Bathroom Renovation Fixtures Checklist: What to Choose and in What Order

Bathroom renovation budgets rarely get blown because of the tiles. They get blown when a choice gets made too late in the process. The wall mixer selected after rough-in or the towel rail selected after the sheeting has meant opening something up.

Here’s the order rule: anything which goes inside the walls or under the floor has to be selected before rough-in. Everything that is screwed to an existing wall can be left to be done at fit-off as long as there is blocking behind it.

Check below for the full fixtures list, the order to select them in, and what your plumber needs from you before the job starts. Working with a tight budget? Go with our tips on how to renovate your bathroom on a budget.

The quick checklist

The “decide by” cell is the latest deadline at which you can lock all your items down without paying for changes.

The complete bathroom fixtures list

Bathroom fixtures: toilet, bath, basins

                                        

CHELSEA Insert Bath Tub

• Toilet suite or pan, plus cistern (in-wall, back-to-wall or close-coupled)
• Toilet seat, flush plate or button
• Bath: freestanding, back-to-wall or insert
• Bath waste and overflow
• Basin: above-counter, undermount, inset, semi-inset or wall-hung
• Basin waste and bottle trap (on show under wall-hung basins)

Tapware and showers

                                                  

10" Square Chrome Shower Station Top/Bottom Inlet

• Basin mixer (short or tall) or wall mixer set
• Bath wall mixer and spout, diverter mixer, wall top assemblies, or freestanding floor mixer
• Shower mixer or shower set
• Shower rail, or shower arm and overhead rose, plus a handheld if you want both
• Shower hose

Vanities, storage and mirrors

                                              

Oakmere 1500mm Freestanding Vanity- Golden Oak

• Vanity (wall-hung or floor-standing) and benchtop
• Tall boy or wall cabinet
• Shaving cabinet or mirror (LED or framed)

Drainage

                                          

Phoenix Flat Channel Drain HG 75 x 750mm Outlet 65mm

• Shower floor waste or strip/channel drain
• Bathroom floor waste (where required)

Heating and power

                                             

                      Thermorail Straight/Round 600x800x122mm 100Watts 7 Bars

• Heated towel rail
• Underfloor heating
• LED or demisting mirror
• Exhaust Fan & Lighting (Your electrician’s list, but they require your positions)

Accessories

                               

Cromford Glass Shelf 450mm

• Towel rails or rings, hand towel holder
• Robe hooks
• Toilet roll holder, toilet brush
• Glass shelf, soap dish

Each of the plumbing items installed in Australia should be WaterMark compliant, while all taps, shower facilities, and toilets should have a WELS star rating system.

What to choose first in a bathroom renovation

1. Layout and the big three: toilet, bath, shower

First decide where everything will go. Preserving the toilet's position will generally provide the largest savings of all, as its waste pipe is the most difficult to shift.

Next, select the toilet. The in-wall cistern requires the fitting of a frame during rough-in and a build-out of the wall to hide it. With a floor-mounted pan, your plumber will need the set-out (the distance between the completed wall and the centre of the waste) and whether it is an S-trap (down into the floor) or P-trap (down into the wall).

Select the bath next. A freestanding bath fitted with a floor-mounted mixer requires hot and cold pipework rising through the floor in the precise position, while the bath waste must be lined up to its outlet that sits in a different position for nearly all models. Back-to-wall and insert baths require the wall mixer and spout placed to correspond to the bath's height and length. Should you be comparing styles, find out the real reason why people select a back-to-wall bath. Take a look at our freestanding baths and freestanding mixers, and have the actual bath model and drawings to hand when you call your plumber.

The third is the layout of the shower itself: either with a rail or fixed showerhead, a wall-mounted arm or a ceiling-mounted arm, and whether there should be a niche. Both shower and bath together? Find out about designing a bath and shower combination here.

2. Vanity and basin

Vanity determines at what height the water and waste levels will be placed behind it. A wall-hung vanity requires strong wooden supports inside the wall. A floor-standing vanity requires that pipes be above the drawers or in the cutout.

The basin determines the position of your tap. The above countertop basin requires you to have either a tall basin mixer or a wall mixer, because otherwise a shorter one would not go above the bowl. Inset and undermount basins require a shorter basin mixer installed on top of the benchtop. A wall-hung basin without any place to install your tap requires a wall mixer.

3. Tapware to suit each basin, bath and shower

Wall-mounted tapware is usually the source of rough-in issues. In this case, the mixer body is fixed to a wooden support inside the wall. The depth depends on the total wall thickness, including the wall sheets, waterproofing, glue, and tiles. There will be a specification range for each model, so be sure your tiles aren’t too thick to cause the handle or spout not to fit.

