Plumbing

Bathroom installation

Fitting a bathroom or en suite, from taking the old one out to sealing the last joint.

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Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

No licence required

Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer

Irelandwww.cru.ieChecked 14/10/2026

Bathroom installation: what the job involves

Refitting a bathroom or en suite from bare walls: taking out the old suite, moving supplies and waste where needed, waterproofing and tiling, and fitting the new bath or shower, toilet, basin and taps. The plumber usually coordinates an electrician and a tiler.

Also asked for as: bathroom fitter · bathroom refit · new bathroom · en suite installation · wet room

How the job is usually done

Survey the room: water pressure, hot water system, waste route and the falls available for the toilet and shower.
Agree the layout and the suite, and who supplies the sanitary ware and tiles.
Strip out the old suite, tiles and boxing, and isolate water and electrics.
First fix: run new supplies and wastes, fit any shower valve and the electrician’s first-fix wiring.
Prepare walls and floor, tank wet areas and tile or panel.
Second fix: fit the toilet, basin, bath or tray, taps, shower and towel rail.
Test every supply and waste, seal joints, and the electrician tests and certifies their part.

Bathroom installation: what is included

Usually included

Removal of the old suite and the plumbing first and second fix
Connecting supplies, wastes and the toilet to the soil stack
Silicone sealing and testing for leaks

Usually not included — agree it separately

Electrical work, which a Registered Electrical Contractor does and certifies
Tiling, if priced by a separate tiler
Skip or waste removal of the old suite
Plastering, painting and new flooring outside the wet area
Moving the soil stack, which is building work rather than plumbing

Materials and who supplies them

Sanitary ware, taps and shower: supplied by the customer from a showroom, or supplied and fitted by the plumber
Pipe, fittings, valves and waste traps: supplied by the plumber
Tiles and adhesive: usually chosen by the customer; tanking kit supplied by the fitter
Extractor fan and lighting: supplied and fitted by the electrician

How long it takes

Usually one to three weeks from strip-out to finish; longer for a wet room, moving the toilet, or waiting on tiles and a made-to-measure screen.

When to book

Showroom lead times for screens, vanities and tiles are often several weeks, so order before the strip-out date is fixed.

Bathroom installation: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

Plumbing is not a restricted trade in Ireland: there is no statutory register of plumbers. The restricted works are electrical (Safe Electric) and gas (RGI), and they often sit next to plumbing.
Applies to: the homeowner choosing a plumber
Commission for Regulation of Utilities · cru.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Electrical work in a bathroom or shower room, and any new circuit such as one for an electric shower, is Restricted Electrical Works: only a Registered Electrical Contractor may do it, and they must issue a Completion Certificate.
Applies to: the electrician on the job, and the homeowner who hires them
Safe Electric Ireland, under the Commission for Regulation of Utilities · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Foul drainage from a new bathroom must be adequate and hygienic under Part H of the Building Regulations, with traps, ventilation of the drain and access for clearing.
Applies to: the installer and the homeowner
Building Regulations Part H, Department of Housing · gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Where the plumber supplies an expensive suite or cylinder, the two-thirds rule can change the VAT rate on the whole invoice, so ask whether the quote is VAT-inclusive.
Applies to: VAT-registered contractors
Revenue Commissioners · revenue.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What bathroom installation costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

Whether the toilet, shower or bath move, which changes the waste runs and floor work
Wet room or standard shower tray, and how much of the room is tanked and tiled
Who supplies the suite and tiles
The hot water system and pressure, which decide the shower and whether a pump is needed
Condition of the floor, walls and existing pipework once the old suite comes out
Electrical work: extractor, lights, shaver socket, towel rail or electric shower circuit
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

Safe Electric Completion Certificate for the electrical work
Manufacturer guarantees for the shower, valve, toilet and enclosure, registered in your name
A note of where the isolating valves and any pump are

Safety

Older bath panels, floor tiles and boxing can contain asbestos; if the house is pre-2000 and something looks like old fibre board, have it checked before strip-out.
A heavy cast iron bath or a full-depth bath of water needs a sound floor — the fitter should check joists before a large bath goes in.

Bathroom installation: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

Who does the electrical work, and will I get a Completion Certificate?
How will the shower area be waterproofed under the tiles?
Is removal of the old suite and waste included?
What happens to the price if the floor is rotten underneath?
Are the photos of first-fix pipe runs something you can send me?

What you can do yourself

Painting and fitting accessories are reasonable DIY, but supplies, waste and anything electrical in a bathroom are not — bathroom electrics are restricted by law.

What to put in your task

What are you replacing?
Will anything move from where it is now?
Which shower do you want?
Who will supply the suite and tiles?
Roughly how big is the room?

Photos that help

The whole room from the doorway
The room from the opposite corner
Behind and around the toilet, showing the waste pipe
The hot press or cylinder and any shower pump
The ceiling, showing any extractor fan

Bathroom installation by county

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Plumbing

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Questions about bathroom installation

Does bathroom installation need a licence in Ireland?

No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.

Does a plumber need to be registered to fit a bathroom?

No. Plumbing has no statutory register in Ireland. The electrical part — lights, extractor, shower circuit — is restricted, so a Registered Electrical Contractor must do it and issue a Completion Certificate.

What is tanking and do I need it?

Tanking is a waterproof membrane under the tiles in the wet area. Tiles and grout are not waterproof on their own, so a walk-in shower or wet room should always be tanked.

Can I move the toilet to the other side of the room?

Usually, if the new position can reach the soil stack with enough fall. On a concrete floor it may mean breaking out a channel; on timber it depends on the joist direction.

Will the bathroom be out of use the whole time?

Most fitters keep a toilet working overnight where they can, but expect several days with no shower. If it is the only bathroom, ask about the plan before the start date.

Often booked with bathroom installation

Plumbers