Hi brain trust, This is our laundry room, and we want to convert it into a bathroom with toliet. We want the result to look like this: (https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/Classic-bathroom-renovation/ta-p/76907) Our question is what order of work we should do / hire people to do ? * Demolition (1st step: current wall tiles, demolish drywall. Seems doable by ourselves) * Enclose door and window (2nd) * Plasterboard wall and ceiling lining (3rd) * Electrical (4th) * Plumbing (5th) * Tiling and waterproofing (6th) * Shower screen (7th) * Vanity cabinet (8th)

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What order should we follow to renovate bathroom?

ivanptr

Hi brain trust,

This is our laundry room, and we want to convert it into a bathroom with toliet.

We want the result to look like this:

(https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/Classic-bathroom-renovation/ta-p/76907)

Our question is what order of work we should do / hire people to do ?

Demolition (1st step: current wall tiles, demolish drywall. Seems doable by ourselves)
Enclose door and window (2nd)
Plasterboard wall and ceiling lining (3rd)
Electrical (4th)
Plumbing (5th)
Tiling and waterproofing (6th)
Shower screen (7th)
Vanity cabinet (8th)

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Plumbing

Flooring

Lighting and Electrical

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MitchellMc

Hi @ivanptr,

If you haven't already done so, you might like to read through this helpful guide: How to plan a bathroom renovation.

Your plan of attack sounds good, but I'd be looking at having the electrical and plumbing work done before plastering the walls. Those will be much easier to do for the professionals without the plasterboard in place. Once it's done, you can close up the walls with plasterboard.

The steps you hire people to do will come down to your skillset and what you are comfortable doing yourself. As you've mentioned, the demolition stage is likely something you could achieve, and you might like to consider doing the tiling, plasterboard and installing the vanity yourself. I'd recommend leaving the enclosing of the door and window, waterproofing and shower screen installation to the professionals. Obviously, they'd be doing the electrical and plumbing, too.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

ivanptr

Laundry Room:

Bathroom:

@MitchellMc

Thanks the plan of attack u gave is much better and really useful.

Now we have changed our plan after getting Inspiration from this Bunnings video

https://youtu.be/gg2T-sIW-Ao?si=YptC-rdKXsZb2E1b

Removing the bath 🙌

After second thought this is a good idea to us!

Our finalized plan:

1) Removing the bath from our bathroom since we only use shower anyway. Havent used the bath for AGES! Then with the extra space in our bathroom , we can install a 2nd toliet.

2) This can save us trouble from trying to put both 2nd toliet and 2nd shower into our small laundry room.👏

As a result, we only need to put the 2nd shower in the laundry room.

___________

-> Though we are struggling to decide where we should install our 1) window , 2 ) shower in the laundry room

Window:

The only single wall that we can install the window on is the one facing the backyard. Does that mean we better keep the current window? But would it be difficult to waterproof this old window?

or we better replace it with some kind of bathroom window and instruct the professionals to install the new window when they do the enclosing?

Any suggestion? ‌🤔‌

The measurement and layout of the laundry room attached in the first post of this thread.

-> Any tools / technique you can recommend and share on how to remove the bath from our bathroom ?

We want to remove this bath ourselves this weekend, Before asking the plumber to come and install the toliet for us.

One more toliet will be much more convenient for my old parents.

MitchellMc

I don't think there is any issue with installing a window that faces the backyard @ivanptr; blinds or frosting can be added for privacy. Depending on how close the old window will be to the shower, waterproofing it might only require an additional coat of paint. Make sure that you have good ventilation and exhaust fans in the new bathroom. Some positions for the shower would include the red, green and blue squares I've placed on your plan below.

For removing the bath, I recommend you take a look at this helpful step-by-step guide: How to remove tiles. Once you've removed the tiles from the front of the bath, you can assess what the bath is sitting on. It could be a timber frame or bricks. You'll need to work out the best plan of attack for there. If this is a fibreglass bath, it might be easiest to cut it into sections if it won't pull out in one piece.

Some tools you'll need for removing the tiles and a brick frame are a bolster, club hammer and a pry bar. If it's a timber frame you'll need a hand saw.

Once you have the tiles off and have exposed the frame, update us with some images, and we can provide further advice.

Remember your PPE, including gloves, safety glasses and a face mask.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

ivanptr

@MitchellMc

Got the tools this afternoon

But after 3 hours we still cant take bath out🤦🏻‍🌝

it seems the bath is attached to 1) the floor through the drain and 2) the wall?

Any idea how to remove it ?

Do we have to remove more tiles?

We tried to break the bath in pieces with hammer but its some kind of plastic very difficult to break.