In addition, for a wall basin mixer, there must be adequate spout reach into the basin. Measure from the wall to the middle of the bowl, and compare it to the spout reach on the specification sheet. Our wall mixers clearly show what you’re selecting at this point.

4. Drainage and floor wastes

A standard round floor waste comes standard with plumbers. Select your choice of a tile insert waste or strip drain at this point since it affects the falls that your tiler and waterproofer will be working on. Check our range of drainage solutions.

5. Anything that needs power

Heated towel racks that are hard-wired, underfloor heating, and LED mirrors all require your electrician to install wiring before walls are covered up, while underfloor heating should be laid out before tiling begins. Let your electrician know exactly where everything will be placed as well as how high.

6. Your finish, across every brand

Select a finish first before buying anything. One brand’s brushed nickel could appear to be a warmer or cooler colour than the brushed nickel of a different brand, as well as matte black and brushed gold. For more information, see also chrome, brushed nickel, gunmetal and brushed bronze. If you have tapware, shower fittings, towel racks and accessories from different brands, compare them or use one range only. Having difficulty choosing a finish? Here are the best bathroom tapware finishes ranked.

7. Accessories and Wall Supports 

The accessories themselves can be chosen last. Their positions can't. Before the walls are sheeted, mark where every towel rail, robe hook, roll holder and shelf will go so your builder can put a wall support behind each one.

What to tell your plumber before rough-in

Take this list with you to the rough-in appointment, as well as a specification sheet for each product. Plumbers work off plans, not product names.

• Toilet: model, type, set-out and either S-trap or P-trap.
• Bath: model, waste placement, and whether the tap is wall-mounted, deck-mounted, or free-standing.
• Basin Mixer: whether it's bench, basin or wall-mounted, and for wall-mounted mixers, the height of the spout above the basin and projection.
• Finished Wall Thickness: for each wall with an in-wall mixer, sheet type, waterproofing and tile thickness.
• Shower: height of the mixer, rail/arm placement, wall/ceiling arm and location of the niche, to verify that pipes don’t interfere with it.
• Vanity: height, whether it’s wall-mounted, and the placement of drawers and cutouts.
• Floor Wastes: type and placement for both shower and bathroom.
• Hot Water: Whether you use an instant gas water heater, a storage water heater, or a heat pump, check your water pressure. Some mixers and showers need a minimum water pressure to work properly.
  
  

Your plumber must be licensed, and work will be done to AS/NZS 3500. Your waterproofer does AS 3740, which is another reason your drainage needs to be done first.

When to order (and what to have on site first)

Choose your fittings between four and eight weeks before you start demolition.

At the bare minimum, you need:

• In-wall mixer bodies
• In-wall cistern frame
• Floor waste pipes and strips
• The bath itself, or at least the plans for it
  

All other components (spouts, handles, shower rails, basin, and accessories) have to be received prior to fit-off. Receiving early will allow you to verify that all finishes are correct and undamaged.

Orders from Orvieon are shipped out fast and can be tracked Australia-wide. However, always order well ahead of time to verify that everything in stock arrives in time, especially those on back order.

The mistakes to avoid

• Plumbing tap before basin: A small mixer mounted behind a large basin that sits on top of the counter is only slightly taller than the basin.

• Avoiding wall build-up: Larger feature tiles can shift in-wall mixers out of their acceptable range.

• Using bath waste as standard: Each freestanding bath has its own unique outlet point.

• Insufficient wall space for accessories: This is usually noticed when installing the towel rail.

• Ordering following demolition: Then having to wait for the parts while the trades go to the next site.

• Spec checks prior to order: Orvieon takes back defective products but not change-of-mind returns, so check sizes and compatibility with your plumber first.

FAQs

What order should I choose bathroom fixtures in?

Layout first, then toilets, baths and showers, then vanities and basins, then tapware suited to them, then plumbing and drainage, and anything else that requires electricity. Select your finish before selecting your tapware. The accessories go on last, but you should note where they go before you sheet.

Which fixtures affect plumbing rough-in?

Toilet (particularly wall-hung cisterns), bathtub waste and itself, any freestanding basin mixer, all wall-mounted tapware and shower mixers, position of the shower rail or arm, vanity height and style, and floor waste or strip drains. Heated towel rails, underfloor heating, and LED mirror installations impact the electrical rough-in.

How long before rough-in should I order?

Make sure that selections are made four to eight weeks prior to demolition, including in-wall mixer bodies, cistern frames, floor wastes, and the bath (or drawing). Ordering should be done far enough ahead of time that stock Orvieon items are available before your plumber begins, as well as any backordered items.

Need help selecting? Browse the entire Orvieon bathrooms collection complete with WaterMark Certified tapware in Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Matte Black, Brushed Gold, Gun Metal, and many more!