Bathroom Upgrade in Heath, Cardiff – Bathroom Fitting Case Study

1 Feb

Written By TLA .

By Rise Construction Cardiff — 1 Feb 2026

We started this bathroom renovation in Heath, Cardiff by stripping everything back — removing the old suite, tiles, flooring, and even the ceiling to create a blank canvas to work from. Outside, a skip on the road took care of all the waste, keeping the workspace manageable.

Next, we knocked through the wall separating the toilet and bathroom to open up the space. A new door lining and some minor stud work allowed us to reposition the entrance, setting the stage for a more practical layout.

Whilst removing the block and stud partition, we encountered a couple of unforeseen issues. First, there was a misalignment in the ceiling levels between the two original rooms. Second, the existing black mortar walls were noticeably hollow in certain spots, potentially compromising the integrity of subsequent fixtures.

To resolve this, we proposed dropping the ceiling height slightly to create a flat, uniform surface throughout. This also meant we could retain the original lath and plaster ceiling above, thereby limiting any disturbance to the adjacent rooms.

As for the walls, we stripped the existing plaster back to the brickwork and sealed it thoroughly. This allowed us to install dot and dab plasterboard with confidence, creating solid, plumb surfaces that were ideal for tiling and ensured precise 90-degree angles — particularly important for the new bath and shower setup.

With the new layout in place, we re-plumbed and rewired the entire bathroom, adding spotlights, an extractor fan, and feeds for a new mirror. The walls were re-boarded and freshly plastered, and we replaced the old floorboards with sturdy plywood to support the final finish.

The client had already selected their suite, which we carefully installed — including a new bath, glass screen, electric shower, taps, a close-coupled toilet, and a basin with a vanity unit, along with both a towel radiator and a standard panel radiator for added comfort.

To ensure a watertight finish, we tanked the shower area and applied tape to all bath and wall junctions, eliminating the risk of future leaks. Finally, we tiled around the bath and basin using the client’s large-format tiles and trims, and laid the new click LVT flooring to complete the space.