Dave wrote:

We're starting to refit the bathroom and hopefully the assembled experts
can give some advice on a few questions:

1. I want to replace the existing bath with a shower bath. The old bath
moves a surprising amount, how can I install the new one so that it
feels really solid?

carefully. I use bits of wood to make a frame, and the clips that come
with the bath to hold it to it. The bath frame legs mus be levelled up
properly and on secure wood. If there isn'tt any, put some in.

I usually then run some epoxy or cyanoacrylate (edepnding on hether
there is a gap) between bath and walls to lock the ******* into place
firmly.

Any flexure in the bath is taken care of by shims and bloccks and
battens glued to the bath with car body filler, and I run a batten along
the exterior edge to take the panelling, glued with gobs of car body filler.

Ive ven thouight about, but not used, expanding foamn underneath to lock
the whole assembly in place.



2. Naive question: is the recommendation to tile the walls first and
then seal the bath to the tiles, or to fit the bath and then tile down
to it?

The latter. Once the bath is in place mechanically, do the4 silicone
thing between bath and wall, but only enough to seal it. My bath edges
are so bloody rigid that I don't need a flexible sealer: I just tile
down to withing a grout width of the bath edge (you did level the bath
with a level, didn't you) and then fill with grout.


3. There was mention in a thread recently that regular plasterboard
shouldn't be used in a shower, is it really worth replacing some
existing plasterboard?

No. Its fine. As long as you tile it and don't let water get behind it.
That means decent grout and maybe waterproofing additve, though I don't
normally bother.

4. I'm surprised at the price of some heated towel rails and baths,
where's a good place to buy? It's hard to tell whether such things are
better/cheaper in France, has anyone any experience?


Decent baths cots seriosu money. You ca get a ceapo flexi steel or
plastic bath for a 100 or two, but a quality steel, cast iron or acrylic
will cost 400 or more.

You can make a cheapo plastic much more solid as described above. Ive
done it both ways - cheap bath and structure, and expepnsive bath (and
still structure) I like the expebsive bath, but don't buy from ditz
shops, buy online from big wholesalers. What is 600 quid in a ditz shop
may be only 300 in builders merchants with sensible discount.

And follow a bathroom fitters advice 'cheap china and taps and expensive
tiles is a better use of your money'