Ask three builders what a new bathroom costs and you will probably get three very different numbers, which is not much help when you are trying to set a budget. This guide gives realistic price ranges for homes in and around Borehamwood, explains where the money actually goes, and flags the local quirks that most often push a job over its original figure.
Most full bathroom refits in Borehamwood, Elstree, Shenley and Radlett land somewhere between £6,000 and £12,000 including labour, materials and VAT. Being just inside the M25, trade rates here sit closer to north London than to the rest of Hertfordshire, so the national averages you see online tend to run low.
As a rough guide for an average family bathroom:
Labour is usually half to two thirds of the bill. A proper refit needs a plumber, tiler, electrician and plasterer, often a carpenter too, spread over two to three weeks. That sequence of trades is what you are paying for, and it is why a small bathroom does not cost much less than a medium one.
Materials are where your own choices matter most. A complete suite can cost £800 or £4,000. Tiles run from about £25 per square metre to well over £80, and tiling floor to ceiling instead of half height can add several hundred pounds in labour alone.
Waste removal is easy to forget. If you have a driveway, a skip is simple. If it has to sit on the road, it needs a licence from Hertfordshire County Council, which adds cost and a few days of lead time.
Much of Borehamwood is 1950s estate housing, and many of those houses were built with a narrow bathroom and a separate WC next door. Knocking the two into one room is a popular job and makes a real difference, but allow roughly £1,500 to £3,000 extra for removing the wall, blocking a doorway, new flooring and making good. The wall needs checking before anyone assumes it is safe to remove.
Other common extras include:
A low quote is often just a quote with things left out. Ask for an itemised breakdown and check each one covers the same scope before comparing totals.
Bathroom electrics must be certified under Part P of the Building Regulations, so make sure a registered electrician is doing the work and that you will receive the certificate. Finally, keep about 10 per cent of your budget back as a contingency. In older houses, something usually turns up behind the tiles.
A like for like refresh typically takes one to two weeks, and a full strip out and refit takes two to three. Allow longer if you are changing the layout or knocking a separate WC and bathroom into one.
Planning permission is not normally needed for internal work, but electrical work, new drainage and structural changes fall under Building Regulations, signed off either by a registered installer or by Hertsmere Borough Council building control. If you own a leasehold flat, check your lease, as you will usually need the freeholder's consent first.
Sometimes, but speak to your builder before ordering. Missing parts, wrong sizes and late deliveries can hold up the trades and cost more than you saved, and you should agree in advance who is responsible if an item turns out to be faulty.
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