COMPLETED BATHROOM PROJECT · CAMDEN
New First-Floor Bathroom Installation in Camden
Growchance created a completely new bathroom on the first floor of a two-bedroom end-of-terrace house in Camden, London.
The project involved altering the internal layout, establishing new plumbing and drainage routes, strengthening affected floor areas where required, and completing the bathroom through to its finished stage.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Creating a bathroom where there wasn’t one before.
This Camden property did not originally have a bathroom in this first-floor position. The available cupboard was too small, so the adjoining bedroom wall had to be relocated to create a practical new room.
Unlike replacing an existing bathroom, adding a new bathroom to an existing London property requires the room layout, drainage, water supplies, ventilation, electrical work and relevant approvals to be considered together.
See the original spaceThe property
A two-bedroom freehold end-of-terrace house in Camden, London.
The objective
Create a completely new bathroom with direct access from the first-floor hallway.
The space
A former cupboard combined with approximately 0.5 metres taken from the adjoining bedroom.
The completed scope
Layout alteration, plumbing, drainage, ventilation, electrical work, waterproofing, tiling and complete bathroom installation.
BEFORE THE ALTERATION
The available cupboard needed more space.
Part of the proposed bathroom area was an existing cupboard with separate access from the first-floor hallway. On its own, its footprint was too small to form a practical bathroom.
Growchance reviewed the cupboard, adjoining bedroom and hallway access before setting out a larger room. The solution was to combine the cupboard area with a carefully measured section of the bedroom.
Existing cupboard
The cupboard provided the starting position but not enough usable floor area.
Hallway access
The new bathroom would remain independently accessible from the first-floor hallway.
Additional room required
Approximately 0.5 metres of adjoining bedroom space was incorporated into the new bathroom layout.
FORMING THE NEW ROOM
Relocating the wall created a practical bathroom footprint.
The existing cupboard was retained as the starting point, but additional floor area was required. Growchance removed the existing internal bedroom wall and set out a replacement wall approximately 0.5 metres further into the bedroom.
This brought the former cupboard and the additional bedroom space together to create the new bathroom while preserving its separate entrance from the first-floor hallway.
Remove the existing wall
The original internal bedroom wall was removed to release the additional floor area.
Set out the bathroom
The new room dimensions and wall position were established around the proposed bathroom layout.
Construct the new wall
A replacement internal wall was built approximately 0.5 metres into the adjoining bedroom.
Prepare the new room
The altered area was made ready for the new plumbing, drainage and bathroom installation.
NEW SERVICES AND DRAINAGE
The new bathroom required completely new service routes.
There had never previously been a bathroom in this position. Sections of the first-floor flooring therefore had to be lifted so that new water, waste and toilet connections could be established.
The routes had to work with the proposed bathroom layout and the existing property before the floor could be closed and the finishes installed.
Hot-water supply
A new hot-water route was installed to serve the bath and wash basin.
Cold-water supply
New cold-water connections were formed for the bathroom sanitaryware.
Bath and basin waste
Separate waste routes were prepared for the bath and wash basin.
Toilet soil connection
A new soil-pipe route was required because there was no suitable connection beside the room.
NEW TOILET CONNECTION
The new WC required a separate soil-pipe route.
There was no suitable soil connection immediately beside the proposed bathroom. A new route therefore had to be created between the drainage connection below and the new first-floor WC position.
Growchance formed the new connection and routed the pipe externally along the rear elevation of the property.
Establish the connection
The available drainage connection below the first floor provided the starting point for the new route.
Form the external route
The new soil pipe was taken externally and positioned along the rear elevation.
Connect the new WC
The route continued to the first-floor bathroom and connected with the new toilet position.
WORK BELOW THE FINISHED FLOOR
Pipe routes and floor support were considered together.
Sections of the first-floor flooring were lifted so the new water and waste routes could be installed. Where the required pipe routes affected the existing joist areas, additional support was added before the floor was closed.
This work remained visible for the relevant Building Control inspection before the bathroom installation progressed.
