Index:  Back to homepage

1. Where and how to start renovating your bathroom
2. Why use Lever Mixers?
3. What is a renovation?
4. Do's and Dont's
5. What breaks first in a bathroom
6. Choosing products
7. When designing follow the design tips:
  7.1 Measuring
  7.2 Layout
  7.3 Common Principles to implement when designing
  7.4 Positioning sanitary ware
  7.5 The order in which Sanitary ware is required in most bathrooms
  7.6 Practical tips
8. Importance of tiles and the selection thereof

Where and how to start renovating your bathroom:  Back to index

1. Measure and draw the bathroom to scale if possible use a scale 1 : 20 as this is a very common scale in which manufacturers draw their products.

2. Draw in all the windows and doors, the direction in which they open.

3. Mark the positions of the drains, toilets and gulleys.

4. Test the water pressure, first the cold water, by holding your thumb on the tap and blocking the spout and then opening the cold water – feel the pressure, do the same but now open the hot water. You will find one of three possibilities:

  • If they are equal in pressure it means you have a balanced water pressure which is the best. This is the best situation for new generation Lever Mixers, can also work old generation spindle taps.

    •
  • If there is a pressure difference between hot and cold it means it is imbalanced, if the cold is the strongest it means you have low hot water pressure, only old generation spindle taps should be used (big water pressure difference).

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  • If there is a difference between the water pressures hot and cold, but it is slight, it means you have high water pressure on the hot yet it is not balanced. Preferably use only old generation spindle type taps.

    • NB. Balanced water pressure means when the hot and cold water are 100% equal in pressure.

    NB. To get the system balanced it means to place the pressure reducing valve in the pipeline before it splits and diverts through various areas of the house, not more than 13 meters away from your hot water boiler/geyser.

    Why use Lever Mixers?  Back to index

    1. Lever mixers are easy to operate.

    2. They are convenient to use.

    3. Set the desired temperature and leave it there.

    4. Saves water wastage:
    a. Have flow rating devices built into them.
    b. Has aerators built into them that make the water look so much more, yet it is actually less.

    5. Saves electricity and energy wastage.

     

    What is a renovation?  Back to index

    1. Strip out all the old pipes, especially if they are galvanized, they have rusted and corroded and are relatively cheap to replace.

    2. Check the new layout:
    a. First it must be practical (It will be used for many years to come –
    comfort and convenience).
    b. Secondly it must be aesthetically pleasing.
    c. Be careful not to be caught with things like steps in front of a bath, it takes up lots of floor space and is uncomfortable to stand on and is dangerous and slippery.
    d. Be careful not to be caught with a big tiled rim around the bath as you bump the inner sides of your legs.
    e. Be wary of stands on basins as water spillage is difficult to clean.
    f. Be wary of free-standing baths as you need to lie on your stomach to clean underneath them.
    g. Be wary of open basin cupboards as all clutter & rubbish is visible.
    h. Glass tops scratch easily, so do basins.

    3. Make sure you don’t put old and new products together as they stand out like a sore thumb.

    4. Do not use products which have been re-enamelled, re-glazed or re-surfaced as they have a short life expectancy.

    5. Be wary of fashion trends as they date easily. Classic is the most widely accepted.

    6. Use quality products (first grade, make sure aftersales service is available). Cheap products do not carry an aftersales service.

    7. Use first grade tiles as visually they have the biggest role to play in the bathroom.

    8. Find someone who is properly qualified to do the work:
    a) Listen to his / her presentation, look at detail.
    b) Ask for references & follow ups.
    c) Ask to see contractors own house.

     

    Do Not:  Back to index

    1. Don’t pay a deposit, this is where your problem starts. Company's must be strong enough and confident enough to fund the project.

    2. Do not take anything on word value, it must be written in a contract and signed by both parties.

    3. Do not accept verbal completion dates, must be written in contract.

    4. Do not allow work to continue un-inspected on a daily basis and if dissatisfied stop the project immediately.

     

    Must do's:

    1. Be willing to give guarantees for payment.

    2. Get a plan of the layout which you have approved and signed.

    3. Get a specification list of the products which you have agreed upon and signed.

    4. Follow progress on a daily basis and enquire if not on time – reasons. Make arrangements to catch up work that has fallen behind the next day or after hours.

     

    What breaks first in a bathroom:  Back to index

    1. Spar bath’s:
    a. Check the bath’s guarantee.
    b. Only buy good quality bath’s from companies that have been in existence for many years.
    c. Install to manufacturers guarantees.
    d. Allow for sufficient inspection doors.
    NB. Get someone that is sufficiently skilled & experienced to install your spa bath as it can give you endless problems.

    2. Bathroom Cabinets:
    a. Manufactured of the wrong woods.
    b. Wood is not sealed.
    c. Cabinets do not ventilate.
    d. Cabinets stand on the floor.

    3. Shower doors: It is not the glass that breaks as the law protects you, it has to be toughened safety glass, the only other components are the mechanisms which they swivel, slide and pivot around, these are the problem areas.

    4. Shower floors: Mosaics are commonly used however, the grout discolors and gets dirty quickly. Scrubbing the grout wears down the water proofing agents and eventually dampness appears on the walls.

    Making use of shower bases is the answer, they are hygienic, easy to maintain & clean, looks good after 10 years and cuts out waterproofing problems.

