New bathroom planning tips

[Athers1971]

We are looking to convert what I am guessing was the old pantry or storeroom into a utility/down stairs bathroom. It was an addition to the main house at some point, and has 60cm walls on three sides as you can see from the below.
The current electrics and plumbing are bodge jobs and I'm not even sure what is going on with the solid floor underneath the 'lino' yet. It's currently home to our fridge/freezer, washer and dryer.

We want to carve out a small bathroom at the end of the room by putting in a 100mm wall, this will then house a toilet, basin and walk in shower.

The shower will go in the bottom left corner (in the pic below).

Any suggestions how one would be approach the solid walls, in particular the where the shower will be? Pretty sure the external and internal wall have a cement based plaster. Is it worth while knocking off and lime plastering if we are going to tile over it?

How about the hot and cold water pipes? Would it be better to create a thin cavity wall up against the gable end to conceal the pipes, or is that going to create other issues? Leave the pipes exposed? Try and chase into the wall?

Any other tips fitting a bathroom in a period property?

 

[Lacan07]

We are looking to convert what I am guessing was the old pantry or storeroom into a utility/down stairs bathroom. It was an addition to the main house at some point, and has 60cm walls on three sides as you can see from the below.
The current electrics and plumbing are bodge jobs and I'm not even sure what is going on with the solid floor underneath the 'lino' yet. It's currently home to our fridge/freezer, washer and dryer.

We want to carve out a small bathroom at the end of the room by putting in a 100mm wall, this will then house a toilet, basin and walk in shower.

The shower will go in the bottom left corner (in the pic below).

Any suggestions how one would be approach the solid walls, in particular the where the shower will be? Pretty sure the external and internal wall have a cement based plaster. Is it worth while knocking off and lime plastering if we are going to tile over it?

How about the hot and cold water pipes? Would it be better to create a thin cavity wall up against the gable end to conceal the pipes, or is that going to create other issues? Leave the pipes exposed? Try and chase into the wall?

Any other tips fitting a bathroom in a period property?

View attachment 10982

Hi, no point lime plastering a wall if you're going to tile over it.

I would create a cavity wall to conceal the pipes, cut a few air holes / vents to prevent the mushrooms from growing if you're that way inclined. I'm not sure you're allowed to chase pipes into walls but could be wrong. If you want to leave the pipe exposed chrome snappit is a good way to smarten it up and hide the copper. If you use proper chrome plated pipe its more expensive than copper and compression fittings only.

 

[Cubist]

With walls that thick and, presumably concrete, floors I suspect that your plan has to be constrained by the location of the drains and the water supply services. Lacan is right, conceal the pipes, its not a good idea to chase out and bury water pipes in the walls - certainly not copper it really does not like cement.

 

[paulc]

Lacan is right, conceal the pipes, its not a good idea to chase out and bury water pipes in the walls - certainly not copper it really does not like cement.

If copper pipes are sleeved in something, then they should be OK. I chased some 15mm pipes in to a wall and ran them through lengths on 20mm plastic conduit. Just make sure there are no buried joints, and use something like a single socket back box where ever you make a connection. Or you could use PEX pipe (more plastic...), but the couplings are big, ugly, and take up quite a bit of space.

As for a wall finish, Tadelakt would be my choice. No need to tile over the top, so you retain the advantages of a lime plaster. You do need to be careful about which cleaners you use (no bleach or acids).

 

[RBailey]

We have a lot of exposed copper pipes around the house, a fair few are now just cleaned to bright copper and lacquered.

Our downstairs toilet will get the same treatment when I get that far. Copper and brass can give a nice appearance. depending on the look you are after.

Cheers,
Richard B.

 

[Athers1971]

We have a lot of exposed copper pipes around the house, a fair few are now just cleaned to bright copper and lacquered.

Our downstairs toilet will get the same treatment when I get that far. Copper and brass can give a nice appearance. depending on the look you are after.

Cheers,
Richard B.

Just discovered your videos and spent the morning watching them. Have you got 6 months spare that I can borrow you for?

 

[RBailey]

Just discovered your videos and spent the morning watching them. Have you got 6 months spare that I can borrow you for?

Thanks, if it was only 6 months.
4 years on ours so far and still a long away to go.

Cheers,
Richard B.