A bathroom refurb falls apart at the joins. Mismatched flush plates. A waste with the wrong thread. A shower valve that arrived three weeks after the tiling was done because it came from a different vendor. Every one of these is an avoidable problem.
Kent Traders supplies brand-coherent UK bathroom refurbs from one catalogue: Geberit for wall-hung suites and concealed cisterns, Grohe for taps and thermostatic showers, Aqualisa for UK electric and digital showers, and Ideal Standard for budget-spec refurbs. All four brands stocked, trade-priced, with next-day dispatch on standard lines. One supplier, one trade account, no thread mismatches.
Jump to what you need
Why brand-coherent sourcing prevents snagging
Geberit, Grohe, and Ideal Standard all use proprietary fixing systems for concealed cisterns, frames, and flush plates. A Grohe flush plate will not fit a Geberit Sigma frame. A Geberit fixing pack will not drop into an Ideal Standard concealed cistern. Mixing brands at this level guarantees a snagging issue at second-fix — typically a delay of one to three days while the correct part is sourced and re-delivered.
Brassware (taps and shower valves) is more forgiving on threads — most use British Standard Pipe Parallel (BSPP) half-inch or three-quarter-inch fittings. But finish matching still breaks down between brands. Specifying Grohe Eurosmart basin taps alongside Aqualisa shower fittings and a third-brand towel rail in the same room produces a noticeable finish inconsistency that shows up in checkout photos and guest reviews.
| What you mix | Risk level | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cistern brand vs flush plate brand | High — avoid | Proprietary fixing systems — incompatible |
| Suite brand vs brassware brand | Medium — manageable | Thread-compatible but finish may vary |
| Brassware brand vs towel rail brand | Medium — depends on finish | Confirm chrome vs brushed nickel match before ordering |
| Shower valve brand vs shower head brand | Low-medium | Threads usually compatible; warranty may not cover cross-brand |
Choose your suite brand
Four brands cover the full UK bathroom refurb market. Pick by property tier and what the bathroom needs to do.
Swiss-engineered. The standard choice for wall-hung toilets and minimalist bathrooms. Sigma frames and flush plates are guaranteed-compatible with Geberit ceramics. AquaClean shower toilets are best-in-class. Pair brassware with Grohe.
Wins at: wall-hung suites, concealed cisterns, shower toilets.
Browse Geberit →German-engineered. The most common brassware choice on Geberit-led refurbs. BauEdge and Eurosmart cover budget-to-mid; Allure and Atrio for premium. Grohtherm thermostatic valves are the UK hospitality standard for scalding prevention.
Wins at: brassware reliability, thermostatic showers, kitchen taps.
Browse Grohe →UK-made. The dominant brand for electric and digital showers. Quartz Smart and Quartz Blue Smart are the digital-control flagship ranges. For older UK properties with gravity-fed plumbing, Aqualisa pumped systems are the correct choice.
Wins at: low-pressure installs, digital control, thermostatic mixers.
Browse Aqualisa →UK-manufactured value range. The standard choice for HMOs, budget hotels, and social housing refurbs. Connect Air and i.life ranges cover full suites. Faster lead times than premium brands in most cases.
Wins at: cost per fitting, broad UK distribution, quick turnaround.
Browse Ideal Standard →The honest verdict on brand selection: for a hotel in York or a rental property in Bristol, Geberit plus Grohe brassware is the reliable mid-to-premium combination that plumbers know and property managers trust. Ideal Standard is not a compromise — it is the right answer for budget-constrained projects where fit-for-purpose matters more than premium spec. Never mix up the cistern and flush plate brands to save £30. The snagging cost will be five times that.
Not sure which brand combination is right for your spec? Tell us your room count, property type, and budget per room. We will recommend the right combination and quote your full BOM within 24 hours.
Get a Bathroom Quote → Apply for a Trade Account →Refurb workflow — 6 stages in order
The order matters. Stage 2 (concealed cisterns and frames) locks in what Stage 3 (sanitary ware) can install. Stage 5 (electrical) must be spec'd against BS 7671 zones before tiling starts, not after.
Survey — water pressure and waste positions
Before ordering anything, check two things. Water pressure and flow rate at the inlet — most thermostatic showers require a minimum 1 bar dynamic pressure. Aqualisa pumped systems work below that, which is why they dominate older UK properties without combi boilers. Existing soil stack and waste positions — these are expensive to move. The bathroom layout usually follows the existing waste, not the other way around.
