If you’re thinking of renovating a bathroom in Auckland, this comprehensive summary of what to do, how much to spend, and what pitfalls to watch out for is the best place to start. Bathroom renovations is always a good investment, regardless of your circumstances. If it’s for the house you live in, you will definitely enjoy the room more once you’ve renovated. Think about it, the bathroom is possibly the most used room in the house. You might spend more time in your living room, but usually you’re just watching TV or lounging around (not actually “using” features of the room). You might argue that the kitchen is used more, but for many of us, it’s used primarily just once a day, at dinner time (and often not by everyone in the household). A bathroom, on the other hand, is used several times a day – and by everyone in the household. If you’re thinking of selling your house, a bathroom renovation will almost always add value to a home. And if you’re a landlord, a newly renovated bathroom will help you attract a higher rent. A bathroom renovation almost always generates a return on investment. So what should you think about when renovating a bathroom? What sort of budget do you need? And what kind of mistakes can you avoid? The Regency Plumbing team in Auckland has completed hundreds of bathroom renovations over the past 20 years. We can help you make the most of your space (and budget), and avoid some common pitfalls you’ll want to watch out for when it comes to renovating your bathroom. One of our directors of Regency Plumbing is also a specialist project manager who is on hand to make sure your bathroom renovations goes well. Begin with the steps and suggestions below, and then get in touch to get your bathroom renovation started with the Regency Plumbing team experienced in Auckland bathroom renovations. What are the steps involved in a bathroom renovation? There are two key ingredients to making any project run smoothly, on time and to budget – you need a plan and you need expert help. Help from bathroom professionals who have done this before will be an invaluable investment in the process. The best way to plan bathroom renovations is to break it down into organised steps. We use the following proven stages: Step 1 – Get a professional bathroom renovation company involved early You might think that doing it yourself will save you money, but trust us…the investment in having an experienced, professional bathroom renovation team involved will actually save you money in the long run. We know the best way to organise your time and subcontractors. We can offer lower-than-retail prices on tapware, fixtures and other supplies. And we’ll help you avoid costly mistakes than might happen if you DIY it. Don’t worry, there will be a lot of ways for you to be involved and to enjoy some of the details. We’ll keep you updated every step of the way, and you’ll have input into all decisions. Our role is to guide you in the right direction so you have flexibility and choice, without the stress of managing the complexities that a bathroom renovation can provide. Step 2 – Take the time to do proper planning and budgeting Our experienced team will make sure your bathroom renovation project begins with a thorough brief to make the job run seamlessly, to time and budget. We’ll talk to you about who uses the bathroom, what your lifestyle or household habits are that might affect the design or layout of your bathroom, and we’ll go through some detailed design ideas with you. Over the years we’ve worked on hundreds of bathrooms, so chances are there are details we can suggest that you may not have thought of. Our specialty is in making the most of a space, no matter how small it is – we place equal emphasis on practicality and aesthetics. Step 3 – Look at the different components or areas of your bathroom While it may be one of the smaller rooms in a house, the bathroom is actually one of the more complex rooms – yes, even more complex than the kitchen. That’s because there is plumbing, water tightness, electricity, different types of heating and ventilation – all in one room. To make your bathroom renovation easier to get your head around, we divide it into different stages and areas to work on: Main bathroom fixtures – vanity/basin(s), toilet, shower, bath, bidet Secondary fixtures – tapware, mirrors, towel rails, cabinetry Flooring – tiles and other floor covering options Walls, ceiling, windows – tiles, plasterboard, paint, wallpaper, blinds Electrics – heated towel rails, underfloor heating, fans, heating, lighting, mirror demisters Plumbing – hot water heating, water pressure, drainage Your dedicated project manager will go through several options for each of these with you, making sure you’re happy with the look and the functionality of every detail. We’ll give you as many options as is practical to make sure your overall project adheres to your desired budget. Step 4 – Set a realistic budget Speaking of