Bathtub replacement

Replacing a bath starts with what you cannot see: how the old one is set in. A steel or cast iron bath in a block of flats is often boxed in with brick and tiles, its rim tucked under the wall tiles. Getting it out without wrecking half the bathroom takes experience, and the removal, not fitting the new bath, takes most of the time.

Stages of a bath replacement

• turning off the water and removing the tap, trap and bath panel;
• cutting out grout and silicone at the wall and lifting out the old bath, often cutting a cast iron one into pieces;
• checking the wall, floor and waste once the bath is out;
• setting the new bath on its feet or frame, levelling it and connecting the waste and overflow;
• a leak test, sealing the joint with the wall and fitting the panel.

What can turn up during removal

Under an old bath you often find old cast iron pipes, damp or crumbling tiles. If the new bath is a different size, a strip of untiled wall appears that has to be tiled or covered. Before buying, measure the alcove accurately and check where the waste is: a bath of the same length saves a lot of tiling work.

If you are thinking of swapping the bath for a shower, that is a different service with a different scope: waste, shower tray or linear drain, and waterproofing.

Taking the old bath away

A cast iron bath weighs around a hundred kilograms and rarely fits in a lift in one piece. Carrying it out and disposing of it is charged separately, so add it to the job if you have no transport of your own.

Common questions