Plumbing – Bathrooms and Toilets
Everyone has an opinion about Toilets and Bathrooms even if they aren’t too bothered about other rooms. (I used to be involved in Airport Design. At project meetings million dollar concrete decisions used to take less than 5 minutes but when it came to a few thousand dollars for the toilets it was at least 30 minutes per meeting as everyone wanted their say)
Having said that here’s my opinions:………
Overall
After the kitchens the bathrooms are usually the next most expensive rooms.
Its worth thinking carefully about the cost of fittings as you may find very similar fitting to those you ‘Love’ at half the price.
White fittings don’t date, and are easier to match if you want to choose units from different ranges.
A floor drain is a definite for me, convenient if you have young children who like to splash in the bath and a good safeguard if you get a leak.
Ensuite
Shower – I think the days of shower trays are long gone. Having a walk in shower means you can have a larger shower, much better than the minimum size.
Wash basins I have previously posted about One Basin or Two so the only other comment is “Think carefully about what basins and mixers you need, it can add a thousand dollars or more to the cost.”
Toilets Lot of choice but look at the prices before you pick. I have seen similar looking toilets with a $500 price difference
Bidet? Well I have never had one but if you like the idea why not. A possible cheaper alternative may be one of those Japanese devices that fit on the toilet.
Bathroom
The differences between this and the En-suite are:
Bath We have always had a bath as I occasionally enjoy having a soak, and they are good for bathing children. If you are planning on getting a spa bath you are probably going to need a larger hot water service!
Shower I’m not a big fan of over the bath showers, getting in and out can be difficult, particularly for elderly visitors, so I would always go for the separate shower.
Toilet I don’t mind having the toilet in the bathroom but you may have different ideas.Do you need a separate toilet?
Washbasin – To my mind there is not much point in having a separate toilet unless it has a washbasin. If you don’t you still need to use the bathroom to wash your hands. I have known large families particularly with lots of girls to have a full vanity unit in the separate toilet, or even in an alcove near the bathroom.