budget, we’ll help you figure this one out as well. We understand that not everyone knows what they want to spend when they start a bathroom renovation project. We’ll start with some ballpark estimates, depending on what you have in mind, and then work with you to refine your budget. After years of doing this, we can quite easily advise on where to bring costs down in one area to be able to splash out more in another, depending on what your priorities are. We’ll keep you informed along the way, so you know exactly how your project is tracking. We dislike surprises on a project as much as you do. So we make sure we’ve thought of everything that might affect the budget before we begin. Step 5 – Have an experienced bathroom renovation specialist manage the project Because there […]
Oct
Replacing a shower is a great way to update or modernise a bathroom without undertaking a full bathroom renovation. But how much should a shower replacement in Auckland cost? Like many queries involving costs, the answer is usually “it depends”. In Auckland you can spend anywhere between $700 and $7000 on a single shower replacement. It really does depend on several factors such as size, style, fixtures, tiling and other customisation. Pricing these elements individually is not the best way to budget for a shower renovation, as we consider all of these things together to find a few options for you in your budget range. But recognising all the different options available will give you some useful initial information and things to look out for as you plan your shower renovation. Give us a call for an initial chat and we can give you some personalised guidance. Style or shape The options are endless when it comes to the style of shape of shower you want. A standard square enclosure of approximately 1m by 1m will usually start at around $500. However, we like to make the most of the space you have, and often it’s not a clean, tidy square. At Regency Plumbing we can create a rectangle shower enclosure, a corner shower with a rounded or angled entry, a half wall cubicle, a double luxury shower, or a complete walk-in wet room style shower. Size If you’re only changing the shower in your bathroom, then our advice is to choose the largest shower you can fit in the space (as long as it looks good). It’s surprising how much of a difference even just 100mm can make to your shower elbow room. As a quick example, the difference between a shower of 900mm by 900mm and one that is a full metre square is quite noticeable when you use it. But the difference in price might be only about $200. Similarly, the difference between a square corner shower versus a rounded off one is quite noticeable when you use it, but the price difference isn’t. If you can make the size and shape work, go for the extra size. Door style Sorry retro fans, but the days of shower curtains are long gone. We’re now able to source affordable, beautiful shower doors in a range of styles. Have a think about whether you want single or double, curved or straight, doors that slide or open out, half tile/half glass, or doorless altogether (if you’ve got a large enough space). We find that clients often don’t give much thought to their shower doors ahead of time, so don’t worry – we’ve got lots of options to suggest to you based on your taste and budget. Fixtures This is where we can get really creative – with the look of your shower as well as your budget. Once we know your design style and how the shower will be used (how often, by whom) we can suggest the best options for shower heads, handsets, mixers, and even niches or mini shelves. To give you an idea of the budget flexibility here, standard chrome shower fixture packages start at about $800, with a great deal of options around what we include. Building work Most shower replacements that we undertake are straight forward, requiring minimal building work. But we always advise clients to prepare for the unexpected. If you live in Auckland and you’re removing an old shower, there is a possibility that some repair work will have to be done to the floor or walls before you put in your new shower. We can often tell just by looking at the condition of your existing shower if there might be water damage underneath, so feel free to give us a call before you begin. You can see why the answer to the question of how much a shower replacement in Auckland costs is a complex one to answer. There are many factors to consider that might affect costs, but we hope the points here will help guide you – and help reassure you that the Regency Plumbing team can help create something to suit your budget. Another thing to consider… If you’re not already using a continuous flow hot water system, it might be a good time to look into it while you upgrade your shower (any parents of teenagers out there?). If you’re curious about tankless, on-demand hot water flow, read more about gas hot water systems here – or give us a call for a free quote.