Lift the required floor areas
Selected sections of flooring were opened to provide access for the new water, waste and soil-pipe connections.
Install the new pipework
The routes were formed for the bath, basin and WC while considering the position and condition of the existing floor structure.
Strengthen affected areas
Additional support was installed to the affected joist areas where required before inspection and closure of the floor.
Pipe routes, floor alterations and supporting work remained accessible for Building Control to review.
INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION
The concealed work was checked before the floor was closed.
Growchance arranged the relevant Building Control inspection while the new pipe routes, floor alterations and supporting work remained accessible.
The electrical work associated with the bathroom and its mechanical ventilation was completed with the involvement of an electrician and signed off.
Keep the work open
The relevant floor areas, drainage routes and supporting work remained visible for inspection.
Building Control review
The accessible work was reviewed before flooring and bathroom finishes concealed it.
Electrical sign-off
The bathroom electrical and extractor-related work was completed with electrician involvement and signed off.
Completion certificate
A Building Control completion certificate was obtained for the completed project.
This allowed Growchance to close the relevant floor areas and continue with waterproofing, bathroom installation and finishing without reopening completed work.
The recorded project price excluded Building Control fees. See Growchance’s guidance to Building Control fees for relevant small alterations .
Continue to waterproofingMOISTURE AND VENTILATION
Ventilation and waterproofing were built into the new room.
Because this was a completely new bathroom, suitable ventilation and moisture protection had to be introduced as part of the installation rather than connected to an existing bathroom arrangement.
Growchance created a new extractor route and external opening. Appropriate wet areas were then waterproofed before tiling and final bathroom finishes were installed.
Create the ventilation route
A new extractor route and external opening were formed for mechanical bathroom ventilation.
Prepare the wet areas
The relevant surfaces were prepared before waterproofing and decorative finishes were applied.
Waterproof before tiling
Moisture protection was completed before tiles and grout formed the visible finished surfaces.
INSTALLATION AND FINISHING
The new room was completed through to its final finish.
Once the layout, plumbing, drainage, floor work, ventilation and electrical preparation were complete, Growchance progressed with the bathroom installation.
The project included the sanitaryware, tiles, installation materials and labour required to complete the new bathroom.
Bath and WC
The bath and toilet were installed and connected to the new water, waste and soil-pipe routes.
Wash basin
The basin was fitted and connected within the completed bathroom layout.
Tiling and flooring
Bathroom wall finishes and flooring were installed over the prepared surfaces.
Sealing and finishing
Silicone sealing, final making good, cleaning and finishing completed the room.
COMPLETED CAMDEN PROJECT
A completely new bathroom in ten working days.
The former cupboard and part of the adjoining bedroom became a complete first-floor bathroom with direct access from the hallway.
Growchance delivered the internal alteration, service routes, bathroom installation and finishing as one coordinated project.
From room formation to the finished bathroom.
The finished room contains a bath, WC and wash basin, with the associated plumbing, drainage, ventilation, electrical work, waterproofing, flooring, tiling and final sealing completed.
The project also achieved the required Building Control completion certificate and electrical sign-off.
- Existing internal wall relocated
- New first-floor bathroom formed
- New water and waste routes installed
- External WC soil-pipe route created
- Ventilation and electrical work completed
- Waterproofing, tiling and finishes completed
The relevant work was inspected before concealment, and the completed project received its Building Control completion certificate.
DISCUSS YOUR BATHROOM PROJECT
Tell us where you want to create the new bathroom.
Share the available property details and proposed room location. Growchance can review the space, likely drainage route, required alteration work and the appropriate next step for your project.
Tell us the London postcode, property type and whether it is freehold, leasehold or listed.
Explain which room or existing space you want to convert into a bathroom.
Mention any photographs, floor plans, drainage details or approval information already available.
The Camden project’s £8,900 cost and ten-working-day programme were specific to that property. Your scope, price and programme will be confirmed after reviewing your proposed bathroom location and requirements.