Home DIY

The Wickes ones have holes all the way though, unfortunately - These are for the top layer, so need to have at least one face smooth.

Just found out that Jewson have sold bricks. Noice.

I'm interested in this as we live on the top of a big hill and the water pressure is not great.

Would you not have to have a header tank though? I am aware that this might be a silly question.

Neil - you need one of these ...

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Options are:
Run a combi boiler= mains pressure at all outlets
Pros: good pressure, maximise storage
Cons: pressure drops when two or more outlets open
Run a pumped gravity system (sounds like this is what you have)
Pros: good pressure
Cons: noisy, more things to go wrong
Run an unvented cylinder
Pros: good pressure with multiple outlets open
Cons: takes up room, overkill for properties with one bathroom

We have one, it's a noisy fucker but works fine, we only turn it on for showers because the baby's room is on the other side of the boiler cupboard.

D

You can fit a whole house pump thats added to the incoming mains to the house, not cheap at about £1300 Grundfos make decent pumps for this or if you need a pump just for a bathroom then the twin impeller Stuart Turner Monsoon should do the job.

To clarify it's illegal to fit a pump the mains.
However there are now legal booster inline pumps that boost mains pressure if it drops.
A whole house pump would be fitted to a cylinder and tank gravity system as would a shower pump.

break tank not always required > http://www.salamander-pumps.com/salamander-home-boost.html

Salamander pumps are utter shite and are to be avoided. I have had several issues with them and now refuse to fit them. I have has three leak from the valve body and had to be replaced by salamander. Stuart Turner FTW.

I'm interested in this as we live on the top of a big hill and the water pressure is not great.

Would you not have to have a header tank though? I am aware that this might be a silly question.

If you are running a combi your best bet would be to fit on of the new legal inline pump on the mains.

Victoria Plumb for bathroom, utility fixtures and fittings, Howdens for kitchen although the later only sell to trade so you need to get your man to go down there with a list. 10k should see you right depending on size, tiles, taste, blah blah blah

Wickes are worth a squizz at their showroom if you're looking for inspiration.

Just had a look at Victoria Plumb. Some of the baths there look really and good cheap. Cheers for the info

be wary about buying cheap plastic baths and shower trays
unless they are really well bedded in / mounted they can move and lead to leaks where the bath / tiles intersect

solid resin based shower trays are much better imo much more rigid
think about it like a bike ... miche hubs and cranks will have their threads stripped and you'll need replacing sooner than you'd hoped ... get nice quality parts for longevity

I'm actually going to splash out on a free standing roll top bath. I want a minimalist bathroom with no fixtures and fittings. No hidden pipes and pipes going fuck knows where causing all these leaks and mould.

exactly what i went for, cast iron with stand alone tap unit

it's a nice look

Cast Iron? I imagine that would be very heavy. Need a strong floor. At the moment, it looks like the bath is not too far off coming through the kitchen ceiling such is the state of the bathroom and kitchen due to my inactivity. Going to gut them both and have them done properly. I was looking at somehting like this. Seems quite solid. Where did you get your bath?

http://www.victoriaplumb.com/Baths/Roll-Top-Baths/Arc-Roll-Top-Bath-Small_15.html

once you've got a tub full of water and a person or two in there the weight of the tub becomes less of an issue
mines a ground floor bathroom with new floor joists and oak flooring it's not going anywhere fortunately
i'm trying to find the style i bought
it was about 7 years ago now

this is the closest looks-wise to mine i've seen but without the gaudy animal print rugs, it's supported in a wooden cradle

Mike- that bath is ~1.5m long, and from memory you are around 188cm tall?

I bought a bath that is 2m long (for £46) and it makes a huge difference being able to actually lie in it.

it's nice to be able to fully submerge

• makes submarine noises *
  unless space constricted go for a large one you can lie full length in
  

Yeah sorry I didn't mean that exact one. But something like that only bigger. Yes I'm 6'2
I see something like this but check out the weight - 160kg! Compared to 40+ for an acrylic.

http://www.castironbath.co.uk/fowey-cast-iron-bath.html

Pretty sure our ceiling would come down with that weight

Invite Hippy over and get him to stand where the bath would go?

the hippy version

@bq - it'd be quicker to rip off the old plasterboard wall and re-do.You then get a nice even surface to tile on. Cutting and fixing pb to battens is a piece of piss and as you're tiling over you don't need to worry about taping and skimming, just wash over with pva before commencing tiling. Only area that will need attention is at the joints between other walls and ceiling. Tips, invest in a powered tile cutter table, get the joints spot on, and take your time with grouting

It's only a kitchen splash back, about 60 cm high, by 4m, not the whole wall.

@Dammit,
Did I ever tell you my technique for getting a perfect plaster finish on remedial work?
Plaster the dodgy area wall until it is either level with or the existing plaster, and the when it dries get the black and decker power sander on it until it looks flat and smooth :-)
Power tools > hiring someone who can do a proper job in the first place!

Salamander pumps are utter shite and are to be avoided. I have had several issues with them and now refuse to fit them. I have has three leak from the valve body and had to be replaced by salamander. Stuart Turner FTW.

Ha we're* on our second and having a new boiler fitted tomorrow as the Potterton Netaheat finally gave up the ghost.

*rented

Got aforementioned curtain rail up in the end. Made some ply "feet" for the brackets to mount on which gave enough depth for the wall plugs and screws to sink into. A bit of Sticks Like to help the ply stay put and the rail was up no probs. Step back to admire our handiwork and oh shit. It's not level.

We made the mistake of assuming the window was square to the ceiling. It's not. Next time, measure down from the ceiling rather than up from window alcove!

Next job is to try to sort out the wiring my mate and his dad have buggered up. They fitted a new light fitting in the landing, and now the lights don't work in the master bedroom or bathroom. I think the wiring is all original 1960s so probably doesn't meet any of today's standards. One of the "earth wires" in the fuse box is just copper cores wrapped, badly, in insulation tape.

I'm glad this isn't my flat!

If anyone orders from Victoria Plumb please make sure that you fully check your delivery on receipt.

I ordered a full bathroom suite from them, did a rough inventory, but when I was ready to install three weeks later found that the soft closing toilet seat was missing.

Customer service was pants - they refused to send out another one, only offered a small discount to buy another one.

Quality of the kit is good though, and so was the price, so not suggesting you avoid them.

Options are:
Run a combi boiler= mains pressure at all outlets
Pros: good pressure, maximise storage
Cons: pressure drops when two or more outlets open
Run a pumped gravity system (sounds like this is what you have)
Pros: good pressure
Cons: noisy, more things to go wrong
Run an unvented cylinder
Pros: good pressure with multiple outlets open
Cons: takes up room, overkill for properties with one bathroom

thanks, we had a new combi boiler put in less than a month ago and pressure has improved but as you say drops massively if for example you flush the toilet and then try to run a tap. So is the only option to install one of the legal mains pumps? any ideas how much that would be? and is it worth it?

what are best tools for the job for cutting awkward shapes out of tiles? I bought a tile saw but it is almost impossible to saw a straight line let alone to neatly cut out a corner

There's not much you can't do with a diamond blade on an angle grinder. For really fiddly stuff (and shaped holes) then a tile blade on a jigsaw is your friend.

All of which I have and could lend - if you are in South Wales :-)

maybe a bit far but thanks! I am thinking more of hand tools really