We are currently installing a new bathroom. The idea was to go quite modern.
The only problem we have is the bathroom has an ugly wooden airing cupboard containing the water tank - about 3ft * 2ft to full ceiling height - in the corner. Not really a cupboard, more of a room high square box with doors that covers the tank.
We've looked into getting rid of it by moving to the loft or a combi but neither is really cost effective.
Has anyone seen anywhere that sells any sort of modern furniture to cover the tank up? All modern bathroom places seem to assume you dont have one of these.
If not, has anyone any other ideas how to blend one in with a modern bathroon - I'm sure we cant be the only ones to have this problem.
Why can't you put it in the loft? The cost isn't great and you get a better head of water. There is often enough room to put a shower cubicle in its place.
We had a similar problem, we have an airing cupboard in the bathroom with a tank, and the most ugly doors, when we had our bathroom re-fitted, we took the tank out, had some doors made in beech wood to match out beechwood vanity unit, and even tiled the floor inside the airing cupboard(we had some left over), and what a difference to our bathroom, and a hella lot more space in the cuboard, we have loads of room especially on the tiled area.
We even have our new combi-boiler in there also, and the doors are lovely and blends in with the rest of the bathroom
We've been told it will cost about a grand by the time they have built a frame to support it, re-plumbed it and then got a part-p qualified electrician in to move the electical bits.
All you neeed is a couple of lengths of 6x2 to span the joist bearers with a piece of ply on the top. You need a couple of lengths of copper or plastic pipe and if you are really pedantic - get an electrician in for an hour.
Thanks. I suppose I could look into getting some more quotes - both have said it will be a grand so far. How many days work - I believe plumbers are looking at £400 a day round here.
£1k seems to be over the oddds is there a problem with access to roof space? But if you need to get in a good carpenter to box around the tank and you and a stylish finish you might nearly the same cost and you won't have the extra space in the bathroom. You might want to look at new boilers without hot water tanks they should at least save money on your fuel bills.
I've had a plumber here for the last 3 days doing stuff in the kitchen and bathroom, and the bill came to £460 - sounds like I've either had an amazing bargain, or you need to get some more quotes.
tinytears newbuyer do you think there might be a difference due to geography? Also always be nice to them offer then coffee when they come to quote be very clear what you want to achieve let them decide how they achieve it (they can have some great ideas.)If they are very busy or they don't fancy a job (bad parking, flights of steps, rude customer) they add on a hassle factor to the price. Some also add on if they think the person doesn't have a clue what is involved and looks like they can afford it. We had quotes for work in old cottage that were twice the other quotes why? 'cos the builder was 6'5" and our ceilings beams were 6'3". Best of luck.
Originally posted by newbuyer17: Thanks. I suppose I could look into getting some more quotes - both have said it will be a grand so far. How many days work - I believe plumbers are looking at £400 a day round here.
Blimey where do you live? I am in London and my plumber 'only' charges £200 per day.
Midlands. They seem to be able to charge what they want around here - and thats if they can even be bothered to come out and quote.
We live in quite a nice road - although our house is the smallest in the street I'm sure they take one look at the road and ramp the price up.
As regards changing the boiler, we dont seem to have very good water pressure so would be struggling with that option.
I'll get some others out to quote for moving the tank, but as we dont want to spend too much moving things, has anyone any other ideas re boxing in the tank? Is it definitly a case of making on myself rather than buying one?
We had our hot tank in the bathroom (have now had it moved) and the floor to ceiling 'boxing in' was custom made around it (the tank was about three feet off the floor on a platform and we used the shelves underneath to store stuff like bleach etc). We painted the 'cupboard' the same colour as the walls so it didn't stand out too much.
However the small bathroom is much more useable now the tank has been moved (only a few feet away, under the stairs).
What you have to take into account is the amount of room you gain. It's like getting a mini extension for free. Keep getting quotes until you get someone reasonable.
Re-location of the tank/combi boiler would obviously be the preferred choice, but if you're boxing in, it may be worth looking at kitchen units? Sounds a bit ridiculous, but if you can get a intergrated fridge freezer unit/ larder cupboard with finshing panels on the end etc. a bit of imaginative joinery may give you something along the lines of what you're looking for? Some kitchen units look fairly similar to some of the built in bathroom units you get now..
