Planning on renovating your bathroom?

While plumbing and waterproofing a bathroom is best left to the professionals, installing a new bath is actually something that can be done by most handy home owners.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on DIY bathtub installation.

While installing a bath can be tricky, like all DIY, it’s all in the preparation.

• Get all plumbing and structural work checked out by a licensed professional and approved by your local council. If you don’t, you be able to get insured. Trust us, it’s not worth the risk.
• Measure the dimensions of your bath and the area where it will fit into to ensure you have enough room. Don’t forget to include enough space underneath the bath for the drainage system.
• If possible, it’s a good idea to work to a full tile height when positioning the bath. This will save you from cutting your tiles down later on.
• Cut out a groove in the wall for the bath to slide into. The lip of the bath should fit into the wall, thereby allowing the cement sheet and tiles to fit in place over the top.  This is an important part of the waterproofing process.
• Then connect the drain. Pour a couple of buckets of water into the bath to test the trap seals on the drain to ensure it’s watertight.
• Does the bath need additional support? If you’re installing a plastic bath you’ll need a mortar base for support, otherwise the bath will crack and leak. A pressed metal bath does not need this type of support.
• Apply a waterproof seal between the bath and the adjoining walls.

After the bath is in place, the next step is tiling, painting and decorating.  And after all that? Time to run a long hot bath, and relax.

All too hard? It might be time to call in the experts. Find bathroom renovation experts in your local area, or call your friendly plumber for help.