Quick answer
How long does a bathroom installation take?
Allow five to ten working days for a full replacement. A like-for-like refit with the same layout sits at the shorter end. Moving the toilet or soil connection, tiling floor to ceiling or converting to a wet room pushes towards the longer end.
- A typical full bathroom replacement takes five to ten working days.
- Choosing tiles and sanitaryware before day one prevents most delays.
- Waterproofing behind tiles matters more than the tiles themselves.
- Moving the toilet is the single change most likely to extend the job.
How long does a bathroom installation take?
Allow five to ten working days for a full replacement. A like-for-like refit with the same layout sits at the shorter end. Moving the toilet or soil connection, tiling floor to ceiling or converting to a wet room pushes towards the longer end.
What happens day by day?
Day one is strip-out, days two and three are first-fix plumbing and any structural or electrical work, days four and five are boarding, waterproofing and tiling, then second fix, sanitaryware, sealing and snagging follow. Drying times for adhesives and grout set the pace.
- Day 1 — protect access routes, strip out, remove waste
- Day 2–3 — first fix pipework, waste alterations, electrical rough-in
- Day 3–4 — boarding, tanking and waterproofing
- Day 4–6 — floor and wall tiling, grouting
- Day 6–8 — second fix, sanitaryware, shower, screens
- Day 8–10 — silicone, flooring trims, clean and snagging walk-round
What should I decide before work starts?
Confirm the layout, sanitaryware, shower type, tiles and their grout colour, flooring, and lighting and extraction positions before day one. Late changes to tiles or shower type are the most common cause of a bathroom job stalling mid-week.
Can I use the toilet during the work?
Usually there is a short period with no usable toilet in that room — typically one to three days around strip-out and first fix. If it is the only WC in the property we plan the sequence to reinstate it temporarily wherever the pipework allows.