How to Save Money on a New Bathroom Suite

Pricing up the essentials for a complete bathroom renovation? A stunning new bathroom suite should be at the top of your list.

However, if you’re not careful, this important purchase could take up the lion’s share of your budget.

Installation costs and extra essential components can quickly add up to a hefty lump sum. If fitting a bathroom from scratch, you’ll have additional utility costs to take into account too.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a handful of clever tips on how to save some precious pennies without cutting corners on your suite’s quality.

Consider a complete, cheap bathroom suite

Traditionally, bathroom suites are comprised of a number of coordinating bathroom fittings that serve as the backbone of a bathroom’s overall look. These bathroom suite packages typically contain a washbasin, toilet, and a bathtub; all of which sharing similar design cues.

Despite being essential, parts such as wastes, valves, taps, and mixers are often omitted from bathroom suite packages. This can result in a nasty shock for inexperienced renovators who suddenly have to find funds to purchase these items individually.

To cut costs (and avoid the stress that comes with hunting for compatible parts), we suggest searching for a complete bathroom suite package. These often include all of the necessary parts to get new suite up and running.

This Kensington Traditional Complete Roll Top Bathroom Package, for instance, can single-handedly transform a space into an authentic Victorian-inspired bathroom and features the crucial items you need to get started.

The stylish package effortlessly evokes designs of a bygone era, albeit with today’s high standards of manufacturing. Its elegant freestanding bath is equipped with a highly functional bath & shower mixer, as well as an impressive exposed chrome waste. The basin is accompanied by a corresponding pedestal and tap. The vintage toilet pan here is supplied with a seat. There’s even a matching radiator thrown in for good measure!

Cut your new bathroom’s installation costs

Once you’ve found the perfect suite (and set aside funds for it) you’ll need to work out the costs of installation. We suggest using our brief guide to bathroom installation costs to get a rough idea, but bear in mind that these costs will vary substantially based on several factors. However, there are a few steps you can take to keep costs as low as possible.

If you’re renovating an old bathroom, pennies can be pinched by installing your new suite in more or less the same position as your previous one. Resituating water inlets and wires can prove to be massively time consuming for your plumber and - with average hourly rates of between £40-£60 - this could soon produce a significant invoice. So, unless you’re massively unhappy with the Feng Shui of your space, it makes sense to keep your new tub, sink, and toilet in the same place.

Unfortunately, for those installing a bathroom from scratch (or adding a bathroom suite to a room without water inlets) things tend to be a lot more tricky. You’re likely to need extensive plumbing work and so will struggle to keep costs low. However, situating your new bathroom suite in a room close to the mains water supply will go some way to alleviate some of the fees.

Remember, if you don’t already have a trusty plumber, it’s always a good idea to shop around for a few different quotes. This will ensure you get the best possible price for the job.

Make it efficient: fit your new bathroom units with water-saving extras

If you choose wisely, a new bathroom suite could prove to be a long lasting investment. This is because today’s baths, sinks, and toilets are produced to a much higher standard than those of yesteryear. Many manufacturers, so confident in the build quality of their suites, now offer lengthy guarantees. In light of this, we thought it’d be best to consider the long term running costs of a new bathroom suite and provide a few ideas on how to shrink them:

• The Toilet - Switching or upgrading to a dual flush toilet is a simple but highly effective way to slash your water bill. While valves of older toilets wasted up to 13 litres of water per flush, modern dual flush valves can be limited to around 3 litres for a half flush, and around 6 litres for a full one. Most new toilets feature dual flush valves as standard, but you can also upgrade your current one for little cost with an aftermarket valve such as this Viva Skylo one.
• The Bathtub - Dedicated enthusiasts may be blissfully unaware of just how much daily bathing can cost. For every use of that tub you’ll have to fork out for around 80 litres of water, as well as the energy required to heat it. This could prove especially costly for those who enjoy steamy soaks. The tips to combat this are simple: take baths less often, making sure that they’re cooler and just deep enough to keep you covered!
• The Basin - A running tap can use around 14 litres of water per minute. So, though you’ve heard it all before, it really is worth switching them off while you clean your teeth (especially if you brush for the recommended two minutes). If you want to go a step further, some modern taps, such as the hansgrohe Talis E 80, use clever tech to dramatically cut water usage.

Enjoyed our money saving tips for new bathroom suites? Check out our entire range here. Want more inspiration? Try our extensive guide on how to Save Water at home.