If you are switching from close-coupled to wall-hung toilets, the wall needs to take the load. Geberit Duofix and Grohe Solido frames fix to studs or partition walls and carry a 400kg dynamic load. Check your stud spacing matches the frame specification — usually 600mm centres — before ordering.
Concealed cisterns and frames (first-fix)
These go in first because they are inside the wall before tiling. Order with the matching flush plate so the second-fix install drops in cleanly. The three standard UK options are Geberit Sigma, Grohe Solido, and Ideal Standard ProSys. Do not order the toilet pan or flush plate until you have confirmed which frame system you are using.
Sanitary ware (toilet, basin, bath or shower tray)
The visible ceramics. Wall-hung toilets pair with the Stage 2 frames; close-coupled toilets are simpler and considerably cheaper. Basin choice depends on whether you are specifying countertop or pedestal. Bath versus shower tray is a design decision — for hotel en-suites, shower tray is more practical and easier to clean. Soft-close toilet seats are standard for any hotel or rental property spec.
Brassware (taps, showers, valves)
Basin tap, bath tap, shower valve, shower head, and handset. Spec these as a brand-coherent set. Thermostatic adds £50 to £200 per shower over a standard mixer, but is effectively mandatory in hotels, HMOs, and any multi-occupancy building where water temperature cannot be controlled at the point of use. The Grohe Grohtherm series is the standard UK hospitality specification for a reason — it prevents scalding when another fixture changes system pressure.
Basin Taps → Shower Valves → Electric Showers → Bath Shower Taps →
Electrical (shaver socket, extractor, lighting)
Bathroom electrics are governed by BS 7671:2018 zones (see callout above). The standard hotel en-suite electrical spec is: one shaver socket (just outside Zone 2, IP44), one humidity-controlled extractor fan IP44-rated, IP44-rated LED downlights in Zone 1, and a pull-cord switch or remote switch outside the bathroom if a ceiling switch is not possible inside zones.
Accessories and finishes
Towel rail, shower screen or rail, mirror, bin, hygiene-bag dispenser. Match the finish to the brassware family — chrome with chrome, brushed nickel with brushed nickel, matte black with matte black. Committing to one finish family across accessories is the cheapest way to make a bathroom look deliberately designed rather than assembled from whatever was available.
Room-by-room bills of materials
Starting-point BOMs. Adjust brand, finish, and quantities to your spec. All items linked to live collections — verify individual product handles before ordering.
Compact en-suite (hotel or residential)
| Item | Qty | Recommended brand / spec |
|---|---|---|
| Wall-hung toilet + concealed cistern | 1 | Geberit Acanto or Grohe Bau Ceramic |
| Wall frame | 1 | Geberit Sigma 8 or Grohe Solido — match brand to cistern |
| Flush plate | 1 | Match brand and finish to frame |
| Soft-close toilet seat | 1 | Brand-matched |
| Basin (countertop or wall-hung) | 1 | Grohe or Geberit — match suite |
| Basin tap (single lever mixer) | 1 | Grohe Eurosmart or BauEdge |
| Thermostatic shower valve | 1 | Grohe Grohtherm or Aqualisa |
| Fixed shower head (200mm+) | 1 | Brand-matched to valve |
| Handset shower head | 1 | Single-spray minimum |
| Shower rail kit (adjustable) | 1 | — |
| Shaver socket (IP44, outside Zone 2) | 1 | — |
| Mirror | 1 | Demister optional for premium spec |
| Bathroom bin | 1 | Pedal or sensor — Corby range |
Family bathroom with bath
Start with the compact en-suite BOM above and add:
| Additional item | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bath (1700x700 standard) | 1 | Grohe or Geberit |
| Bath shower mixer tap | 1 | Wall- or rim-mounted |
| Bath waste | 1 | Push-fit or pop-up — brand-matched |
| Heated towel rail | 1 | Chrome standard; electric or plumbed |
| Vanity unit (optional) | 1 | Under-basin storage |
Cloakroom / WC
| Item | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Compact close-coupled toilet | 1 | Short projection — under 600mm |
| Soft-close seat | 1 | Brand-matched |
| Cloakroom basin (300–400mm) | 1 | Wall-hung or countertop |
| Single-lever mini basin tap | 1 | Compact size — Grohe BauEdge 1/2" |
| Mirror, toilet roll holder, towel hook | 1 each | Match finish to tap |
Accessible bathroom (Approved Document M)
| Item | Qty | M(4)2 requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort-height toilet (450mm seat height) | 1 | Grab rail mounting points required |
| Wall-mounted basin (720mm rim height) | 1 | Open underneath for wheelchair access |
| Long-lever single mixer tap | 1 | No twist or capstan heads |
| Walk-in shower (1200x900 minimum) | 1 | Level threshold or very low tray |
| Thermostatic shower valve | 1 | Mandatory for safety in accessible bathrooms |
| Grab rails (3 minimum) | 3+ | WC, shower, bath if present |
| Folding shower seat (wall-mounted) | 1 | — |
| Shaver socket (mounted 1100mm height) | 1 | Lower mounting for accessibility |
Cost banding by property type
Indicative supply-only cost ranges — no labour, no tiling, no decoration. Brand tier, finish choice, and structural work move these significantly. All prices ex-VAT.
