Narrow bathroom dilemma

Comments (16)

CWD
last year
Don't have this issue currently, but have been in many a tenement flat that has this exact bathroom layout. I think the tiling is really not helping - too much contrast and literally splitting it down the middle visually to make the room seem even narrower.

Couple of solutions: have the shower across the window end of the room, with the toilet next to it - but have both of these raised up a step so that the waste pipe goes into the space below the raised section. Or can you put the wastepipe into the floor space? Or have the waste pipe boxed off and run through the shower space so that it becomes a seat/ledge in the shower - actually really useful for setting shampoo etc on - ledge can be high as you want - alternatively, box it in to the top of the shower to make a false wall where you then can also hide all the pipes and plumbing works for the shower as well as the toilet waste pipe. Ideally the toilet would face across the space, but if this doesn't work due to the direction of waste then you could bring it forward (keeping it facing the door) and build a short wall behind it for the cistern and then have a glass screen above the cistern wall, behind which you'd have the shower (with a gap to the side of the toilet to get into the shower). This would visually shorten the room as it would look like just a toilet and sink when you first opened the door, and this would help it feel wider too.

Most flats I've lived in with this bathroom didn't have any such solution though, they just had the shower on the wall halfway along the bath and then a shower curtain arrangement to keep the water from going everywhere - with varying degrees of success depending on the shower curtain shape and the person taking the shower.

Ultimately I don't think it's the worst layout but the tiling and decor could be improved greatly which would make a huge difference.
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HI -- gross635 -- Your right to some degree but you can't move the main floor bath to the other side because then that interfers with the floor plan on the second floor. Would not work . I would have loved to turn the whole plan around but it won't work in this case. Added note to what I posted before is to get rid of anywalls you don't need and also not every room has to have a door. Like the one on the lounge and the one at the end of the hall. I would open the lounge up by not having the walls on the entrance hall . As for a closet , there is space in front of the set back powder room for some coat hooks etc. I also question the fact of , if the lounge is really needed. Everything could have been shifted to the front and the kitchen set back , then that would have made a larger dining/familyroom area . But that would have ruined the resale value . So I think moving the bathrooms was the lest and best for this plan. One question I have , is this an English plan ?, because the English love putting doors on every room ?And usually the doors swing the wrong way.
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Andrew Paulson
Original Author
last year
Hi Sarah

That's a similar layout to what I was thinking but my issue is width. If I need a box for the pipework to re-route the toilet then I will lose around 20cm, making the max with 110cm of the shower. I guess a tray would be possible at that size. Only issue is some plumbers have questioned moving the soil pipe as it would then have 2 bends in it.

Would be nice to keep the window I guess.
Angie
last year
Could you have a shower with the same footprint as the bath, with a false wall at the basin end, mount shower on that so no issues with window or soil pipe. There’s plumbing for the sink so shouldn’t be too tricky.
PRO
Create Perfect
last year
It's not ideal - I think it is either moving the toilet or keeping the window :(

You could do a smaller window above the toilet only to allow some light but it may end up costly - if possible at all. I have mocked up a little view below for you.

This is 650mm for the toilet (600mm is minimum so it is tight) and the 700mm for the shower - but it is long which will be nice and have wow factor.

I hope it helps.

Thanks, Gina
Andrew Paulson
Original Author
last year
@Create Perfect Thank you for your input. I don't have enough space from the outside to fit a window and it turned out to be super expensive when I discussed it with a builder. I think ultimately a walk in shower at the back would be the best option to keep a window but I might need a more creative way of moving the soil pipe. I've seen some people raise the shower unit off the floor to create a step up shower as an alternative to running the pipe around the side. Difficult decision!
PRO
Studio 8 Architecture
last year
last modified: last year
Hi, a soil pipe for a single toilet doesn't need to be 110mm (4"), contrary to popular belief, it can be reduced down to an 82mm pipe (3") no problem. I've done this with my own bathroom, using a wall-mounted toilet and slimline concealed cistern designed to fit in a standard 100mm stud wall (attached a couple photos from when it was being done). The frame for the cistern has a 90degree outlet to connect to a 3" pipe. 3 years and never had any issues. Boxing out the wall by 100mm, you'd be able to fit in a 1200 shower then, and conceal the shower pipework, toilet cistern and vanity. If you want a CAD drawing done for a builder, just let me know, Tom
K OB
last year
Keep the shower across the window and have the boxing within the shower and it can be used as a shelf. It will mean a bit more faffing with the shower build but easier than messing with the window
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
last year
Can you post the length of the room an a sketch showing the door size/ position? We’ve faced a few such challenges in the past, and have a couple of ways to achieve what you are seeking.
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
last year
A CAD image for a similarly narrow bath to shower conversion we recently did in a very old property with the added challenge of multiple levels, out of square walls and a low ceiling. In the end we created a slightly unusual “walk through” shower area which then stepped up to the WC & basin in a run of furniture. We offered options of either fixed or pivot glass panels or full glass doors. The same could be more tidily achieved with a wetroom floor all on one level, though structural challenges prevented it on this build.

https://www.houzz.co.uk/hznb/photos/thomas-shower-room-phvw-vp~186649634
Andrew Paulson
Original Author
last year
@Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre

Apologies for the bad sketch but the bathroom is 3 metres long and 132cm wide. The door does limit space but one solution there is to rehinge it the other way or a bi-fold door.
PRO
Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre
last year
Thanks, Andrew. The layout in the CAD render I sent should work for you. I would urge caution with some of the other options proposed which move the WC - you just need to take care with adding too much distance & too many bends to your soil pipe.

Another option is to move the basin closer to the door and have a large wetroom area beyond it which includes the WC - a bit like CreatePerfect proposed, but without changing the window, and with the WC in the “wet” area. It can either be close coupled, or a false wall (or half wall) added and a hidden cistern, with the wall fully tiled. I would then keep the shower itself further away from the WC.

Personally, I prefer the first option shown, albeit a little unusual- but your space does not make an “elegant” solution easy!
Andrew Paulson
Original Author
last year
After going around in circles I'm actually thinking it might just be better to modernize the existing layout and keep a bath with a shower unit on the wall. I would maybe need to build a false wall between the sink and the bath to house the shower head unless I can mount it on the side of the wall. Would just need to find a clever solution for the shower panel
PRO
i-architect
last year
For aesthetics use the darker tile to the full width and height of the end wall where the window is and use a lighter colour over the bath. That will help balance the proportions of the room visually.
CK Lewis
3 months ago
How did you go with this bathroom layout in the end? We have the exact same layout in our bathroom… and trying to figure a smart layout to feel like there’s more space, but probably keep a bath…
Kimberly MD
3 months ago
I’m interested in seeing the end result as well. For what it’s worth, I would have explored moving an option of keeping the tub, toilet, and sink in the exact same floor positions, but “flipping” the way you use the tub and shower by :
1. Changing the water outlet / valve control positions so that they are wall mounted on the long side of the tub. The tub can be filled from the side, and a shower arm can be mounted at head height.
2. Adding a fixed glass panel at the end next to the sink, and a pivoting glass screen on the side.
This would avoid any costly changes to the window and waste, and

Ireland

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Narrow bathroom dilemma

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