Bathroom Renovation in Orkney

Strip-out, then first-fix plumbing and electrics (pipes and cables in walls), then substrate preparation and waterproofing, then tiling, then second-fix (toilet, vanity, taps, shower screen, lights), then silicone and snagging. If a quote or schedule doesn't follow this order, question it — out-of-sequence work is how leaks and redone tiles happen.

A straight swap-in-place refit takes about 1-2 weeks; a full renovation with new waterproofing, retiling, and any layout change takes 2-4 weeks. Add waiting time before the start for fixture delivery and trades scheduling — and note that waterproofing membranes need curing days you cannot compress.

Walk-in showers cost less to build than bath-plus-screen setups, use less space, and suit ageing-in-place. Keep at least one bathtub in the home if you may sell to families — in most markets a home with no bath at all narrows the buyer pool. If you have two bathrooms, the common answer is one of each.

Buying your own toilet, vanity, and taps gives price control; buying through the contractor makes them responsible for defects, wrong sizes, and delivery timing. A common middle path: contractor supplies everything built-in or warranty-critical (shower valves, waste, membrane), you supply visible items like mirrors and accessories. Whoever supplies an item owns replacing it if it arrives damaged.

Local cost guides put the range at roughly R19,000-R69,000 with an average around R44,000 for a standard renovation; luxury projects in Johannesburg and Cape Town run R90,000-R250,000. Imported sanitaryware moves with the rand, so local-brand fittings are the main budget lever.

In drought-prone metros, low-flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets, and greywater-ready plumbing are worth specifying during a renovation — some municipalities incentivize them and they cut utility bills permanently. It costs little to include while walls are open and much more to retrofit.