Sep
Want to know what the most important part of a successful bathroom renovation project is? Good water pressure? A quiet flush? Heated floors? Fast demist mirrors? Yes, these are all important . But they’re not the most essential aspect. For that we need to back up a few steps. The thing that will make or break a great bathroom (and make or break the budget) is …. a great plan! So we’ve put together our top 10 things to consider before beginning a bathroom renovation. 1. What do you like or dislike about your existing bathroom? Chances are you’ve already given thought to this one. You’re possibly renovating your bathroom because you’ve been tolerating that 1970s décor for longer than you’d like. Or you’ve decided that it’s finally time to put in a larger shower for the teenagers. Perhaps it’s just the right time financially. Whatever the case, make sure you also make a list of things you do like about the current bathroom. Your list of likes and dislikes will make the forthcoming project a lot easier, and it will help any suppliers you turn to for help in sourcing materials. 2. Who will use the bathroom? In most houses, there are bathroom boundaries. Often the ensuite is off limits to anyone between the ages of 10 and 18. There may be a guest bathroom in the hall that doesn’t get a lot of use. Sometimes there is toddler territory – the room with a bath that is usually full of endless supplies of bath bubbles and floaty toys. Be clear about who is going to use the room, and what their needs are. 3. Is this mainly a “functional” bathroom or more of a “sanctuary” bathroom? Similar to the question about who will use the bathroom, it’s also important to consider what kind of room you want to create. Regardless of whether you have a small or large bathroom to renovate, it’s worthwhile thinking about what kind of space you want to end up with. To give you an idea, a “functional” bathroom might be a smaller room with just the basics – toilet, basin, towel rail. A larger practical bathroom might also include a shower, bathtub and maybe a double basin. At the other end of the spectrum, we often create what we refer to as a “sanctuary” bathroom. This isn’t necessarily a very large room. And it’s always practical. But to give it that sanctuary feel we pay attention to features you might not consider for other bathrooms in the house – treats like a jacuzzi bath, a double shower, and other lighting and heating details that make the room extra special. 4. Do you have any must-haves or non-negotiables? At Regency Plumbing in Auckland we always ask our clients to think about the things on their “dream bathroom” list. Chances are you’re not going to renovate your bathroom again over the next few years, so you may as well do it right. If money were no object, what would you have in your bathroom? Let us know … often we can find ways to make it work within your budget. 5. Do you have time and expertise to manage the project yourself? You’ve probably heard us say it before … the bathroom really is the most important room in the house. And yet, for some reason, it’s often a room that homeowners try to renovate themselves. Because there are so many details involved in a bathroom renovation, regardless of the size of the room, we always recommend you use an experienced bathroom renovation company to manage the project for you. You’ll need to involve several tradespeople – an electrician, plumber, cabinet maker, tiler, painter, etc – so it really does make sense to have a professional coordinate it all for you. Think of it as the easiest way to get the project completed in the shortest timeframe possible with. 6. How old is the current bathroom and the house? When we renovate a bathroom, we need to consider either the age of the current fixtures and/or the age of the house. The reason for this is that, as mentioned above, a bathroom in Auckland almost always requires the services of a certified plumber and electrician. Their training and expertise can inform what is and isn’t possible with the existing wiring and plumbing – having an impact on your renovation budget. The Regency Plumbing team is able to repair or replace old pipes, address water pressure issues from old systems, and give you options for continuous hot water if that’s what you need. 7. How much do you want to spend to renovate bathroom? Usually the answer to this is, “as little as possible”. Often people begin researching a bathroom renovation project without knowing what a reasonable amount to spend is. In short, you can spend as little or as much as you want. Over the past 20 years we’ve worked on hundreds of bathrooms throughout Auckland and can recommend ways to be more economical with your budget without compromising on style. We have great relationships with suppliers as well, and can usually source bathroom fixtures, supplies and accessories for a better price than customer retail rates. 8. How many tradespeople might be needed for a bathroom renovation? A typical bathroom renovation involves at least a plumber and an electrician. On top of that, you’ll often need to bring in a tiler, painter or wallpaper professional, gib stopper, a cabinet maker or builder, and maybe a company that specialises in windows or skylights. There are a lot of people, so coordinating schedules and the flow of work is crucial (see number 9 below). 9. How important is it to hire a professional rather than DIY it? We always recommend using a professional bathroom renovation specialist like Regency Plumbing. We’ve seen too many DIY projects go awry, causing stress in the household and unnecessary delays. With all the details that need to be coordinated – and […]
