WORDS OF WISDOM
Barrie Cutchie, design director at BC Designs, discusses the key considerations when buying a freestanding bath
How do you choose the right design? For an on-trend bath, there is a wide choice of shapely freestanding designs available to give your scheme wow factor. The style and design of a freestanding bath are very much down to personal choice and it depends what you like and what works for you and your home.
Don’t be scared to get into the baths in the showroom – just like when buying a mattress, you will want to test it out and make sure you find it comfortable, or you won’t enjoy using it once it is fitted.
Where is the best place to position my bath?
If you are using the services of a bathroom designer, they will have the expertise to help you choose the best position for your freestanding bath. Depending on the size and shape of the room, there may only be one sensible location or there may be several different possibilities.
Take a look at the window in the room – often, this is an awkward place to fit washbasins or WCS, so could your bath go underneath it? If you have an alcove, corner or a feature wall, carefully positioning your freestanding bath can set off the space beautifully. If you are lucky enough to have a large space to work with, then placing it in the middle of the room is a great option.
Another factor to consider when choosing the position of your bath is the location of plumbing and pipework. While you can move it, doing so will significantly add to your overall bill.
Will I need to reinforce the floor?
If you’re in doubt about the strength of your floor, it is best to get the opinion of a structural engineer, who can advise as to whether it would benefit from being reinforced.
You also need to calculate the weight of your new bath. As well as when empty, you need to take into consideration its weight when it is full of water and you, or a family member, is in it as well.
Which taps should I opt for?
There are three types of bath mixer taps: floor-mounted, deck-mounted, or wall-mounted. The majority of freestanding baths won’t have pre-drilled holes so you can decide what works best for you.
Wall-mounted taps are installed through the bathroom wall so are only an option if your bath isn’t in the middle of the room.
Alternatively, deck-mounted taps are installed to the side of your bath and floor-mounted taps directly from the floor.
Deck-mounted taps are the most cost-effective option, and you can choose to have them fitted at the end of the bath or in the middle – these are particularly great if you have children as it will mean no one is arguing about who has the tap end!