Summary

Bathroom suite installation is the most variable kitchen-and-bathroom job in pricing. The "suite" itself (bath, basin, WC) has a wide retail range — £200 to £4,000+ — and the labour to fit that suite is broadly independent. A £200 budget suite and a £2,500 Roca/Duravit suite both take roughly the same fitting time. Pricing the labour and the suite separately on the quote is the only way to avoid the customer confusion of "I saw a cheaper bathroom from Wickes for £999 fitted."

The pricing tier depends on layout change. A like-for-like swap on existing services is one tier; a full refurb with new tiling, new sub-floor, new layout, and a shower upgrade is another. Customers often start asking for a "swap" and progressively realise they want a refurb — qualify scope in the first conversation and price both tiers in the quote.

This guide covers labour bands by scope, materials, the regulatory framework (Water Regs, Building Regs Parts G/P/F/L), the typical sequence, common upgrades, and worked pricing examples. For tiling work specifically see bathroom tiling pricing guide (already in the corpus); for shower-specific work see shower installation pricing guide.

Key Facts

Quick Reference Table

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Scope Time Labour Suite Materials Other Materials Total Fitted
Like-for-like budget swap 1.5 days £400–£700 £250–£550 £100–£200 £750–£1,450
Like-for-like mid-range swap 2 days £550–£900 £600–£1,500 £150–£300 £1,300–£2,700
Like-for-like + shower over bath 2.5–3 days £700–£1,200 £700–£1,800 £200–£400 £1,600–£3,400
Suite + full re-tile (mid-range) 5–6 days £1,500–£2,500 £700–£1,800 £900–£1,800 £3,100–£6,100
Suite + full re-tile + new shower enclosure 6–8 days £2,000–£3,200 £1,000–£2,500 £1,100–£2,200 £4,100–£7,900
Full refurb: layout change, sub-floor, tiling, electrics 10–14 days £3,500–£6,000 £1,200–£3,000 £1,800–£3,500 £6,500–£12,500
Wet room conversion (no bath, sealed floor) 8–12 days £3,200–£5,500 £800–£2,000 £1,500–£3,000 £5,500–£10,500
Cloakroom retrofit 1.5–2 days £450–£800 £300–£700 £150–£300 £900–£1,800
En-suite full refit 6–9 days £2,500–£4,500 £1,000–£2,500 £1,200–£2,500 £4,700–£9,500

Detailed Guidance

Like-for-Like Swap — What's Actually In Scope

A genuine like-for-like swap:

  1. Isolate water supplies and drain pipework
  2. Remove old bath, basin, WC
  3. Inspect and refresh waste connections (new traps, new flexi-hoses)
  4. Fit new bath; level, seal to wall
  5. Fit new basin; connect supplies and waste
  6. Fit new WC; connect supply (15mm cold) and 110mm waste
  7. Pressure-test all connections
  8. Run hot/cold and flush WC; check no leaks
  9. Seal perimeter with sanitary silicone
  10. Tidy up, dispose of old suite

Realistic time: 1.5–2 days for one plumber working competently. The "1 day swap" quote is over-promised — once you account for old fitting removal, new connections, levelling, sealing and testing, it's a 1.5-day job for sure.

When Layout Changes Become Scope

The customer often starts with "just swap the bath" and progressively realises they want changes. The cost-jumping points:

Each of these is a tier upgrade in pricing. Spell them out: "Layout change adds 2–4 days to the schedule and increases the labour quote by £600–£1,200."

Wet Room Scope

A wet room replaces a shower enclosure with a sealed, tile-or-floor-finished area with integrated falls to a linear or central drain. Scope:

Wet rooms are significantly more expensive than shower enclosures because of the tanking and fall work. A standard 1m × 1m enclosure can be £500–£1,200; a 1.5m × 1.5m wet room is £3,500–£6,500 + suite cost.

Bathroom Electrical Scope

Bathrooms are "special locations" per BS 7671 Section 701. Electrical work is notifiable under Part P:

Typical bathroom electrical work:

Customer Sanity-Check Items

Items that often surprise customers when read on the quote:

Always include a "scope clarifications" section in the quote covering these.

Common Site Overruns

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I include the suite in my quote or let the customer buy it?

Both approaches work. "Supply and fit" gives the customer one number and one accountability point — better for high-value or premium suites where coordination matters. "Labour only, customer to supply suite" puts the customer in control of brand and price — better for budget jobs.

Quote one way, with the alternative as an option: "Labour to install your supplied suite £X, OR supply-and-fit with our recommended suite £Y."

How long should a bathroom be out of service?

A like-for-like swap: 1.5–2 days out of service. A full refit: 7–14 days out of service. Customers planning around it (especially with one bathroom) need this estimate clear in writing. Some customers can use a downstairs cloakroom temporarily; others can't.

Do I need to upgrade the cold supply for a power shower?

Possibly. Standard 15mm rising main to a thermostatic mixer shower works at typical pressures (1.5–3 bar dynamic). For a power-shower pump or premium spa-jet shower, 22mm supply may be needed. Check manufacturer requirements before quoting.

What about the asbestos question?

Pre-2000 bathrooms occasionally contain asbestos in:

If the property is pre-2000 and a refit is planned, mention asbestos in the quote and offer a screening survey (£150–£400) before extensive demolition.

Can I work on the suite without notifying Building Control?

Like-for-like swap with no electrical alteration and no structural change: no notification needed. New circuit, new structural opening, change of use, or change of layout altering services: notification applies. Self-certification via competent person scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, Gas Safe) covers most.

Regulations & Standards