Nijmegen / Completed
A new bathroom, a separate laundry room and a refreshed upper floor. Much of the work was hidden beneath the tiles: strengthening the timber floor and relocating the toilet drain between the joists.
September–October 2025
Silke and Martijn wanted to use their upstairs space differently. The new bathroom needed a bath, walk-in shower, toilet and basin. The existing timber floor and the drainage route made this much more than a layout change.
02 / Step by step
Phase 1
We removed the old toilet, the required partitions and the timber floor in the new bathroom area. Dividing the bedroom created space for the bathroom. Access changed too: we formed the new doorway and adapted the existing openings.
Door and fixture positions determine where services and reinforcement are needed.
Phase 2
The hardest step was creating a firm base over the existing joists. We rebuilt the floor with spruce beams and OSB boards, followed by approximately 5–6 cm of screed and up to 1 cm of levelling compound. This prepared the surface for the tiled finish.
A tiled floor needs a different base from an old timber floor. Preparation helps limit movement and uneven junctions.
Phase 3
The toilet moved to a new position, requiring its 110 mm PVC drain to be rerouted through a floor with existing timber joists. We worked out the route and its connection to the drainage ventilation before closing the floor. Water and waste lines for the bath, shower and basin were prepared at the same time.
The large toilet drain needs space. Its route must be resolved before the new floor hides the services.
Phase 4
After rebuilding the base, we added waterproofing and electric floor heating, followed by tile adhesive and tiles. We finished the wet-area junctions and fitted the bath, walk-in shower, toilet and basin. The new bathroom also has an electric towel radiator.
The waterproof layer sits beneath the tiles. Corners and connections need particular care; tiles alone are not the complete waterproofing system.
Phase 5
The former bathroom became a laundry room for the washing machine and dryer. Here we installed a water-fed towel radiator, separate from the electric radiator in the new bathroom. Each room received connections suited to its new use.
A renovation can give existing space a new purpose without squeezing every function into one room.
Phase 6
The work continued beyond the bathroom door. We plastered and painted the upstairs walls and ceilings and painted the staircase. This brought the new bathroom and laundry room together with the rest of the renewed upper floor.
Coordinated finishes help the existing and newly built areas feel part of the same home.
Your renovation
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August–September 2025
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