     

    Choosing products:  Back to index

    1. Take time to look and listen to advice given by sales people on various products.

    2. Take time to listen to advice given by installers as they can tell you which companies are willing and helpful in the events of problems arising.

    3. Choose products that have a proven track record and history of time on their side.

    4. Choose products that are white and classic as they don’t date easily.

    5. Make a list of what all is needed i.e. taps, tiles, bath’s, basins, toilets, showers etc.

     

    Follow these tips when designing your bathroom:  Back to index

    Step 1 - Measuring

    Measuring can turn out to be the most crucial part of a design. In bathrooms centimetres can sometimes make the difference. Draw the bathroom to scale, making sure you have positioned and marked out the doorway, the position of the window and measured the roof height.

    Also mark out where your drain connection for the toilet is.

     

    Step 2 - Layout  Back to index

    Always design a bathroom with a layout that is going to be practical then aesthetical. Here are some pointers:

    a. Do not position a basin underneath window.



    b. Do not position a toilet in the doorway.


    c. Do not place the shower in the entrance, restricting or causing a tunnel vision as you enter.


    d. Do not build partition walls, as visually it makes the room smaller, especially for showers, use clear glass panels as they are see through and makes the room visually bigger.


    e. Do not build uncomfortable and impractical steps in front of a bath.


    f. Do not sink the bath into the floor as you will have to go on your knees to put the plug in or wash the bath.




    Step 3 - Common Principles to implement when designing  Back to index

    1. The human eye views things in perspective and dimension. In other words, short things in the front and tall things in the back, all broad things at the base or on the floor and no bulky things on the walls. This creates the illusion of space.


    2. When squares and rectangles are used, you create sharp corners and dead ends     which people tend to bump themselves against and restricts access.


    3. Making use of rounds and curves gives accessibility and flow in the bathroom.


    4. Make sure the door opens and swings against a wall, making sure it does not visually cut your bathroom in half.




    Step 4 - Positioning sanitary ware  Back to index


    1. The first visual point upon entering into the doorway should be your vanity basin.



    2. The tallest item, the shower, should be in the furthest back corner.



    3. The toilet should be placed as best out of sight as possible.



    4. The bath is always a focal point and should generally speaking be close to the vanity basin.






    Step 5 - The order in which Sanitary ware is required in most bathrooms  Back to index

    1. A toilet, basin, bath, shower, second basin, bidet
    Step 6 - Practical tips  Back to index

    1. Making use of low voltage lights, brightens up the room and the brighter the room the bigger it appears to be.



    2. Making use of large mirrors creates the illusion of space.



    3. Making use of big tiles, reduces the grout which gives a smoother and a softer effect, which also makes the room look bigger and better over a longer period of time as it is the grout that discolours.



    4. Lighter coloured tiles also make the room look larger.

    When designing, bear in mind the needs of the customer first, also making sure that in the future people will generally accept the layout as well.

    For a main bathroom it is very important to have a double vanity and a luxury shaped bath, as the woman of the home and future potential buyers, view this as a very important point and it adds value to the home.

    In 20 years of designing the most common problem is a busy/cluttered bathroom. These words have been said many times, beauty lies within simplicity. Apply it.

    Importance of tiles and the selection thereof:  Back to index

    1. Use earthly coloured tiles i.e. beiges and creams.

    2. Use natural materials i.e. granites, marbles, wood, etc.

    3. Tiles are the biggest role player visually in the bathroom:
    a. The darker the tile the smaller the room, the brighter the tile the bigger the room.
    b. The longer the tile the higher the ceiling.
    c. The broader the tile the bigger the room.
    d. Matt tiles absorb light, gloss tiles reflect light.
    e. Glazed tiles are easy to clean, natural or unglazed tiles absorbs body fats and soaps.

    4. How to lay tiles can make a huge difference:

    a. All houses are out of square and level thus the art is not to knock the house down and rebuilt, but to hide imperfections and make it less visible to the eye (that is the definition of an experienced artisan and shows his skill).

    b. Tile the floors diagonally as it is much more difficult to measure diagonals as it would be to follow a straight line.

    c. Tile the wall but balance the pieces on either side to be equal in size, diagonal pattern on the wall brings about lots of busy corners and is not recommended in small bathrooms.

    d. Tile from the floor to the ceiling and balance the pieces on the floor & ceiling to be equal in size.

    e. Tile borders (listello’s) positioned at the correct height it has various visual perceptions.
       i) First third off the floor, best position – your eye follows the border line, it ropes in and
       then kicks out towards the top.
       ii) In the middle, cuts the room visually in half, not a good idea.
       iii) A third from the top, drops the level of the ceiling.
       iv) Colorful borders date easily, go for classical architrave.

    f. Tile spacing: the wider the tile is spaced from one another the more grout is used and it is the grout that deteriorates with time:
    i) wall tiles – make the grout spacings as small as possible to minimize grout.
    ii) floor tiles, stick with manufacturers recommended spacings as there is a lot more movement on the floor than on walls.

    g. Select the colour of the grout very carefully: light/natural grout disappears whereas darker grouts frame each tile and can look very busy. Recommend to use white on the walls and dark grey on the floor.
    NB. White grouts on floors discolor very quickly.