Compact en-suite (single property)
- Sanitary ware (Geberit/Grohe wall-hung set)£900–£1,800
- Brassware (Grohe BauEdge or Eurosmart)£400–£800
- Shower (mixer or thermostatic, basic-to-mid)£350–£900
- Electrical (shaver, IP44 extractor, lighting)£250–£500
- Accessories and finishes£200–£400
- Total (supply only)£2,100–£4,400
Family bathroom with bath (mid-spec)
- Sanitary ware (Geberit or Grohe full suite)£1,400–£2,500
- Bath + bath taps£600–£1,400
- Shower (thermostatic, mid-spec)£600–£1,400
- Vanity unit£400–£900
- Electrical£350–£700
- Accessories£300–£600
- Total (supply only)£3,650–£7,500
Premium suite (Aqualisa Quartz Smart, Grohe Allure)
- Sanitary ware (premium suite)£2,500–£5,000
- Smart shower (Aqualisa Quartz Smart)£1,200–£2,500
- Premium brassware (Grohe Allure or Atrio)£1,200–£2,500
- Electrical and smart lighting£600–£1,200
- Accessories£500–£1,000
- Total (supply only)£6,000–£12,200
Wet room (residential or commercial)
- Wet-room former + drain + tanking£600–£1,500
- Concealed brassware (thermostatic + ceiling head)£900–£2,500
- Toilet + cistern + flush plate£400–£1,000
- Glass screen£300–£900
- Electrical and ventilation£400–£900
- Total (supply only)£2,600–£6,800
Compliance: what your plumber and electrician will check
BS 6465 — sanitary installations
BS 6465 defines the required number of WCs, basins, and showers per occupancy type in commercial and accommodation buildings. For hotel rooms, the minimum is one WC and one basin per room, with a bath or shower per room. HMOs: minimums vary by occupancy level and local licensing scheme — confirm with your council's HMO licensing team before finalising the room count.
Approved Document G — water efficiency
New builds and significant refurbs must achieve a target of 125 litres per person per day. Most modern dual-flush toilets (4/2.6 litre or 6/3 litre) and aerated taps meet this target without additional specification effort.
Approved Document M — accessibility
M(4)1 (visitable): a WC at entrance level. M(4)2 (accessible and adaptable): comfort-height WC, level-access shower, lever taps, grab-rail mounting points pre-installed. M(4)3 (wheelchair-user dwellings): full wheelchair turning circles, grab rails installed, lower switch heights. For new build and permitted development projects, your planning consent will specify which category applies.
BS 7671 zones for bathroom electrical work
Zone 0 (inside bath or shower basin): IP67 minimum, SELV circuits only. Zone 1 (above the bath/shower up to 2.25m): IP44 minimum, RCD-protected. Zone 2 (within 0.6m horizontal of Zone 1 boundary): IP44 minimum. Outside zones: standard shaver sockets are allowed but must still be on an RCD-protected circuit if added during a refurb.
Refurbing more than one bathroom? For whole-property hotel and HMO refurbs covering electrics, fire safety, and guestroom items as well as bathrooms, read the UK Hotel Refurb Supplier Guide — both guides are designed to be used together.
Read the Hotel Refurb Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Tell us your bathroom count and spec tier
We will quote your full BOM within 24 hours — Geberit, Grohe, Aqualisa, or Ideal Standard, in the right combination for your property. One supplier, one trade account, zero thread mismatches at second-fix.
Get a Bathroom Quote → Apply for a Trade Account →