Aug
A Step-by-Step Guide to the Bathroom Renovation Process from your Auckland Bathroom Renovation Specialists Renovating a bathroom can be the most rewarding home project you’ll ever take on. It’s the most important room in your house – it’s the room that everyone uses, even visitors to your home (you probably can’t say that about any other room). The Regency Plumbing team in Auckland has completed hundreds of bathroom renovations over the past 20 years. We can help you make the most of your space (and budget), and avoid some common pitfalls that DIYers tend to make. Step 1 – Call in help early Regardless of the size of the bathroom you’re renovating, there are so many details to consider in bathroom renovation process that it pays to get an experienced, professional bathroom renovator involved from the start. At Regency Plumbing we believe there are two clear benefits to having us involved early. First, because we’ve been around bathrooms for years, we can take the ideas you have and suggest options you may not even think of. We’re bathroom magicians when it comes to making the most of small spaces and finding ways to make elements function efficiently while also looking beautiful. Second, we’ll save you a ton of time researching layout and design ideas and sourcing products. From just one conversation we can usually put together a range of ideas and options for your new bathroom. Step 2 – Don’t rush the planning It’s sometimes so tempting to rush over the layout and planning phases and get right to the fun decorating part. We get it – choosing mirrors, tile colours and tapware is exciting. Heck, even looking at different toilet models gives us thrills. But before you do any of that, you need to take the time to thoroughly plan how you’ll use the space. We can hear you from here … What do you mean, how do we use our bathroom? We go to the toilet, flush, wash hands and go. There’s so much more to it than that. Will the bathroom be used for getting ready in the morning, or for evening baths? Will everyone in the household use it? How about visitors? Is there any natural sunlight into the room? What about window ventilation? Is underfloor heating high on your wish list? Why are you renovating and what is it that you currently love or hate about the room? Step 3 – Break it down into parts It’s easy to look at a bathroom and think – basin, toilet, shower, bath. How hard can it be? At Regency Plumbing, we encourage our clients to think of their bathrooms in a unique way. In order to make the most of your time and budget, we break it down into: Main bathroom fixtures – vanity/basin(s), toilet, shower, bath, bidet Secondary fixtures – tapware, mirrors, towel rails, cabinetry Flooring – tiles and other floor covering options Walls, ceiling, windows – tiles, plasterboard, paint, wallpaper, blinds Electrics – heated towel rails, underfloor heating, fans, heating, lighting, mirror demisters Plumbing – hot water heating, water pressure, drainage Thinking of your bathroom renovation in this way is helpful for a couple of reasons. It helps you collect ideas of what you like and don’t like in terms of décor style, colours, etc. If you’re someone who likes to keep magazine pictures or Pinterest photos, approaching each category separately will stop it from feeling so overwhelming (we warned you, there are a lot of details to consider in a bathroom). It will also help when it comes to establishing a budget. For each of these categories, there is room to give and take with regards to how much you spend on each element. And for some categories there is less flexibility around DIY work vs work that needs to be done by a licensed plumber. Step 4 – Setting a budget for bathroom renovation When we ask a client what their budget is for their bathroom renovation, nine times out of ten they’ll say they don’t have one. Unfortunately, this does not mean that the sky’s the limit. It usually means that they have no idea what a bathroom renovation in Auckland should cost. This is where we can help immensely. Without even pulling out a catalogue, we can give you reliable estimates of what percentage of the total renovation budget each of the six categories above might be. But a lot of this comes down to personal preference. We’ve had clients that are willing to save a bit of money on wall coverings in order to have the bathtub of their dreams. And we’ve had other clients who prefer a smaller shower in order to fit in a double basin. It starts with knowing what is on your wish list and what is a non-negotiable in your new bathroom. Step 5 – Get a professional to manage the project One of our goals at Regency Plumbing is to make a bathroom renovation project run as smoothly and as quickly as possible, while upholding our standards of excellence. We know you don’t want to live without a bathroom for any longer than necessary. And often we find that Auckland homeowners like to do more than one bathroom at a time in a renovation project – all the more reason to make sure the project is expertly managed. What this means is minimising the time you’re without a bath or shower, for example. Or making sure that when we need to tear out old cabinetry or turn the water off, we’re doing it at a time that is convenient for you. At Regency Plumbing, our expert renovation team members can plan all the details of your project timelines and budget, taking all the stress away from you. If there are any unexpected hurdles along the way, your renovation project manager will be on site to get things back on track quickly. As we’ve seen, there are a number of components and stages to […]
