Eaglescliffe Premium Bathroom Installation and Refurbishment with Large Walk-In Shower

Project Overview

Completed in June 2025, this premium bathroom installation was delivered by our experienced bathroom fitters in Eaglescliffe as a complete bathroom refurbishment. The existing bath-based bathroom within the vacant bungalow was transformed into a refined and practical shower room with a large 1800 × 800 mm walk-in shower, marble-effect porcelain tiling, a traditional-style vanity with countertop basin, concealed plumbing and wood-effect LVT flooring.

The property had recently changed ownership, and the new homeowners wanted the existing bath removed because a spacious shower would be more practical for their everyday use.

The original 1700 × 700 mm acrylic bath was replaced with a large shower tray and hinged glass screen. The room was completed with marble-effect porcelain wall tiles, concealed pipework, traditional-style bathroom furniture, a countertop vessel basin, wood-effect LVT flooring and coordinated chrome fittings.

The work was delivered as a complete bathroom installation, including the full strip-out, substantial wall preparation, new shower supplies, plumbing and heating alterations, floor preparation, tiling, ceiling plastering, lighting, ventilation and final fitting.

The bathroom was completed over nine working days, one working day ahead of the original programme.

The Original Bathroom

The existing bathroom contained a 1700 × 700 mm acrylic bath, a WC, a washbasin, bathroom furniture and a radiator.

Although the room remained functional, the new homeowners wanted to modernise it and replace the bath with a much larger and more practical showering area.

The customer’s main requirements were:

• remove the existing bath;
• install a large walk-in shower;
• replace the bathroom furniture and sanitaryware;
• conceal the visible pipework;
• replace the existing wall and floor finishes;
• introduce a brighter marble-effect design;
• install the selected traditional-style vanity and countertop basin;
• complete the room with coordinated chrome fittings.

The new bathroom was planned around practical everyday use while still achieving a refined and professionally finished appearance.

Complete Strip-Out

The existing bathroom was completely stripped out before the new bathroom fitting began.

The removal work included:

• the existing 1700 × 700 mm acrylic bath;
• the original WC;
• the washbasin and bathroom furniture;
• the radiator;
• all wall tiles;
• all floor tiles;
• existing plaster and plasterboard where required;
• redundant pipework and fittings.

All removed bathroom products and building waste were placed into a skip positioned outside the property.

The bungalow was vacant and the carpets had already been removed, so carpet and occupied-home access-route protection were not required. The work areas were still cleaned at the end of every working day to keep the property tidy and organised while the installation progressed.

Wall Preparation and Reboarding

Once the original tiles and wall finishes were removed, substantial preparation was required before the new tiling could begin.

One wall was stripped back to the original brickwork. Another area exposed older timber laths and the existing timber framing behind the previous finishes.

The masonry surfaces were cleaned and primed before new plasterboard was installed using a dot-and-dab method.

Where the existing timber framing remained in place, new plasterboard was cut and securely screwed to the timber studs.

This created straight, stable and properly prepared backgrounds for the new porcelain wall tiles.

The work behind the finished surfaces was particularly important because the clean tile lines and final marble-effect finish depended on accurately prepared walls.

Existing Lead Water Supplies

The most technically challenging part of the project involved the existing hot and cold water supplies.

The original bathroom was supplied through older lead pipework. Replacing the complete supply runs would have required extensive opening-up and considerably more invasive work outside the immediate bathroom area.

The customer chose not to replace the full supply runs, so the existing lead pipework was retained.

Connecting the new bathroom services to the retained hot and cold supplies required careful and experienced work while limiting disruption elsewhere within the property.

This allowed the new bathroom installation to proceed without carrying out the substantially more invasive work that complete replacement of the original supplies would have required.

Plumbing and Concealed Pipework

Removing the bath and installing the new shower required extensive plumbing alterations.

New hot and cold supplies were installed for the exposed shower system because the original bathroom had not included a shower in this position.

Sections of the floor were opened to allow the new shower pipework, waste arrangements and heating supplies to be routed correctly.

The WC remained in its original position, avoiding unnecessary alteration to the existing soil connection.

