Back to Blogs

Can a bathroom really be completed in a week?

Roca Urban basins, exclusive to Candana

Reality TV shows about building and interior design for the most part are a great thing, they have been exposing the general public to the great world of design and renovating. 
But one down side to this reality TV building boom is the unrealistic expectations of building time lines. A quick renovation may seem like the best way to go, but cutting corners is never a good idea.

 
The bathroom design and construction process especially needs to be thought out and planned in great detail to ensure a successful outcome.
 
Normally, a realistic time line for setting up and renovating a bathroom is 3 weeks minimum.
Not only is the labour time consuming, but good quality product may sometimes take a few weeks to order in. 
We’ve put together a brief time line of how long your reno should take;
 
Rip-out
The rip-out/demolition stage should ideally only take 1-2 days. This includes tearing down any old fixtures, tiling etc and stripping the room right back.
 
Rough-in
This is where your plumber and electrician will set up the essential items that need to go into the walls such as mixer bodies and wiring etc. This normally takes another 1-2 days.
 
Re-building
Your builder/plumber will now take about 2 days to do things such as building in baths, rendering and sheeting the walls. You’ll also need at least 24 hours drying time for any render.
 
Waterproofing
Waterproofing is an important step that should not be rushed, this should take 2-4 days.
 
Tiling/Grouting
A good tiler is essential in a bathroom, once the tiler has finished his work (normally 2 days) the grouting will then take a another few days, so in total you should leave approx 1 week for this section.
 
Fitting-out
The most exciting of the bathroom steps would probably be the fit-out stage. It’s when you can see all of your design and planning come to life as the builder/plumber/electrician fit out your sanitary ware, accessories and furniture. This will take 2-3 days.
At this time, you can now have shower screens, mirrors and any other custom items measured out and ready for fitting; manufacture of these can take up to 2 weeks.
 
It is of the utmost importance to have the best quality trades and installation on your bathroom as it is a room you will use countless times a day.
It should be practical, comfortable and still a reflection of your personal style and design aesthetic.
 
Our professional advice would be to not rush this most important process, in the long run it will save you money and stress which you want to avoid as much as possible during building/renovating.