"How long will it take?" is a fair question and usually a frustrating answer. A bathroom installation runs to a rhythm of stages, and the length depends on how much of the room is being changed and how many trades are involved.
This is the practical companion to our complete guide to bathroom fitting in Glasgow.
How the common Glasgow jobs compare
- Like-for-like swap: the shortest programme. Existing pipework stays, suite and tile are replaced.
- Standard full refit: longer. Full strip out, new first fix, tile floor and walls, new suite, new lighting and extract.
- Layout change with knock-through: longer again. Combining a separate WC, moving the soil pipe or relocating the shower.
- Wet room conversion: slower than its size suggests, because of tanking drying times and floor build-up.
- New en suite from a cupboard or bedroom corner: a small room with a lot of first fix work, so longer than people expect.
Working days matter. A programme quoted in working days is rarely the same as calendar weeks. Allow for a weekend in the middle and the odd day where a trade has to wait for something to cure. We give you a dated programme with your written quote so you know exactly which is which.
A standard full refit, stage by stage
Stage one, strip out
The existing suite, tile and floor come out. Floor protection is laid through the flat or house. Waste goes into a properly placed skip or bagged for removal. By the end of this stage the room is back to bare structure and any hidden problems, such as rotten boards or lead pipework, are visible and quoted as a variation if needed.
Stage two, first fix
New hot and cold runs, waste pipes and soil connections go in. Cables are run for lights, extract, underfloor heating and any shaver socket. Walls are made good, floor is overboarded if needed, and backer board goes up where tile will live.
Stage three, waterproofing and tile prep
Tanking membrane is applied to wet zones and given the right drying time. Floor is levelled, primer goes down and tiles are set out. On a wet room this is where the falls are formed properly.
Stage four, tiling
Walls and floor are tiled, including cuts around fittings. Grout follows, then silicone movement joints in the right places. This is one of the longest stages and rushing it shows for years afterwards.
Stage five, second fix and snagging
New suite, taps, shower valve, screens, mirror cabinet and lighting are fitted. The room is cleaned, the electrical work is tested and certified, and a snag list is walked with you.
What can extend the timeline
- Hidden problems found at strip out. The most common cause of slippage in Glasgow tenement bathrooms.
- Material delays. Bespoke tile, made-to-order vanity or imported brassware can push the second fix back.
- Changes during the job. A change of tile or layout mid-project never speeds things up.
- Other trades. A joiner or plasterer who is not pre-booked can cost you a whole stage.
What you should expect to be told upfront
You should get a written programme at the start, not a handwritten guess on the back of an envelope. That programme should name the start date, the planned sequence of stages and the expected completion date. If a fitter cannot do this, treat it as a yellow flag.
Our guide on finding a trustworthy bathroom fitter walks through the questions to ask before you sign anything.
Living through it
Practical advice for keeping a household running around the work.
- If you only have one bathroom, agree in advance which days the toilet will be out of use.
- Move toiletries out of the room before strip out, not during.
- Keep one point of contact for questions, not a group chat with every trade.
- Walk the room at the end of each week, not only at handover.
Where to start
When you are ready, send us your project on the quote form. We will arrange a free design visit, survey the room and set out your bathroom installation programme in writing, realistic rather than optimistic.