Bathroom Installationin Reading and Beyond
A complete bathroom built from a bare shell to a finished room, with one tradesperson managing the whole job from first measurement to final tap turn.
320+ reviews from Checkatrade · 2-year guarantee
28 years' experience
Residential, commercial and industrial
320+ reviews
from Checkatrade
2-year guarantee
On all our workmanship
£10 million insured
Public and employer's liability
24/7 emergency call-outs
Same-day service guaranteed
Bathroom Installation
What a full bathroom installation involves
A full bathroom installation means starting from scratch: stripping out an old suite, reworking or extending the pipework, and building a new bathroom around your chosen fittings. It covers the plumbing, the waste and supply runs, the tiling, the electrics for lighting and extraction, and the plastering and carpentry that tie it all together. It is a bigger undertaking than a refit because the layout, the pipework and sometimes the room's structure can all change.
This service suits homeowners who are extending, converting a room into a new bathroom or en suite, or who want a completely different layout, perhaps moving a bath to a different wall, swapping a bath for a walk-in shower, or splitting one bathroom into a shower room and a separate WC. It also suits anyone building a new-build property or a loft or garage conversion where a bathroom is being created for the first time.
A new installation is generally needed rather than a simpler refit when pipework has to move, when the room is being reshaped, when a new soil stack or waste run is required, or when the existing plumbing is old, undersized or in the wrong place for the layout you want. If walls are coming down or going up, or floors need reinforcing for a new bath, this is installation territory rather than a straightforward like-for-like swap.
Professional help matters here because a bathroom touches several trades at once: plumbing, tiling, electrics, plastering and carpentry all have to work together and in the right order. Get the sequence wrong, or get the pipework sizing or falls on waste pipes wrong, and you end up with leaks, poor drainage, or a shower tray that never quite empties properly. Mitchell Antrobus manages the whole job and the subcontracted trades directly, so there is one person accountable for the finished result rather than several separate tradespeople to coordinate yourself.
Why it matters
What goes wrong with poorly planned installations
A bathroom installation that is not planned properly, or is handed to several uncoordinated tradespeople, tends to throw up problems that are expensive to unpick later. Pipework boxed in before it has been pressure tested, tiling started before the waterproofing (tanking) is fully cured, or an extractor fan wired incorrectly are all common issues that only surface once the room is finished and in use, when fixing them means ripping out new tiling or flooring.
If these issues are ignored or patched over rather than corrected properly, the damage escalates well beyond the bathroom itself. A slow leak behind a shower enclosure can rot flooring joists, bring down a ceiling below, or cause damp to spread into neighbouring rooms over months without being obvious until the plasterboard is already ruined. What would have cost a few hours to put right during the install can turn into a full re-tile, new flooring and redecorating elsewhere in the house.
Cost escalation is the pattern to watch for. A badly fitted shower tray costing a modest amount to correct at first-fix stage can, left in place, lead to a collapsed ceiling downstairs, replacement flooring, and a full retiling job once it is finally investigated. The same applies to waste pipes fitted without the correct fall: what starts as slow-draining water becomes a blocked, smelly pipe requiring the tray or bath to be lifted out again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Fitting the bath or shower tray before pipework has been tested and signed off
- Tiling straight onto boards without proper waterproofing (tanking) behind showers and baths
- Choosing a layout without checking waste falls, so water drains too slowly or not at all
- Using several separate tradespeople with no single person coordinating the sequence of work
- Underestimating how long extractor fan and lighting circuits take to install properly around a new layout
Our process
How your bathroom installation job runs.
- Step 1
Call or enquire
Ring Mitchell on 07810 646762 or send an enquiry. Tell him what's happening and he'll tell you straight away whether it's an emergency or a planned job.
- Step 2
Visit and diagnosis
Mitchell comes out, finds the cause and explains it in plain English. Call-outs are £85 inc VAT, plus £85 inc VAT for the first hour of work.
- Step 3
Clear quote
You're told what needs doing and what it costs before work starts. Larger jobs are booked in with a 5% deposit.
- Step 4
The work
Mitchell and his apprentice Bradley carry out the work, bringing in trusted tilers, plasterers and electricians where a job needs them. Larger jobs are paid daily as they progress.
- Step 5
Test and guarantee
Everything is tested for leaks and correct operation before we leave, the area is cleaned up, and the work is backed by our 2-year guarantee.
What you get
The difference it makes.
Faster overall project
With plumbing, tiling, electrics, plastering and carpentry organised as one job, trades follow on from each other without the delays of you having to source and book each one separately.
Correct electrics near water
Lighting and extraction in a bathroom sit close to water and steam, so wiring and fittings are installed by an experienced electrician brought in for the job, reducing the risk of a badly earthed or poorly sited fitting.
A bathroom built to last
Pipework, tanking and tiling done in the right order and to a proper standard means fewer callbacks for leaks, loose tiles or failed seals years down the line.
Fewer costly surprises
Getting pipe runs, waste falls and tanking right the first time avoids the far larger cost of ripping out tiling or flooring to fix a problem after the room is finished.
One point of contact throughout
Mitchell manages the subcontracted tilers, electricians and plasterers directly, so you are not chasing several different people to find out what stage the job is at.
Peace of mind on a big job
A 2-year guarantee on workmanship, backed by £10 million public liability and £10 million employer's liability insurance, covers a job of this size and disruption to your home.
Why CBS
Who'll be doing the work.
CBS Plumbing and Heating is run by Mitchell Antrobus, who has 28 years in the plumbing and heating industry across residential, commercial and industrial installation, servicing and repairs. That background is why your bathroom installation job gets diagnosed properly the first time rather than patched and left.
