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It's one of the first questions people ask, and it's a fair one - especially if it's your only bathroom. The honest answer is that most full bathroom renovations take between 7 and 12 working days. But that range depends on a few things, and it's worth understanding what affects the timeline so you know what to expect.
We've renovated a lot of bathrooms across Wokingham, Crowthorne, and the surrounding areas over the years. Here's how the process typically breaks down and where the time goes.
Day 1–2: Strip-out and preparation
The old bathroom is removed - bath, toilet, basin, tiles, and any boxing or panelling that's coming out. This is the messiest part and it's usually done within a day. On day two, we assess what's behind everything. Sometimes the plasterwork is fine. Sometimes there's damp, damaged plaster, or uneven walls that need sorting before anything new goes on.
This is also when floor levelling happens if needed. On older properties in particular, bathroom floors are rarely perfectly flat. If the floor isn't level, tiles won't sit properly and shower trays won't drain correctly. Getting this right now saves problems later.
Day 3–4: First fix plumbing and electrics
The plumber repositions pipework if the layout is changing - for example, moving the shower to where the bath was, or shifting the toilet to a different wall. The electrician runs cabling for any new lighting, extractor fans, heated towel rails, or underfloor heating.
None of this is visible in the finished bathroom, but it's the stage that determines whether everything works properly. Rushing it is how you end up with poor water pressure, slow drainage, or an extractor fan in the wrong place.
Day 4–5: Waterproofing and boarding
Wet areas - particularly around showers and in wet rooms - need to be properly waterproofed before tiling. This means applying tanking membrane or tape to all joints and surfaces that will be exposed to water. In a wet room, the entire floor and lower walls are tanked.
We also board walls at this stage if needed. Tile backer board gives a flat, stable surface for tiling and doesn't deteriorate in damp conditions the way plasterboard can.
Day 5–8: Tiling
This is usually the longest single stage. How long it takes depends on the size of the room, the tile format, and the complexity of the layout. A straightforward bathroom with standard format tiles might take two to three days. A wet room floor with large format porcelain tiles and cuts around a drain can take longer because every cut has to follow the gradient precisely.
We don't rush tiling. Proper setting out - planning exactly where each tile falls before you start - avoids awkward cuts at edges and around fittings. It's the difference between a bathroom that looks considered and one that looks like the tiler just started in a corner and hoped for the best.
We also leave the adhesive to cure overnight before grouting. On porcelain tiles especially, grouting the same day risks shifting tiles that haven't fully bonded. It adds a day, but it's the right way to do it.
Day 8–10: Second fix and fitting
Once tiling is done, the plumber comes back to fit the toilet, basin, taps, shower valve, and shower screen. The electrician connects the lighting, extractor, and towel rail. This is where the bathroom starts to come together visually.
Day 10–12: Finishing and snagging
Silicone sealing around baths, trays, and sanitaryware. Any paintwork that's needed. Final adjustments to doors if the new floor height has changed the clearance. A thorough clean, and then a walkthrough with you to check everything's right.
A few things can extend the timeline beyond the typical 7–12 days:
Layout changes.
If you're moving the toilet, shower, or basin to a different position, the plumbing work takes longer. Moving a toilet in particular involves rerouting the soil pipe, which can add a day or more depending on the run.
Wet rooms.
A wet room requires more preparation than a standard shower installation - the floor gradient has to be formed, the entire wet area tanked, and the tiling around the drain is more complex. Expect to add 1–2 days compared to a standard bathroom.
Structural issues.
Occasionally we uncover problems during strip-out - damp, rotten joists, or inadequate ventilation. These need to be dealt with before the new bathroom can go in. We'll always let you know straight away if something unexpected comes up, and we'll explain what's needed and how it affects the timeline.
Large or complex tile layouts.
Large format tiles (600x600mm or bigger) take more time to cut and lay accurately. Intricate patterns, feature walls, or mosaic work also add time.
Product delays.
If specific sanitaryware or tiles are on back order, this can hold things up. We try to make sure everything is on site before we start, but occasionally there are supplier delays outside our control.
If it's your only bathroom, yes - you'll be without it for the duration of the renovation. There's no way around this with a full strip-out and retile. Most people manage fine with a combination of a temporary arrangement - washing at the kitchen sink, using a neighbour's or family member's bathroom, or in some cases a temporary portable toilet if the project is longer.
We'll always give you an honest timeline upfront so you can plan. And we keep to it - we don't disappear mid-project or drag work out unnecessarily.
Some companies advertise bathroom renovations in three to five days. In our experience, that only works for a cosmetic refresh - new sanitaryware on the same plumbing, a lick of paint, maybe a shower screen replacement. There's nothing wrong with that if it's what you need, but it's not a renovation.
A proper full renovation - with new layout, new plumbing, waterproofing, and retiling — takes the time it takes. Cutting corners on preparation or tiling to save a day creates problems that show up weeks or months later: tiles cracking, grout failing, water getting behind surfaces. We'd rather take an extra day and get it right.
Every project we take on follows a clear process:
We agree the full scope and timeline before we start. You know what's happening on each day and which trades will be on site. We order all materials in advance so nothing is held up waiting for deliveries. Karl and Dan are on site throughout - not juggling multiple jobs at once.
If anything changes during the project - an unexpected issue behind the tiles, a product delay - we tell you immediately and explain the impact.
If you're thinking about renovating your bathroom, the first step is a home visit. We'll look at your existing bathroom, talk through what you'd like, and give you a realistic idea of how long it would take and what's involved.
There's no charge and no obligation. Give us a call on 07967 308510 or fill in the form on our contact page.
A Family-Run Bathroom Installation Company Based in Binfield, Berkshire.