Bathroom Fit-Out in London: Who Does What and in What Order?
A full bathroom fit-out in a London property involves multiple trades working in a defined sequence, and understanding which tradesperson is responsible for which element of the work is essential for project planning and cost control. The main trades involved in a London bathroom renovation are typically a builder or tiler, a plumber, and an electrician, with additional involvement from a decorator if the walls are to be plastered and painted rather than tiled. This guide explains the division of work and the typical sequence of a London bathroom fit-out.
First Fix: The Plumber and the Builder
A London bathroom fit-out begins with the first fix stage, during which all the preparatory work behind the walls and under the floor is completed before any surface finishes are applied. The plumber carries out the first fix plumbing, which involves positioning and connecting the supply pipes and waste pipes to the locations where each sanitary fitting will be installed. Cold and hot water supply pipes are run to the bath, basin, shower, and toilet positions, and waste pipes are connected from each fitting position to the soil and waste stack. The supply pipes are left capped at the fitting positions, and the waste pipes are left with temporary connections, ready to be connected to the finished fittings in the second fix stage.
The builder or general contractor handles the structural elements of the bathroom, including any wall or floor alterations required to accommodate the new layout, the installation of any boxing or enclosures to conceal pipework, and the preparation of walls and floors for tiling or other surface finishes. If the bathroom floor requires a screed for a wet room or for underfloor heating, the builder or a specialist screed contractor will lay this during the first fix stage, after the underfloor heating pipes or cables have been installed by the plumber or electrician. The first fix electrical work, including the installation of the shower circuit cable, extractor fan wiring, and lighting circuits, is carried out by the electrician concurrently with or immediately after the first fix plumbing.
The Tiling and Surface Finishes Stage
Once the first fix work is complete, the walls and floor can be prepared for the surface finishes. In most London bathrooms, the walls are tiled, and the tiler will prepare the wall substrate, apply a waterproof membrane or tanking system to wet areas such as the shower enclosure, and then fix the tiles to the prepared surfaces. The tiler must work around the positions of the sanitary fittings and the electrical fittings, ensuring that the tiles are set out so that the fitting positions align with the grout lines or tile centres. The sequence of tiling and plastering must be coordinated so that any plastered surfaces are finished before the tiler works adjacent to them, and so that the waterproofing in the shower area is completed before the shower tray or wet room floor former is fitted.
If the bathroom has a heated towel rail or underfloor heating connected to the central heating system, the plumber will have run the flow and return pipework during the first fix stage, and this pipework will be connected to the towel rail or manifold during the second fix stage after the surface finishes are complete. An electric towel rail or electric underfloor heating system will require the electrician to run and connect the circuit cables in the first fix stage and to make the final connections in the second fix stage.
Second Fix: Connecting the Fittings
The second fix stage is when the bathroom takes shape. The plumber returns to connect the sanitary fittings to the supply and waste pipes that were installed in the first fix. The bath, basin, toilet, and shower tray or wet room former are fitted to the wall and floor, the taps and shower valves are connected to the supply pipes, the waste traps are fitted and connected to the waste pipework, and the toilet cistern is connected to the water supply. The electrician returns to fit the shower unit, the extractor fan, the shaver socket, the lighting, and any other electrical fittings, and to issue the Electrical Installation Certificate for the completed electrical installation. The plumber tests all the water connections for leaks and checks the drainage for correct flow before the bathroom is declared ready for use. Prestige Engineers provide full bathroom installation services in London, handling the plumbing first and second fix as well as co-ordinating with tiling and electrical trades to deliver a complete bathroom renovation.