Strip-Out and New Pipework

The strip-outDemolitionKnocking down or stripping out whatever has to go before a renovation: walls, tiles, render, bathroom fittings, old floors or old insulation. is the noisiest part of the job, but also the one that shows the real state of the bathroom. Right after it comes the new pipework, which you will never see again.

Back to the brick

In a full renovation the tiles, the bathtub, the fixtures and the old renderRender (plaster)A layer of mortar (sand, cement or lime, and water) spread over brick or concrete to give a wall a straight, sound surface ready for paint or tiles. come out until the brick shows. In the bathroom with the green bathtub, all of that went before anything new was put in. The reason is simple: new tiles need sound, straight render underneath, and the new pipes run inside the walls and the floor.

Before the strip-out starts, the water and power are shut off in the room, and furniture and neighbouring rooms are covered. The rubbleDebris (rubble)The waste that comes out of demolition and building work: broken tiles, render, bricks and concrete. It is collected in bags and has to be disposed of legally. is bagged and has to be disposed of legally.

What may turn up

Behind old tiles there may be worn pipes, damp inside the wall or render that crumbles. None of this shows until the walls are open, so it is wise to leave some room in your plans for surprises like these.

The strip-out deals with tiles and render, not with the structure of the building. Columns, beams and slabs are not cut into, not even to run a pipe. If a bathroom wall needs to move, the first thing to check is whether it is a load-bearing wallLoad-bearing wallA wall that carries part of the building's weight, such as floors, beams or the storeys above. It must not be removed or opened up without an engineer's design and the required permit..

New pipework

With the walls open, the plumber runs the new water and drain pipes to where the new fixtures will sit. In the bathroom with the striped tiles, the new water pipes were laid across the floor and up the walls before everything was closed up.

In the walls, the pipes go into wall chasesWall chaseA groove cut into a wall so pipes or cables can run inside it. Afterwards it is closed with mortar or render and, once finished, cannot be seen., which are then closed with mortar and render. In the floor, room is made for the drainFloor drainThe outlet in a floor where water drains away on roofs, balconies and in bathrooms, with a grate on top and usually a trap below. pipes and the floor drain. In a small bathroom, the new supplies went inside the wall exactly where the tap and basin would be fitted.

If you have chosen a concealed cisternConcealed cisternA toilet cistern hidden inside the wall on a metal frame, which usually also holds a wall-hung toilet. Only the flush plate shows., its frame is fixed at this stage, together with its connections. The same goes for the cables: sockets, lights, an extractor fan and an electric towel rail are wired now by an electrician.

Before the walls are closed

This is the last moment to change the layout. Ask whether the new pipes will be checked for leaks before they are covered, and take photos of where they run, so you know later where not to drill.