The heating supplies were redirected so the new heated towel rail connections emerged neatly from the wall rather than rising visibly through the finished floor.

Corner radiator valves were used to keep the floor around the towel rail unobstructed.

Visible pipework was concealed within the walls or floor wherever practical, removing the clutter present within the original bathroom and producing a much cleaner finished appearance.

Large Walk-In Shower Installation

The principal feature of the completed bathroom is the new 1800 × 800 mm walk-in shower.

The original acrylic bath was removed and replaced with a large shower tray, providing substantially more usable showering space.

A hinged glass shower screen was installed to control water while maintaining an open appearance within the room.

An exposed chrome shower system was fitted with a large shower head and coordinated controls.

Chrome was selected across the principal fittings to create a bright, consistent and timeless bathroom finish.

The new shower provides a far more practical solution for the homeowners while making effective use of the space previously occupied by the bath.

Marble-Effect Porcelain Wall Tiling

The bathroom tiling was completed using 600 × 300 mm marble-effect porcelain tiles.

The tiles have a pale finish with subtle grey and blue-toned veining, creating a bright background throughout the room while introducing more visual interest than a plain neutral tile.

The porcelain tiles required careful setting-out to maintain balanced lines around:

• the walk-in shower;
• the window;
• the WC;
• the vanity furniture;
• the LED mirror;
• the heated towel rail;
• the room corners;
• the ceiling junctions.

Particular care was taken with the overall setting-out, consistent grout joints and accurate cuts around the bathroom fittings.

The porcelain tiles, chrome fittings and clear glass shower screen combine to create a clean and refined contemporary appearance.

Traditional Vanity and Countertop Vessel Basin

A traditional-style floor-standing vanity unit was installed as the principal furniture feature within the completed bathroom.

The furniture has a pale neutral finish and was paired with a contrasting wood-effect worktop.

A countertop vessel basin was installed above the worktop and completed with a tall chrome mono basin mixer designed for use with a raised basin.

The vessel basin became one of the strongest visual features within the room.

Its curved form provides contrast against the straighter lines of the vanity, wall tiles and shower screen, while the tall chrome mixer reinforces the coordinated finish used throughout the bathroom.

The combination of traditional-style furniture, wood-effect surfaces and contemporary sanitaryware gives the room a balanced traditional-contemporary character.

WC and Bathroom Furniture

A modern close-coupled back-to-wall WC was installed in the original toilet position.

The design allows the WC pan to sit neatly against the surrounding wall finish, reducing awkward gaps and creating a cleaner appearance.

The WC was coordinated with the pale vanity furniture, marble-effect tiling and chrome fittings.

All principal bathroom products were supplied by the customer, while Tees Valley Refurbishments Ltd completed the preparation, plumbing alterations and full installation.

Wood-Effect LVT Flooring

The original floor tiles were removed during the strip-out.

Once the plumbing and heating alterations had been completed, the floor was prepared for the new finished surface.

A 9 mm plywood layer was securely fixed across the floor to create a smooth, flat and stable background.

Wood-effect LVT flooring was then installed, introducing warmth beneath the pale wall tiles and coordinating with the vanity worktop.

The flooring softens the overall marble-effect design and prevents the bathroom from appearing overly cold or clinical.

It also continues the traditional-contemporary character created by the bathroom furniture and countertop vessel basin.

Heated Towel Rail

The original radiator was removed and replaced with a chrome heated towel rail.

The heating pipes were redirected beneath the floor and concealed within the wall so the connections emerged neatly behind the finished installation.

Corner valves were fitted to avoid exposed pipes rising through the LVT flooring.

This creates a cleaner appearance, keeps the floor easier to maintain and reduces the risk of exposed pipework being struck during normal cleaning.

The chrome towel rail coordinates with the shower, basin tap and other fittings throughout the room.

LED Mirror, Lighting and Ventilation

A mains-powered LED mirror was installed above the countertop basin and vanity unit.

The illuminated mirror provides practical lighting around the basin while also creating a strong modern feature above the more traditional bathroom furniture.

Four recessed bathroom-rated spotlights were installed within the ceiling to provide bright and evenly distributed lighting throughout the room.

