Planning your bathroom

Key questions to ask yourself

What look do you want? Classic? Contemporary? Minimalist? Or purely practical? And how suitable is it for your lifestyle?

If you’ve got a young family, or if you’re less mobile, you’ll want a bathroom that’s easy to clean - so maybe you should be looking at a more practical design.

Are you making the most of the bathroom space you have available? Remember, we have a range of slimline and space-saving designs which can help you.

What budget is comfortable for you? A stylish bathroom suite needn’t cost the earth - we have ranges at all price levels.

Be inspired

Look through style magazines. Check out what other people have done with their bathrooms. Try and look at the bathroom space you have available through fresh eyes, and see what can be done with it.

Electrics

To comply with the latest safety legislation, it is essential to use a professional installer for your bathroom electrics. These cover a wide range of items including lighting, heating, extractors, shower units and shower pumps. The latest IEE Wiring Regulations indicate what type of electrical equipment can be installed in specified zones within the bathroom.

Heating & ventilation

Towel warming combined with heating can meet several objectives. Many towel rails, now available, offer fashionable styling with either modern or period looks. Panel radiators are still a popular option, with some now featuring built-in towel rails to increase their versatility and value.

For the safety conscious low surface temperature radiators can be obtained. Towel rails and radiators may be connected to the whole-house central heating system or may be stand alone if electric
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Considerations

At the planning stage, it is important to consider your lifestyle, the future needs of your family and what you’d ideally like from your new bathroom. Think about the suite and its positioning and lighting, tiling, decoration, floor and window coverings and accessories... and take a long, in-depth look at what is physically possible. You may have more options than you first thought!

Here are a few of the things you’ll need to consider...

Room Size

Can your current bathroom be extended in any way? Is there a separate toilet next door that can be incorporated or can the airing cupboard and hot water cylinder be moved out of the bathroom?

The bathroom is a really important room and many people are happy to sacrifice space in an adjacent bedroom or landing to accommodate a larger, more luxurious room. But remember - always check on planning and building regulations for the property before embarking on a reconstruction project.

Soil Vent

Can the soil vent, soil and waste pipes be repositioned? This will affect the opportunity to move the toilet. Which way do the floor joists run? This will affect the direction of drainage under the floorboards.

Heating & Ventilation

Can the radiator or fan be moved? To maximise space, consider a heated towel rail or ladder radiator.

Shower

Is there room for a separate enclosure? If there is an existing enclosure, can it be moved?

Electrics & Lighting

Will the electrics be affected by your bathroom re-design - and can they be moved? How will the light from the window affect the overall lighting scheme? Should intense light be used in areas where make-up and shaving is carried out?

Entrance Door

Can it be moved? Can it be hung the opposite way or made to open outwards?

User Space

As a general rule, you need to allow the following space around the bathroom equipment:

• Washbasin: 1000 x 700mm in front of basin
• Toilet: 800 x 600mm in front of toilet
• Bath: 1100 x 700mm in front of bath side
• Bidet: 800 x 600mm in front of bidet

When you’ve got a clear idea about what you want, visit a good bathroom showroom stocking Twyford products and ask the experts if your bathroom ideas are feasible. It’s also an opportunity to see our designs and products ‘in the flesh’ and to get an idea of prices so that you can tailor your plans to suit your budget.

Maximise your space

You may think that your bathroom is too small to achieve the look you want, but Twyford can help you make the most of every inch available. And in many bathrooms, moving a radiator or boiler, or re-hanging a door, can make a real difference too. Bathroom suites are a lot more flexible these days, with slimline designs and clever new fittings to help you do more in less space. Measure your room, check what’s available and you may well be surprised at what’s possible with Twyford.

Please use the grid to help you plan your perfect bathroom.
1 large square = 1 square metre