Aug
Bathroom Renovation Ideas How to make the most of a bathroom makeover in Auckland? So you’ve decided to take the plunge (pardon the pun) and renovate a bathroom. Where do you start? In some of our other blogs we’ve provided very detailed and practical guidance on how to manage a bathroom renovation in Auckland. In this article we’re turning to the inspiration files. How can you turn the smallest room in the house into one of your favourite areas of your home? At Regency Plumbing, when we work on a bathroom renovation in Auckland, we often start the ideas process by thinking of the project from a few different angles. First, we talk to you about the overall style that you like. We start broadly, and then narrow it down to the bathroom. How would you describe the style of the rest of your home? What are the first words that come to mind – modern, traditional, art deco, simplistic, colourful, busy, Tuscan, Spanish, retro, mid-century, etc? Is that a style that you want to carry on into the bathroom(s), or do you have plan to renovate other areas and move away fromthat design style? If you’re unsure of whether there is a definitive style to your home (which is completely fine), then start collecting photos of rooms that you like. Pictures of bathrooms that you like are fantastic, but even just images of various rooms in the style and colours that appeal to you is fine too. If you show us what your current favourite room in the house is, we can also work from there. Is it the colours you like, the layout, the use of natural sunlight, the style of furniture, etc? Often people get caught up in the details of the bathroom before deciding what overall look and feel they want to create. Our advice is always to not worry too much about the details of the fixtures just yet. That’s our area of expertise. You give us an idea of what style you like, and together we can work through the details. The next thing we talk to you about is the feeling of the room. It’s starting to sound a bit touchy, feely … isn’t it? But it’s important to love your newly renovated space. The bathroom is the one room in the house where functionality and aesthetics both take centre stage. When we’re working with a small room, we need to make the most of the layout, while also creating the ambiance to go with the space. If the bathroom you’re renovating is where you wind down with a bath in the evening, do you want it to feel calm and relaxing? Or are you leaning more towards a cool, refreshing, ocean vibe to help get you energised in the morning as you get ready? Do you need a playful and fun look that will help get the kids excited about bath time? Or are you interested in an art deco, boudoir feel for when you get ready for an evening out? Lastly, we start putting all the details together. Once we’ve got a good idea of how you use the room and what your style preferences are, we can start to have fun with the details of fixtures and furnishings. Often, this part of the bathroom renovation project begins with a focus on a particular aspect that the client has seen somewhere. Sometimes it begins with the initial reason for the renovation, such as the desire for a bigger shower, and or the need for an updated bath. Over the 20 years that we’ve been renovating bathrooms in Auckland, the most common focal points have been the shower, bath and vanity. So we often start there. Looking at a few different styles of showers is often a good place to start. The options are endless – enclosed, glass walled, open wet room style, double or single, rain head, etc. For many bathrooms, this is the feature that will be used quite a lot, so it’s important to get the style and size right. If you’re concerned about having to compromise on shower size because of the specs of the room, we encourage you to get in touch with us for help. We can usually get creative with the layout to make sure you have the biggest shower possible for your space and budget. If you’re renovating a main bathroom, then another key feature is the bathtub. If you’re considering getting rid of a bathtub to create more space, If spaceallows, we’ll always do what we can to keep it in. Bathrooms are key in setting the value of a home, and a house with a bathtub is almost always more attractive. Instead of removing a tub, we can look at switching to a different size, or changing from a stand-alone bathtub to a shower/tub combo. There are a lot of options to consider here as well, so again, we encourage you to get in touch with us to see what we can make work and to have a look at some of our recent project photos. When it comes to bathroom vanities We’ll find out whether a client wants a single or double, whether they want it enclosed in full cabinetry for storage, or more of a pedestal style, etc. This eventually leads to the fun of choosing tapware – black is still a popular choice for modern bathrooms, gold is still widely used to give a luxurious feel to the room, and brass can add a sense of classic style. People often don’t give much thought to the kind of toilet they want until we’ve had fun with the shower, bathtub and vanity selection. It’s rare to come across a client that builds their bathroom design around the toilet. However, it’s such an important part of the room. At Regency Plumbing we like to make shopping for the throne a fun part of the renovation project (if even there are […]
