Beyond new sanitaryware
An accessible bathroom may involve a level-access shower, space for a wheelchair or carer, grab rails and a wider door. In many older houses, achieving this means changing the building structure as well as the fittings.
Structural work that may be needed
- Floor works: forming falls to a drain for a wet room, strengthening or replacing timber floors, and lowering the floor to give a level shower area
- Waterproofing: tanking the floor and walls to protect the structure
- Wall changes: removing or moving walls to create space, with support where load-bearing
- Wider doorways: see doorway widening
- Reinforced walls: solid backing for grab rails and fold-down seats
- Drainage: new waste runs and, if needed, relocated soil pipes
Timber floors in older homes
Many Tyneside houses have suspended timber upper floors. Forming a wet room on one means the joists must carry the weight and be protected from moisture. Joists may need strengthening or notching limits checked, and the floor must be fully waterproofed. If there has been past leakage, joists may be damaged, see timber floor joist restoration. Ground-floor wet rooms on solid or suspended floors have different challenges, such as achieving falls without compromising damp protection, and ventilation below the floor should be kept clear, see subfloor ventilation.
Space planning
A bathroom must provide turning space, transfer space beside the toilet, and clear access to the basin and shower. In small terraced houses, this may mean combining a bathroom with an adjacent room or relocating it to the ground floor, see ground-floor bedroom conversions.
Every bathroom is different, so we start by agreeing the layout with you and, where one is involved, your occupational therapist. We then survey the floor, walls and drainage routes so the structural work can be planned before any fittings are ordered, which avoids surprises once the floor is opened up.
Funding and approvals
Disabled Facilities Grants can contribute to adaptations, see GOV.UK. Structural alterations, drainage and ventilation changes are subject to Building Regulations; see the Planning Portal. An occupational therapist can help define needs before building work starts.
Frequently asked questions
Can an upstairs bathroom be turned into a wet room?
Often, but the floor structure must carry the load and be fully waterproofed. We inspect the joists and plan the falls and drainage before agreeing a design.
Who decides what adaptations I need?
An occupational therapist can assess your needs, particularly if you are applying for a grant. We then build the structural elements to that brief.
