Most people only buy a bathroom once or twice in their lives, and nobody explains how it works. In short, you measure your room, set a budget, find a fitter, choose your products with the fitter's input, then order everything to arrive before the fitter starts. You can buy from a showroom, online, or through your fitter. Buying from a local showroom gives you the most help, because you can see the products at full size and get advice on what will fit and work together.
The buying journey in nine steps
- Measure the room. Note the length, width and ceiling height, and the positions of the door, window, toilet waste and radiator.
- Decide what you want to change. A like-for-like swap costs far less than moving the toilet or replacing a bath with a walk-in shower.
- Set a budget for products and fitting separately. Fitting, plumbing, electrics and waste removal often cost as much as the products.
- Gather ideas. Save photos of bathrooms you like, or try our guide to designing your bathroom with ChatGPT and Gemini.
- Find a fitter and book a survey. Get at least two quotes, and ask each fitter what they need you to buy.
- Visit a showroom with your measurements, photos and the fitter's notes. Choose your suite, tiles, taps, shower and heating.
- Get a written quote for the products and check it against your fitter's list.
- Order in good time, so everything arrives before the fitter's start date.
- Check every item on delivery, before the fitter opens or fits anything.
Where to buy a bathroom
You have three main routes, and many people combine them.
Why a showroom helps first-timers most
A bathroom is a set of products that all have to work together: the toilet has to reach the waste, the vanity unit has to clear the door, the shower tray has to match the enclosure, and the taps have to suit the basin. A showroom team checks those details with you. You also see colours, finishes and sizes in real light, which photos cannot show.
In our Bridgend showroom you can see complete room settings, compare tiles at full size, and hold taps and fittings side by side. Many of our ranges are in stock to take away, and we offer click and collect and delivery. If you prefer to browse first, the same products are on bridgendtb.uk.
Should your fitter supply the bathroom
It depends on the fitter and on you. Some fitters prefer to supply everything because they know the products and can guarantee them. Others prefer you to choose and buy, and they quote for labour only. Both work well. What matters is that you and your fitter agree in writing who is buying what, so nothing is missed or ordered twice. Fitters can open a trade account with us, so you can choose your products in our showroom and your fitter can order them.
What a bathroom is made of: the full shopping list
A "bathroom suite" usually means just the toilet, basin and bath. A finished bathroom needs far more. Use this list to make sure nothing is forgotten, and tick off who is buying each item.
The suite
[ ] Toilet, cistern and seat, from close-coupled to back-to-wall, rimless and short projection for small rooms
[ ] Concealed cistern frame and flush plate, for back-to-wall and wall-hung toilets
[ ] Basin or vanity unit with basin
[ ] Bath, bath panel and end panel, or a freestanding bath
Showering
[ ] Shower tray and waste
[ ] Shower enclosure or bath screen
[ ] Shower: a mixer shower with valve and riser, or an electric shower
Taps and wastes
[ ] Basin tap and basin waste
[ ] Bath taps or filler, bath waste and overflow
Walls and floor
[ ] Wall tiles and floor tiles, plus 10% for cuts and breakages
[ ] Or shower wall panels for a quick, grout-free shower area
[ ] Adhesive, grout and silicone, tile trims, spacers and levellers
[ ] Tanking kit or tile backer board for the shower area
Heating and finishing touches
[ ] Heated towel rail or radiator
[ ] Underfloor heating, if wanted
[ ] Mirror or mirror cabinet
[ ] Storage, niches and accessories
The items people forget
[ ] Extractor fan, which must meet ventilation requirements
[ ] Lighting suitable for bathroom zones
[ ] Isolation valves and flexible tap connectors
[ ] Pan connector for the toilet waste
[ ] Skirting, sealant and paint for the walls above the tiles
For help with finishes, our guide to bathroom tap finishes explains how to match taps, showers and towel rails.
Budget: where the money goes
Split your budget into two parts from the start: products and labour. Products cover everything on the shopping list above. Labour covers stripping out the old bathroom, plumbing, electrics, tiling, plastering, decorating and taking the waste away. Get your fitter's quote before you finalise product choices, so you know how much is left for the suite and tiles.
Three choices make the biggest difference to cost:
- Layout. Keeping the toilet, basin and bath or shower in the same positions avoids moving pipes and the soil stack, which saves labour.
- Tiling area. Tiling every wall floor to ceiling costs more in tiles and in tiling time than half-height tiling with painted walls above. Our tiles start from £10.00 per square metre, with much of the range between £20 and £30.