Aug
Bathroom Renovation Cost We have a short answer and a long answer for bathroom renovation cost — and they’re both worth reading. But let’s start with telling you something about Regency Plumbing to set the scene. Throughout the 20 years that Regency Plumbing has been serving clients in and around Auckland, we’ve always stood by one key promise – transparency. Being clear and honest with everyone we deal with has always been a top priority for us and one of the reasons our clients trust and refer us. That promise of transparency means we don’t shy away from talking about costs. So, how much should a bathroom renovation in Auckland cost? The short answer is, whatever you want it to cost. What we mean by this is that the team at Regency Plumbing works tirelessly to create a range of ideas and options for clients. Regardless of the age of your home or the size of the room you’re renovating, we always try to find creative and functional ways to make the most of your space. We have a large base of manufacturers and suppliers that we work regularly with, so we are able to source products at different price points to fit your budget. If your bathroom wish list (see our earlier blog called 10 Things to Consider Before a Bathroom Renovation) includes a luxury freestanding bathtub, we can source one for you priced anywhere from $500 right up to $5000. If beautiful tapware is your thing, we can find just the right basin mixer ranging in price from $10 to $1000. As you can see from these two examples, the price range of many products can be huge. We generally stay away from products at the very top and bottom of the range. But even then, the range in the middle can be large and confusing. We can help you make informed decisions based on our vast experience with the brands we support and the products they have available. And now for the long answer…. In order to determine whether you can afford a bathroom renovation, there are a couple ways to think about it. A bathroom renovation is usually either a standalone renovation (meaning you’re redoing or updating just that one room); or it’s part of a larger renovation project (you’re working on a few rooms of your house, for example). The first way to set a budget for a bathroom renovation, then, is to decide on an amount that you’re able to spend – perhaps based on a percentage of larger renovation costs if you’re working on other rooms or parts of the house at the same time. For example, if you’re doing other renovations that will total in the area of $300,000 then you might allocate $30,000 to the bathroom (these are arbitrary figures; please speak to us for more accurate estimates based on your situation). There isn’t a clear-cut methodology to the math here. It’s simply what you can afford or how much the bank will lend you. But if you came to us with a dollar figure in mind, we’ll let you know straight away whether the project is worth pursuing. Generally speaking, yes, a budget of $30,000 would be great for a bathroom renovation in Auckland. If, on the other hand, there isn’t a larger renovation project happening – and you just want to focus on the bathroom – then the budget for it depends on what you can afford and how much value you place on having a modern, dry, warm, beautiful and functional bathroom. It’s very subjective. To make it more quantifiable, we encourage clients to look at a bathroom renovation as a sum of several parts. You may have heard us talk before about the six parts of a bathroom renovation: 1. Main bathroom fixtures – basin(s), toilet, shower, bath, bidet 2. Secondary fixtures – tapware, mirrors, towel rails, cabinetry 3. Flooring – tiles and other floor covering options 4. Walls, ceiling, windows – tiles, plasterboard, paint, wallpaper, blinds 5. Electrics – heated towel rails, underfloor heating, fans, heating, lighting, mirror demisters 6. Plumbing – hot water heating, water pressure, drainage There are two reasons why we break it down into these parts. First, it’s important to understand that there are several components at work in a bathroom – usually more than people realise at first. It is possible that your renovation doesn’t include all of these elements; but if it’s a full makeover, then you may need to budget for all of the above. The second reason for breaking it down into these parts is to help you set some priorities. Some people will look at this list and decide what parts they care about more than others, and what tasks they might want to do themselves. It’s a good way of looking at all that needs to be done, and realising where there may be room for trimming the budget if needed. At Regency Plumbing, we use a list similar to this when we’re doing an initial plan and budget with a client. It helps us work out what your must-haves and non-negotiables are. And it gives us an idea of where we can source supplies in a range of price brackets. If you’re unsure of where and how to start – or are curious about what a bathroom renovation in Auckland might cost – get in touch with us at Regency Plumbing. We have a large portfolio of plans and images we can show you for inspiration and to help bring your dream bathroom to life.
