Bathroom Repairs

This depends on the individual's knowledge and confidence in their ability. Bathroom improvements vary in technical difficulty; relatively simple improvements like painting walls, replacing grout or sealant, and fitting elements like taps, toilet seats, shower heads or handsets, shower curtains, storage cabinets, mirrors and toilet roll holders can all make a dramatic improvement and are often a simple DIY task that any homeowner can take on.

On the other hand, more complicated work that involves significant renovation, such as new flooring, changing or waterproofing walls, and jobs that involve plumbing, waterproofing or electrical work (electrical work is subject to wiring and building regulations) needs to be done by someone proficient. For many, this’ll mean getting professional help.

It's also worth bearing in mind that errors in bathroom DIY projects can cause costly repairs in future, so it’s best to seek a professional from the offset to save you time, money and stress. That’s why Wickes offer trustworthy design, advice and bathroom installation services.

The short answer is yes; it’s likely that specialist tools will be needed for repair work. While a standard toolkit will cover basic bathroom DIY tasks, many forget that even fitting wall mounted accessories onto tiles requires a glass/tile drill bit. As a quick guide, these are the kind of specialist tools that may be needed, depending on the job itself and the materials involved:

Surface Preparation

• Oscillating multi tool
• Self levelling laser
• Angle grinder with diamond blade

Tiling

• Tile cutter/wet tile saw
• Notched trowels
• Grouting float & tile spacers
• Diamond hole saw
• Silicone profiling tools

Plumbing

• Basin wrench/tap spanner
• Pipe cutter
• Soldering torch/heat shielding
• Special wide jawed pliers

Electricals

• Safety isolation equipment (to isolate circuits etc)
• Safety testing equipment
• Insulated hand tools
• Torque screwdriver
• Wall chaser (to cut channels in walls)
• Cable rods

And all of these essentials are available from Wickes.

Some bathroom repairs can be obvious, such as a broken toilet seat, however many are not so easy to identify and knowledgeable advice may be needed. For example, a damp patch on the wall or floor will need to be investigated to identify the source of the moisture and the work that needs to be done to stop the leak, as well as any repairs required. It’s often best to seek expert advice, which can be found by heading to your local Wickes Showroom where a team member can assist you.

Absolutely. It's unlikely that several bathroom components will need replacing at the same time. There are a few variables that determine when an item needs to be replaced, such as lack of quality. For example, a quality tap will likely last longer than the most inexpensive. How much something is used and the quality of its installation can also play a role in replacement timelines. Often the decision to replace isn't because it stopped working but is more about improving functionality or updating the look of the space.

Customers often undergo a bathroom renovation because they’re updating their home, not because it needs it. This is why we help customers with all types of bathroom projects; from simple replacement items, partial replacement refreshes like a new shower enclosure or bath with waterproofing, tiles or panels and new taps or shower fittings to an entire installation service.

Most commonly, we’re met with small replacement projects like taps, shower fittings, toilets or new accessories, or perhaps even a new heated towel rail. For part replacements, it's new shower enclosures, often swapping out a standard bath for a walk-in shower that fits in the same space, or adding extra storage with vanity units and cabinets. Upgrading walls with new tiles or shower panels applied on top of existing tiles is also very popular.

Sometimes fixings and fittings are included with a product, but it’s best to check the details to make sure. If this isn’t stated, we stock all the required fixings and fittings at Wickes.

Yes, all of our products are certified to UK/EU standards, upholding to safety, durability and performance guidelines.