Drain connection👆?

MitchellMc

Great progress, @ivanptr!

You'll need to disconnect the drain waste. Cutting through the waste pipe with a timber saw might be easiest.

Next, start cutting away those upright lengths of timbers that are supporting the bath, not the wall studs. You might find the bath has a bead of silicone between it and the tiles. Cut through this with a utility knife. Then, get that prybar under the lip of the bath and lever it up away from the supporting frame at the back. It could have been glued to the timber frame, so you might need to cut through it or lever the frame off the wall studs.

Mitchell

ivanptr

Update : Solved

We managed to use hammer drill to break the adhesion between the brick and bottom of bath.

______________________________

We've just realized its glued to two bricks

very difficult to cut through the adhesion between the brick and bath using handsaw🥲

any plan to attack this?

ivanptr

Wholehearted thanks @MitchellMc 🫂🍺

After using a lot of beginners elbow grease , we finally removed that bulky bath off !

tons of sense of satisfaction 🌝

But we still have some follow-up questions before proceeding. Gonna take a short break and organize our thought first. Keep in touch. Have a nice weekend.

Thanks @MitchellMc and bunnings for all the advice.

Cheers,

Ivan

MitchellMc

Love your work, @ivanptr! Great results!

Mitchell

ivanptr

@MitchellMc

We have been finding information on internet but still trying to wrap our head around 3 challenges:

1) The concrete floor is 3.5 cm lower than the tile surface. Seems a lot. Even we install new tiles (following this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40GdJa5WU-U) , the level will still be much lower than the existing tile floor ? how should we prep the concrete surface before tiling? :

2) After taking out the tiles, how can we restore the surface back to plastered wall? or prep the surface for re-tiling?

3. In our understanding, there are 2 steps in installing new bathroom wall :

Step 1) Screw the villaboard to the stub

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5NQesRDpG8

2) Stop up villaboard joints

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lsIG5Km-4E

But the vertical part (adjacent old villaboard is not exposed) , how could we stop up the joint between the old and new villaboard?

ivanptr

@EricL @Jason

Hi, anyone can guide us through the steps, and what tool we should use ? 🫂

Thank you so much.

Ivan

MitchellMc

Hi @ivanptr,

Now would be a good time to consult with a plumber regarding what toilet waste pipes must be installed. After that has been decided and the pipes routed to the correct location, you can correct the difference in floor height. One method would be to use self-levelling cement. There's no point levelling the floor now; you'll need to break through it to install the pipework.

In regards to the wall, you're on the right track. Villaboard needs to be attached to the exposed stud work. To stop up the joints, you'll need to expose the edge of the boards already in place. This could involve removing another row of tiles. In the step-by-step guides How to install Villaboard in bathrooms and How to stop up Villaboard, you'll find all the required tools and materials.

Mitchell

ivanptr

@MitchellMc

All notes taken.👍👍We will get the plumber and self-levelling cement.

Any idea how can we make surface of these villaboards smooth again for tiling ?

Some residual tile glue there, and its just too hard to use scraper for removal.

EricL

Hello @ivanptr

If the scraper is not cooperating, I suggest trying a grinder in combination with Flexovit 115 x 22.23mm Multi Material Reinforced Grinding Wheel. Make sure to check your wheel size as it comes in several sizes.

It will require a steady hand, but you should be able to remove the leftover adhesive on the villaboard.

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a heavy-duty mask when working on your bathroom wall.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

ivanptr

Hi everyone

When we removed the bath from the bathroom, we didnt realize its actually difficult to find new floor tiles of same style with the existing one.

Existing tiles are all 20 x 20cm.

Now our plan is to find the same size ones but in different colors.

And after tiling the bath area, we can paint both new and existing tiles with same color.

One major concern is, the bathroom still has a shower. But we hv seen some people painting on the shower floor without any issues.

Is this a good plan ? To paint both different tiles with same color - the existing purple tiles look horrible anyway lol.

Jason

Would you consider removing those purple tiles and replacing them @ivanptr?

Jason

ivanptr

Maybe not in our consideration at the moment. Because its a lot of work to retile the shower floor

EricL

Hello @ivanptr

If you are after a quick fix, it is possible to paint your current floor tiles and the new tiles that you'll be installing. However, I suggest seriously thinking about the possibility of re-tiling your bathroom floor. It will be hard work but the repairs you'll be doing will be for long term use.

If you are considering painting the tiles, I suggest having a look at the Dulux Renovation Range. It is water based and easy to apply.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

ivanptr

@EricL , @Thanks for the alert ! then we will attack the whole bathroom floor

How is it feasible / common to tile over existing bathroom floor tile ?

