Planning to refurbish or construct a new bathroom? Find out which building regulations you need to comply with here.
The bathroom is usually one of the smallest, yet most used rooms in a property. It’s also a major selling point for potential buyers, so a well designed, attractive and functional bathroom is a must.
But before you get started on your bathroom refurbishment, make sure you check out the relevant building regulations first, here’s a guide:
Plumbing and pipes – your bathroom plumbing is regulated under Part H of current UK building regulations. Rules include making sure that waste pipes and drainage run downhill from the appliance to a soil pipe or outlet. If your drainage doesn’t run downhill, for instance in a basement conversion, you will need to use a pump like a Saniflow. Under the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme, plumbing must be designed to prevent water waste, contamination and misuse. A qualified plumber or bathroom specialist will install plumbing to meet all these standards.
Ventilation – under Part F of the building regulations, properties must have adequate ventilation. This is particularly important in humid, moist rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom to prevent damp and mould. Your bathroom will need to be ventilated with a window or extractor fan, or perhaps both. A new bathroom with a shower and bath should have a fan which extracts at a rate of at least 15 litres per second and a 15 minute overrun once the light has been switched off.
Electrics and lighting – water and electrics don’t mix, so by law, any electrical work must be carried out by a qualified electrician who can comply with Part P of the building regulations. This ensures that all bathroom electrics are installed safely; for example rules specify that different zones in the bathroom must only use certain voltages. Light switches must either be pull chord operated or located outside of the bathroom. A qualified electrician registered with an approved scheme such as the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) will provide you with certificates to prove your bathroom electrics meet building regulations.
Structural safety – Part A of the building regulations concern structural safety. If you are building a bathroom from scratch or extensively refurbishing, you need to make sure that the bathroom is structurally sound. For example, floors may need to be reinforced to hold a heavy bathroom suite or full bathtub.
If you have any doubts about whether your bathroom refurbishment or construction adheres to current UK building regulations, contact our bathroom specialists for advice and free quotes.
