Over the years customers have been disappointed when I have had to tell them 'no' to some of their bathroom designs purely because they break the laws of physics. Although some solutions are possible they can add significant amounts to the cost of a remodel. Hopefully this article will help people think about what problems occur in the process.
* Relocation of Sanitary Ware Within the Bathroom
* Waste Water
Before you make any decisions on positioning on any bathroom fixtures it is best to start at the beginning, taking into account water services.
If your intentions are to reposition bath or sink you must always take into account the waste water outlet. Existing positions are conveniently positioned for waste water outlets, so moving positions will sometimes complicate waste water removal. Things to remember are that you must always have a fall on your pipework so that the waste water flows away from the appliance towards the soil pipe or this could mean that you would have to raise the bath or shower on a platform to maintain the correct gradient which should be and average of 1:80.
If there is more than one outlet connected into one waste pipe, you will probably need to install an air omittence valve. For instance, if a bath and basin are connected into the same waste pipe and no omittence valve is fitted then the pressure created in emptying the bath could suck the water out of the sink's waste trap, which would result in smells coming up from the drains through the sinks plug hole. Sink traps are available with an air omittence valve already incorporated for these scenarios or they can be purchased separately if preferred.
Modern toilets can also present the same issues with soil pipe gradients as all waste pipework will end up in joined to the internal soil stack, although on older properties, the toilet's soil pipe normally goes through the wall into an external soil pipe and the basin and bath go into a hopper then down into the drains.
* Hot and Cold Water Supplies
Connecting hot and cold water supplies to newly positioned sanitary ware shouldn't prove to be as difficult to install as the waste water pipework because no gradients are required. You can supply these pipes under floors, in lofts or by boxing them in, although considerations must be taking on water pressures. For instance, certain taps and showers need specific water pressure. Water pressure gauges can be purchased to take these readings at the cost of approximately £25.00 ($40.00).
Baths should always be fed by 22mm pipework to maintain flow rate. If your water supply is a gravity-fed system, the water pressure is governed by the water tank height and size that is in your loft. If you increase the tank size or height, is would increase the pressure. If you are on a combination (combi) boiler system, the hot and cold supplies are at reduced mains water supply pressure. You will need to check boiler specifications. Also check more information related to sanitary ware and shower panels.
Nothing disappoints more than having waterfall taps (faucet) with low water pressure and no more than a trickle of water rather than the expected cascade.
* Specifically Showers
Shower pumps are another thing that really must be considered because of the hot supply pipe that should be taken from a surrey flange direct from the top of the cylinder. A surrey flange has pipework that drops further into the cylinder than a standard flange, thus insuring that the pump is not sucking in air from the top of the cylinder. Some pumps can pump out water quicker than the header tank can fill the cylinder, thus the need for the surrey flange. An alternative is to fit an essex flange but that would mean drilling into the side of the cylinder which most plumbers frown upon due to the potential ruination of the cylinder.
A worthwhile consideration when fitting a new shower and enclosure into your new design is the weight of the shower tray. Large stone resign shower trays could take two people to lift and install and the extra weight on the upstairs bathroom floor should be taken into account. There are more modern acrylic-capped stone resign shower trays at approximately half the weight which are just as rigid, but slightly more expensive.
* Access and maintenance
Please take into account that when the running of all pipework and connections, thought should always be taken to accessing this pipework for maintenance. For instance, pipework that has been boxed in would be best to have solder joints rather than compression joints to minimise the risk of leaks and the necessity of deconstructing the boxing in to get to that leak. Access panels can be purchased and incorporated into the installation of the boxing in.
If you choose to tile your bath panel, it is always worth remembering that the taps may need replacing or maintaining, so the panel will need to be removed at some point.
All tap and shower connections should have isolation valves fitted. Full bore valves are best suited to maintain the flow rate. Some appliances will need to have double-check valves fitted, e.g. bidets, but these will reduce flow rate.