How long does a bathroom installation take?

Published 11 October 2026 by Reaction Property Service

A typical bathroom installation takes around one to two weeks from strip out to the finished room. A simple swap of the suite in the same layout can be quicker, while moving things around, tiling floor to ceiling or building a walk-in shower usually takes longer.

Those are typical times, not promises. The size of the room, what is hiding under the old floor and how many trades are involved all make a difference. Here is how the work runs and what each stage involves.

The order of work in a bathroom refit

Most bathroom installations follow the same order:

1. Strip out the old bathroom
2. First fix plumbing and any electrical work
3. Boarding, plastering and waterproofing
4. Tiling or wall panelling
5. Second fix: fitting the suite, taps and shower
6. Sealing, finishing and clean up

Each stage depends on the one before it, so a hold-up early on moves everything after it.

Stage by stage: how long each part takes

Strip out (usually one day). The old suite, tiles and sometimes the flooring come out and are taken away. This is when the condition of the walls, floor and pipework becomes clear.

First fix (often one to two days). New pipework is run to where the bath, basin, toilet and shower will go, along with waste pipes. If a shower is moving or a bath is becoming a walk-in shower, this stage takes longer. Any wiring for lights, an extractor fan or a shaver point is run now too.

Boarding and plastering (often one to three days). Walls are boarded or plastered so they are flat for tiles. Wet plaster needs time to dry before tiling, which can add days. Cement-based or waterproof tile backer boards avoid most of that wait, which is one reason they are popular. Shower areas should be tanked, meaning a waterproof membrane goes behind the tiles.

Tiling (often two to four days). This depends on how much is being tiled and the tile size. Large format tiles and complicated patterns take longer to set out. Tile adhesive needs to cure before grouting, and grout needs to set before the room is used. Wall panelling instead of tiles is usually quicker.

Second fix (often one to two days). The toilet, basin, bath or shower tray, taps, shower valve and screen go in and are connected and tested.

Sealing and finishing (usually a day). Silicone sealant goes around the bath, tray and basin. Most sealants need around 24 hours before they get wet, so you may have to wait a day before the first shower. Check the product, as times vary.

What usually causes delays

• What is under the old floor. Rotten floorboards, damaged joists or old leaks are common and need fixing before anything goes back.
• Old pipework. Corroded pipes or awkward old connections can turn a quick job into a longer one.
• Drying time. Fresh plaster and screed need time. Rushing tiles onto damp walls causes problems later.
• Late or damaged deliveries. A shower tray that arrives cracked or a vanity unit on back order stops the job.
• Changes halfway through. Moving a toilet after first fix means undoing work.
• Waiting on other trades. When the plumber, tiler and electrician are separate, much of the time is gaps between them.

Some electrical work in a bathroom has to be notified under Building Regulations (Part P in England), so it is worth asking how that is being handled when you get your quote.

How to keep your bathroom installation on track

• Have the suite, tiles and fittings on site before work starts.
• Check that what you have ordered actually fits the room, including door swings and the shower tray size.
• Agree the layout before the strip out and try not to change it once first fix is done.
• Plan where everyone will wash if it is your only bathroom.

Plenty of people buy their own suite and tiles, and that is fine. It is worth a conversation before you order so nothing arrives that will not fit.

One person or three trades?

A bathroom refit is really three jobs: plumbing, tiling and fitting. Much of the time a bathroom takes is not work, it is waiting for whichever trade is due next. When I fit a bathroom, the strip out, plumbing, tiling and fitting are done by the same person, so the room moves forward every day it is open. If it is the only bathroom in the house, the work is planned so it is out of use for as short a time as possible.

Bathroom installation in Ashford

I do full bathroom renovations across Ashford and the surrounding area, from stripping out the old room to the finished tiling, with the old suite taken away. Quotes are free and the work is fully insured. See bathroom renovation for more, including photos of recent bathrooms. I cover Ashford, Tenterden and the villages in between.