Day to day you'll deal with Mitchell and his apprentice Bradley. On bathroom jobs, Mitchell brings in experienced tilers, plasterers and electricians he works with regularly, so you have one point of contact from the first call to the finished room.
CBS has 320+ reviews from Checkatrade, carries £10 million public liability and £10 million employer's liability insurance, and guarantees its work for 2 years. We cover Reading, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames, Bracknell and Chalfont St Giles.
About CBSIn detail
How a bathroom installation is carried out
A full installation follows a set sequence so each trade can do its job properly without undoing the last one's work. Below is what is typically involved, and the kind of variations that come up across different properties in and around Reading.
Design and layout
Before any work starts, the layout is worked out around the room's existing waste stack, window and door positions, and your chosen suite. This includes deciding where the bath, shower, basin and WC will sit, whether pipework needs to be moved or extended, and where new isolation valves and access points should go for future servicing. Getting this stage right on paper avoids costly changes once tiling or plastering is underway. For awkward-shaped rooms, lofts or en suites built into existing bedrooms, this planning stage often takes longer because pipe runs have to be routed around joists, roof pitches or existing plumbing serving other parts of the house.
First-fix plumbing
This covers running new supply pipework to the bath, shower, basin and WC, along with waste pipes with the correct fall to the soil stack. Pipework is pressure tested before anything is boxed in or tiled over, so any joint issues are caught while they are still easy to fix. Isolation valves are fitted so individual fittings can be serviced later without draining the whole system. Where an old iron or lead stack is still in place, this stage can also involve upgrading sections of waste pipe to modern standards to avoid future blockages or leaks.
Read more
Tanking and waterproofing
Areas around the shower and bath are waterproofed (tanked) before tiling begins, sealing the substrate against water ingress. This step is often rushed or skipped on cheaper jobs, and it is one of the most common causes of leaks and rot behind tiling years later. Proper tanking takes time to cure before tiling can start, which is why a rushed timeline is often a warning sign. This stage matters most around shower enclosures and bath panels, where water pressure and splashing are highest.
Tiling, electrics and plastering
Once pipework is tested and tanking has cured, the subcontracted tiler, electrician and plasterer carry out their work in sequence. Tiling covers walls and floors to the chosen finish; electrics cover lighting, shaver sockets, underfloor heating if specified, and extraction; plastering finishes any areas not being tiled. Because these trades are booked and managed as part of the same project, they work to a coordinated schedule rather than you having to arrange access and timing for each one separately.
Second-fix and finishing
The final stage covers fitting the bath, shower enclosure, basin, WC, taps and any furniture, along with sealing, decorating and a final check of every joint and fitting. Extraction and lighting are tested, waste flow is checked, and any snagging is picked up before the job is signed off. This is also when finishing details like grout colour, sealant lines and trims are completed to give the room its finished look.
Structural and layout variations
Some installations involve more than swapping fittings: moving a stud wall to enlarge a bathroom, converting an airing cupboard into extra shower space, or fitting a bathroom into a loft conversion with restricted headroom and pipe routing. These jobs need carpentry and sometimes minor structural changes alongside the plumbing, which is why having carpentry and plastering trades already coordinated as part of the project avoids delays waiting on separate contractors.
Related services
Bathroom Installation near you
Good to know
Bathroom Installation questions, answered.
Can't see your question? Call Mitchell on 07810 646762 or send an enquiry.
How long does a full bathroom installation take?
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Most full installations run for one to two weeks depending on the size of the room, the layout changes involved and how much tiling and electrical work is needed. A straightforward layout with no structural changes is quicker; moving pipework, walls or extending a stack adds time.
Do I need to arrange the tiler and electrician myself?
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No. Mitchell brings in experienced subcontracted tilers, electricians, plasterers and carpenters as needed and manages them directly as part of the job, so you deal with one point of contact rather than coordinating several separate tradespeople yourself.
Can you move my bathroom's layout, not just replace the suite?
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Yes, this is a common reason to choose a full installation over a refit. Moving a bath, shower or WC to a new position means extending or rerouting supply and waste pipework, which is planned and tested before any tiling or plastering begins.
Do you work on installations outside Reading itself?
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Yes, full installations are carried out across Reading, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames, Bracknell and Chalfont St Giles.
What happens if unforeseen work comes up partway through?
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Older properties sometimes reveal issues once walls or floors are opened up, such as outdated pipework or uneven floors needing extra preparation. Customers who have had this happen still had their bathrooms delivered on time, with the extra work absorbed into the schedule rather than causing long delays.
What do you charge to come out?
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Our call-out is £85 including VAT, plus £85 including VAT for the first hour of work. You'll know the price of anything beyond that before we start.
How do payments work on bigger jobs?
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Larger jobs such as a full bathroom project are booked in with a 5% deposit, then paid daily as the work progresses, so you're never paying far ahead of what's been done.
Is the work guaranteed?
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Yes. Our workmanship is guaranteed for 2 years.
Are you insured?
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Yes. We hold £10 million public liability and £10 million employer's liability insurance.
Can you come out in an emergency?
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Yes. Emergency call-outs run 24/7 and we guarantee same-day service. Call 07810 646762. Standard working hours are 8am to 5pm.
Ready to plan your new bathroom?
Get in touch to talk through your layout, timescale and what a full installation would involve for your home.
Next step
Get it fixed properly,
without the wait.
Tell us what you need and Mitchell will get back to you quickly. Same-day service guaranteed, clear prices before we start, and a 2-year guarantee on our work.
Prefer to talk? Call Mitchell07810 646762Emergency call-outs 24/7 · Standard hours 8am–5pm