MANY people building their own home don't realise that you have to make decisions about the kind of bathroom you want very early on. Take wall-mounted versus floor standing vanity units, for example: you need to decide at the start of the build process because your choice will dictate where your plumber puts the pipes. Your furniture isn't the only thing you should think about, however. Here, we give you some tips simple ways to future proof your bathroom.
- For new builds, you need to have at least one bathroom that's wheelchair accessible - so this is obviously on the ground floor. Your ground floor WC should have a door that's wide enough for a wheelchair to fit through (77.5cm) and the overall design should be in such a way that a wheelchair can be fully contained. The door should be able to be closed with the wheelchair inside. Your architect will be able to guide you through this process.
- Think about having one shower downstairs. You never know what the future will bring or who might need access to a shower at ground floor level. It could be an elderly relative, someone in the family could break a leg or have trouble climbing the stairs. One thing for sure is that everyone gets older - so having an easily accessible shower downstairs really future proofs your home.
- Showers are much more accessible than baths and walk in showers with plenty of space and slimline trays that don't have too much of a step into them are also easier to access. Check out our selection of wet room panels and slimline trays.
- Anti-slip. Again, safety in the bathroom is extremely important. So whether it's for kids or for the elderly, the more vulnerable members of the family need to be safe in the bathroom. We have a wide selection of anti-slip shower trays available.
- Choose taps that are easily used no matter what kind of hands you have! Taps can be tricky for kids or the elderly, so choosing something user friendly from the beginning will mean that the taps will see you through as your family grows.
And remember, just because you want your bathroom to be functional, it doesn't mean you have to skimp on style. We have fabulous products that will make your new bathroom beautiful as well as being practical.
