How long does a bathroom strip-out take?

A standard bathroom strip-out (3-piece suite, wall and floor tiling) takes 1-1.5 days for one experienced tradesperson. This includes removing the suite, stripping tiles, removing flooring, capping plumbing, and clearing waste. Larger bathrooms or those with shower enclosures and extensive tiling may take 2 days.

Do I need to cap off plumbing during a bathroom strip-out?

Yes, all hot and cold water supplies and waste connections must be properly capped before removing sanitary ware. This typically involves 4-6 caps: hot and cold to basin, hot and cold to bath/shower, toilet cistern supply, and waste connections. A qualified plumber should cap the supplies and test for leaks.

What electrical work is needed for a bathroom strip-out?

Electrical circuits serving the bathroom should be isolated at the consumer unit before strip-out begins. Typical isolations include the shower circuit (high current), extractor fan, heated towel rail, shaver socket, and any downlights. Under Part P of the Building Regulations, bathroom electrical work must be done or certified by a qualified electrician.

How much waste does a bathroom strip-out produce?

A typical bathroom strip-out produces 0.5-1.5 m³ of waste, weighing approximately 0.3-1.0 tonnes. The heaviest components are ceramic tiles (especially floor tiles on screed) and the cast iron bath if present. Acrylic baths and plastic suite pieces are much lighter. One 6-yard midi skip is usually sufficient.

Can I strip out a bathroom myself?

You can do much of the physical removal yourself, but plumbing and electrical disconnections should be done by qualified tradespeople. Key safety points: turn off water at the stopcock, isolate electrics at the consumer unit, wear PPE (goggles, dust mask, gloves), and check for asbestos in older properties (textured ceilings, floor tiles, pipe lagging).

TradeCalculator.co.uk

Bathroom Strip-Out Calculator

Calculate waste volumes, plumbing and electrical requirements, and labour hours for a complete bathroom strip-out in the UK.

Suite Pieces

WC, basin, bath, shower tray etc.

Wall Tiling Area

Total wall tile area to remove

Floor Area

Floor tile or vinyl area to remove

Plumbing Caps

Hot, cold, waste connections to cap off

Electrical Isolations

Shower, fan, towel rail, lighting etc.

Accessories

Mirrors, cabinets, towel rails, shelves

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates waste volumes and labour requirements for a complete bathroom strip-out, broken down by element for accurate project planning.

Waste estimation

Suite pieces: Each sanitary ware item (WC, basin, bath/shower tray) produces approximately 0.18 m³ of waste. A standard 3-piece suite weighs around 80-120 kg in total (ceramic items are heavy; acrylic baths are lighter).

Tiling: Wall and floor tile area × depth (tile + adhesive, typically 10-15mm) gives volume. Ceramic tiles weigh approximately 2.0 t/m³.

Flooring: Floor area × buildup depth for screed or plywood substrate.

Labour rates

Industry rates: 1 hour per suite piece, 0.2 hrs/m² for tile removal, 0.15 hrs/m² for flooring, 0.75 hrs per plumbing cap, 0.5 hrs per electrical isolation.