Our old tiles are 20 x 20 cm, with no visual damage. Compared to retiling, Is it equally easy for the tiler to install 45cm x 45 cm over old tiles while maintaining proper fall at our shower recess area?

Our plan is get a waterproofer to waterproof the old tiles before we get tilers to put new tiles on them.

Hope it can save project cost (without removal)

EricL

Hi @ivanptr

I suggest speaking to your tiler regarding tiling over existing tiles. It is possible to do it, but your tiler will probably need to assess the area before they say yes or no. Waterproofing is one of them main issues of tiling over tiles and the change of the floor height. The bathroom door will also need to be modified to take into account the change in floor height.

The fall in the shower will translate into the new tiles, however, the shower waste will need to be modified to take into account the new height. I recommend speaking to your tiler first regards to what will pass council rules and regulations.

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Eric

ivanptr

@EricL

Thanks for the heads-up - with these cost considerations, we might just ask tilers to do re-tiling.

We contacted a tiler - he can provide certificate of waterproofing 👍 ( guess its good news some other tilers dont want to provide that.)

And the tiler asked us :
Please send floor measurements and wall heights.
Type and size of tile you are using

We have drafted a plan and about to send to him:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAFu8l-DVag/UF0xEk-5AdCl_bMj7gGeMQ/edit?utm_content=DAFu8l-DVag&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Could you please help take a quick look at our plan? any important detail missing?

Do we have to specify which area we want to waterproof? or they would know where to waterproof to meet the building code?

It's our first time hiring tilers,

We are not very sure about what kind of details or scope of work we should specify beforehand.

EricL

Hello @ivanptr

Your plan looks very detailed and should be good enough to show the tiler, I suggest speaking to the tiler and asking them which area they will be waterproofing and if they miss a spot you want to waterproofed make sure to inform them that you want that spot covered as well. Make sure that the tiler sends you a jobs list so that all the parts they will be doing is noted down. In this manner nothing will be missed in the process.

You can also ask the tiler if they will be removing the rest of the appliances in the shower or if you need someone else to do it. The most important part is to find out the starting date and estimated finish.

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Eric

ivanptr

@EricL @MitchellMc

Just want to bring in some update and good news - we finally finalized almost everything and paid a deposit with contract signed. The builder can also provide all relevant compliance certificates (waterproofing, electrical etc).

We have altered our plan - decided to put a compact bath instead of shower in the laundry room. Because we already have a shower in our bathroom.

To make things simple, we plan to get same style of floor and wall tiles

https://www.beaumont-tiles.com.au/1009739-maximo-grey-textured
Size: 450 x 450

Gloss surface for wall, Textured anti-slip for flooring

Color guide:

This is the compact bathtub we will get:

Though we have a urgent question:

The compact bath will be placed in the upper left corner.
And what combo of tiled wall do you think is good ?
1) Fully tiled walls + L shaped

2) Partial / Half- tiled + L shape (this option seems better for us but how high we should cover ? 2/3 or 1/2? ceiling height is 2380mm)

3) All sides fully tiled / partially tiled- but this will be more expensive

4) U shaped + full / partially tiled

Thank you for any ideas..!

EricL

Hello @ivanptr

Using the same tile design for the floor and wall is ok, but because you've chosen a medium grey tile it might make the room look dark. Please make sure that you have enough lighting in the bathroom if you will go with this design.

To keep it simple just keep in mind what the bath is for. If it is only for bathing and not showering, then you could have the tiles only halfway up the wall as there will be no need to cover the entire surface as it will not be used as a shower.

To keep the look uniform, I would recommend having the tiles go from left to right, but only halfway up the height of the wall. My only other suggestion is to think about using large white tiles for the wall and keeping the grey tiles on the floor. This will keep the room bright, and you still get good colour contrast with the floor tiles.

Let me call on our experienced members @redbournreno, @homeinmelbourne, @Peggers and @prettyliving for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

ivanptr

@EricL

Many thanks for all the useful tips.

Okay we will get wall tiles of another colors (Belga White Matt) and bigger size (600 x 600)

When you mentioned "having the tiles go from left to right", do you mean something like this ? Does it make sense to tile behind washing machine? Or tiling stops besides the machine

EricL

Hi @ivanptr

I don't think the tiles need to go behind the washing machine as no one will be looking behind it. Your drawing is correct and that is to only have the tiles go halfway. Your tiler will know how high it needs to be in order to comply with council regulations so, make sure to ask for the quantity so that your tiles will not come up short.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let me know.

Eric

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