- Shower type. An electric shower needs only a cold feed and a dedicated electrical circuit, while a mixer shower depends on your hot water system and water pressure. Ask your fitter which suits your home.
Finding and working with a fitter
Ask friends and neighbours for recommendations, look at photos of recent jobs, and get at least two written quotes. Ask each fitter:
- What their quote includes: strip-out, waste removal, plastering, tiling, electrics and decorating.
- Whether they supply the products or expect you to.
- How long the job will take and when they can start.
- Whether a registered electrician will handle the electrical work, which must meet BS 7671 and Part P.
- What guarantee they give on their work.
When you have chosen a fitter, agree a written list of every item, marked with who is buying it. Share it with us when you visit the showroom and we will price everything on your side of the list.
When to order and how long it takes
A full bathroom refit usually takes one to two weeks of work once the fitter starts, depending on the size of the room and how much is changing. Book your fitter first, then work back from the start date.
- Around four to six weeks before the start date: visit the showroom and choose your products.
- Two to three weeks (or More) before: place your order and confirm stock and delivery or collection dates. Many items are in stock in our showroom, and our team will tell you the lead time for anything that is not. However, some items may need to be ordered; the sooner your order is placed, the sooner your items are on order, to avoid delivery delays.
- One week before: take delivery, check everything, and store it somewhere dry and safe.
Ordering tiles from one batch matters. Shade can vary slightly between production runs, so buy all the tiles for one room in a single order, with around 10% extra, and keep a spare box for future repairs.
Checking your delivery
Check every item as soon as it arrives, and before your fitter opens or fits anything:
- Count the boxes against the order.
- Open each box and look for chips, cracks or scratches.
- Check the tile shade and batch numbers match on every box.
- Check the sizes, colours and finishes are what you ordered.
- Report any problem to us straight away, before fitting starts.
Once a product is fitted, it is much harder to resolve a problem with it. Read our returns policy before you order, so you know how it works.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Buying products before booking a fitter. Your fitter may spot something that changes what you need.
- Choosing from photos alone. Sizes, colours and finishes look different in real life.
- Forgetting the small parts. Wastes, valves, connectors and trims hold up a job if they are missing on day one.
- Ordering tiles in batches. Buy everything for one room at once to keep the shade consistent.
- Not checking the delivery. Find damage before fitting, not after.
- Leaving no contingency. Old bathrooms often hide rotten boards or old pipework, so keep a reserve in your budget.
For the trade
First-time buyers lean heavily on their fitter. Send your customer to the showroom with your measurements and a marked-up list, and our team will help them choose products that suit your plans. With a trade account you get trade pricing and local collection from Brackla, and your customer gets to see and choose their finishes in person.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first step when buying a new bathroom?
Measure your room and decide what you want to change. Note the length, width and ceiling height, and the positions of the door, window, toilet waste and radiator. Then set a budget for products and fitting, and book a fitter to survey the room before you choose products.
Should I buy my bathroom or let my fitter supply it?
Both work. Buying yourself lets you choose every product and see the prices clearly. Letting your fitter supply it gives you one point of contact. Whichever you choose, agree a written list of every item and who is buying it, so nothing is missed or ordered twice.
What does a bathroom suite include?
A bathroom suite usually includes a toilet, basin and bath, sometimes with a pedestal or vanity unit. It rarely includes taps, wastes, shower, screen, tiles, heating or accessories. Use a full shopping list to make sure you order everything the fitter needs.
How long does it take to fit a new bathroom?
A full bathroom refit usually takes one to two weeks once the fitter starts, depending on the room size and how much is changing. Allow four to six weeks before that to choose and order products, so everything arrives and is checked before fitting begins.
Is it better to buy a bathroom from a showroom or online?
A showroom suits first-time buyers because you can see products at full size, compare finishes and get advice on what fits your room. Online suits confident buyers who know exact sizes and models. Many people browse online first, then visit a showroom to check and order.
Start your bathroom with us in Bridgend
If you are buying a bathroom for the first time, bring your measurements, a few photos of the room and any notes from your fitter. Our team will walk you through the choices, check what fits, and put together a clear quote for everything on your list. There is no such thing as a stupid question in our showroom.
Visit us at Unit 1, Main Avenue, Brackla Industrial Estate, Bridgend, CF31 2BB. We are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Call 01656 767740, browse our bathrooms and tiles online, or plan your visit.