A new extractor fan was also installed to improve ventilation within the completed bathroom.

The ceiling was prepared, plastered and painted, producing a smooth and consistent finish around the new spotlights and above the tiled wall surfaces.

Premium Design and Finish

The completed bathroom combines traditional-style furniture with clean contemporary finishes.

The strongest premium features include:

• the large 1800 × 800 mm walk-in shower;
• the hinged glass shower screen;
• the exposed chrome shower system with a large shower head;
• visible bathroom pipework concealed within the walls and floor where practical;
• 600 × 300 mm marble-effect porcelain wall tiles;
• careful tile setting-out and accurate cuts;
• the pale traditional-style floor-standing vanity;
• the contrasting wood-effect worktop;
• the countertop vessel basin;
• the tall chrome mono basin mixer;
• the coordinated wood-effect LVT flooring;
• the mains-powered LED mirror;
• four recessed bathroom spotlights;
• the chrome heated towel rail with wall-mounted corner valves;
• the smooth plastered and painted ceiling.

The quality of the finished bathroom is supported by the preparation behind the visible surfaces, including removal of the existing wall finishes, reboarding over masonry and timber construction, concealed plumbing alterations, floor preparation and the careful connection of the new services to the retained lead supplies.

Programme

The complete bathroom refurbishment and installation was completed over nine working days.

Work took place:

• Monday to Friday during the first week;
• Monday to Thursday during the second week;
• with no weekend working.

The project was completed one working day ahead of the original programme.

The nine-day programme included:

• full strip-out;
• removal and disposal of the original bath;
• removal of the wall and floor tiles;
• removal of existing plaster and plasterboard where required;
• preparation and priming of the exposed walls;
• new plasterboard installation;
• connection to the retained lead water supplies;
• new hot and cold shower pipework;
• shower waste alterations;
• heating alterations;
• concealed pipework;
• floor preparation with 9 mm plywood;
• installation of the large shower tray;
• installation of the hinged shower screen;
• porcelain wall tiling;
• LVT flooring;
• vanity, vessel basin and WC fitting;
• heated towel rail installation;
• LED mirror connection;
• spotlight installation;
• extractor-fan installation;
• ceiling plastering and painting;
• final fitting and cleaning.

Completed Result

The original bathroom was completely transformed from a conventional bath-based layout into a premium and practical shower room designed around the new homeowners’ requirements.

Removing the bath created enough space for a generous 1800 × 800 mm walk-in shower, while the concealed plumbing and wall-mounted heating connections removed the visual clutter of exposed pipes.

The completed bathroom now includes:

• an 1800 × 800 mm walk-in shower tray;
• a hinged glass shower screen;
• an exposed chrome shower system with a large shower head;
• a close-coupled back-to-wall WC;
• a traditional-style floor-standing vanity;
• a wood-effect vanity worktop;
• a countertop vessel basin;
• a tall chrome mono basin mixer;
• 600 × 300 mm marble-effect porcelain wall tiles;
• wood-effect LVT flooring;
• a 9 mm plywood flooring background;
• a chrome heated towel rail;
• concealed heating connections;
• a mains-powered LED mirror;
• four recessed bathroom-rated spotlights;
• a new extractor fan;
• a plastered and painted ceiling;
• concealed water, waste and heating pipework where practical;
• carefully retained and connected lead water supplies.

The pale marble-effect tiling gives the bathroom a bright and spacious appearance, while the traditional vanity, wood-effect finishes and vessel basin introduce warmth and character.

The result is a carefully considered and professionally finished bathroom installation combining a large practical shower, concealed services and distinctive furniture with a clean premium finish.

The matching five-star Google review displayed with the project describes the team as prompt and professional and states that the standard of the completed work was “just amazing”.

The finished Eaglescliffe bathroom can be viewed alongside our other completed bathroom projects, with further verified customer feedback available on our reviews page.

Homeowners looking for an experienced bathroom fitter in Eaglescliffe for a similar bath-to-shower conversion can request a free bathroom survey to discuss the existing room, preferred layout and required scope of work.