Knowing the Regulations for Installing a New Bathroom

A new bathroom is an exciting DIY project for any homeowner. The bathroom can completely change the look and feel of your complete house. It's very important that you find out about the regulations for installing new bathrooms so that everything can be constructed up to standard.

This is also especially important to be aware of the regulations because it will ensure that the bathroom is safe. Bathrooms can be potentially dangerous because they use both water and electricity. By installing your bathroom according to building standards you can improve safety while reducing the risk of your building not complying with new building standards.

Use of the Room

First you will need to consider the use of your bathroom. Different types of bathroom have different regulations which apply to them. The different rooms will also have very different functions. A family bathroom will for example require something very different to an ensure or a cloakroom.

If you're designing a family bathroom then you will need to decode on the location of the bath, basin, shower and toilet. With a downstairs cloakroom you will generally only have to position the shower and toilet. If you are short on space then you will be able to fit the shower over the bath.

It's also important to consider storage requirements. You may want to consider replacing your standard radiator using a towel warmer.

Understanding Regulations

Before you can understand how the regulations will affect you it is important to work out exactly what you are required. This is because if you are moving pipes or installing new electrical wiring then different regulations will apply. Find out about these regulations in advance so that it's possible to reduce the effects of them on your budget and schedule. Safety must be the most important thing that you consider.

Building Regulations

It's also important to abide by the bathroom building regulations. Bathroom regulations will differ from state to state. If you are building an en-suite bathroom then this is only possible if it's a secondary bathroom. Bathrooms can only be positioned next to a bedroom if it's not the only bathroom.

A downstairs cloakroom or full bathroom should not be positioned next to the lounge, kitchen or dining room.

Some form of external ventilation is also required to remove odors and steam from the room. An extractor fan is a form of external ventilation, as is an opening window. If you don't already have a window where you are building your new bathroom then you will need to fit an extractor fan to reduce the risk of mildew. The extractor can either be mounted in an external wall or vented through the crawl space.

New bathroom building regulations focus heavily upon the environment and improving efficiency. All manufacturers of bathroom equipment will need to state the water consumption of their fittings.

The bathroom building regulations can be confusing to understand at times and that's why you might find it easier to hire a professional to help you out.