Bathroom downstairs

[jntabbycat]

Hi all, glad I found this since Ebuild closed.

 

my friend has had a bathroom installed upstairs where there previously wasn't one. He now wants to change the downstairs bathroom to just a WC. I know there are regs regarding removal of downstairs toilets etc but does this apply to bath as well? Will call local authority anyway but wanted to see if anyone in here knew before I call them.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Jeremy Harris]

From my reading of the regs, there's no requirement for a bathroom downstairs (in England and Wales), just an "entrance level WC".  Scotland is different, in that I believe they require that there be sufficient provision to allow at least a shower to be fitted on the entrance level, in addition to a WC.  Even then, I'm pretty sure you don't actually have to fit it, just allow space for one to be retrofitted.

 

Both of these regs apply to new builds, and generally things are more relaxed when it comes to renovation work.  I'm near 100% certain that removing the downstairs WC would be fine.

Edited May 30, 2017 by JSHarris

[jntabbycat]

Thanks JS. Good to see you on here by the way. 

[Jeremy Harris]

Sorry, I forgot to welcome you over here!  We created this forum just over a year ago, when Ebuild fell over, and we tried to find as many of the old members as we could; pity we didn't manage to find you sooner!

[ProDave]

Yes indeed the current regs up here demand you make provision to fit a shower downstairs including providing a drain point for it, but you don't have to fit it (we are not)

[Nickfromwales]

Hi @jntabbycat . 

Welcome back to the madhouse . How did you find Buildhub? 

[jntabbycat]

i googled ebuild and found a thread on green building forum. On there it had a link to here. :-) all seemed sudden with ebuild!

[Nickfromwales]

5 minutes ago, jntabbycat said:

i googled ebuild and found a thread on green building forum. On there it had a link to here. :-) all seemed sudden with ebuild!

Yup. That was a ship with a single captain . Here we share the running and are therefore more robust ( so here to stay as long as folk will have us  ). 

Glad to have you back on board ?

[Ferdinand]

Welcome.

 

My strong view on this would be to put a walk-in fixed screen shower on the former bath footprint, to future-proof the house.

 

It will only cost a few hundred.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Ferdinand

[jntabbycat]

Prob is the kitchen is small and would benefit from the extra space the shower is using up. Downside is toilet will be off of kitchen but sadly no way round that and no where to move it. If the toilet could go too it would make things easier  but then loosing downstairs WC is perhaps not wise with regard to value/resale and poss regs.

 

@Nickfromwales on a side note I'm halfway to becoming a domestic installer. Done testing, practical and part p course. Just 17th edition to do next and the big yellow book! Any pointers?

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, jntabbycat said:

Any pointers?

If it's red or brown, test it before you touch it . 

You going self employed?

[jntabbycat]

@Nickfromwales Haven't decided yet. Was thinking about gaining some experience before I go self employed but yes is the short answer.

 

if in doubt cut the brown one ?

Edited May 31, 2017 by jntabbycat