sight!

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