Jan
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Jan
WHAT MAKES A TOILET FLUSH WELL? Toilet flush.You can study the shape of the toilet bowl as much as you like. You can convince yourself about what shape toilet flushes best. But regardless of shape. A toilet with poor plumbing, the wrong sized connection, or skew to the pipe, will never flush well. It is somewhat funny. A lot of people tell us there toilet wont flush due to the shape. The crazy part is, it has sometimes been in for 40 years working well. I can honestly tell you the shape will not have changed during that time. Probably in this case you have a partial blockage, or someone has altered the water level in the toilet cistern. In this blog I want to give you a brief on toilets, and what effects the toilet flush. The bottom line is – in most cases a correctly installed toilet will flush well. There is the odd bad toilet, however most will flush poorly due to installation fault, rather than actual toilet fault. COMMON ISSUES CAUSING A BAD TOILET FLUSH Poor quality toilet. It can be that the toilet is just poor. We see some imported toilets coming through these days that are designed to just be set in concrete over a hole in the ground. Start with buying a decent toilet. Poor quality flush from the cistern. If the toilet is new, it may have defects, or issues causing a poor flush. However, if it is older, it can be because someone has tampered with the settings. Possibly now it only half flushes. Or possibly it only has a small volume of water in the cistern that needs increasing. Adjustment to a cistern, or flush button can often solve a bad flush, if the toilet in general used to flush well. A blocked outlet pipe. The toilet flush will never be good if the waste water can’t rush away. Even if it is partially blocked it will cause endless trouble. This could be a minor blockage, or maybe tree roots have grown into pipes. Below is an example of a pipe that was lead and had been squashed that we replaced in plastic. A new toilet fitted wrong. Often we see people tile the floor and refit a new toilet. Suddenly you find the pipe and toilet outlet do not line up. This will never help the flush. A good strong toilet flush needs fall. RECOMMENDATION FOR A GOOD TOILET FLUSH Get rid of the old cast iron stack, or lead pipes. Lots of people want modern back to wall toilet suites now. If you have an old cast iron stack or lead pipes and want to fit a modern toilet suite, just replace it. Unless you want never ending hassle with blockages and leaks. A bad flushing toilet can be very frustrating and embarrassing. Get it right from day one. Use a professional to install it. On this job we had to replace the small section of pipe on the outside to get a good flush. This was in Kohimarama, Auckland. It was an old piece of lead pipe that someone has squashed. The toilet would never flush well. It was changed to PVC. A great flushing toilet now. Also an unmatched toilet suite. Often people will just replace one part of their toilet. As an example – if you fit a new low-line modern cistern to an old school pan with a wide outlet, it will be poor flushing. They normally had high mounted cisterns that gave them a good surge of water. This is what they were designed for. so my tip here is to stick to what you have, or change the whole toilet suite. WHAT IS A BACK TO WALL TOILET SUITE, AND DO THEY HAVE A GOOD TOILET FLUSH? Mostly now customers ask us to fit back to wall toilet suites. They are nice, easy to clean, look sharp. They make sense. However they can be tricky to fit in some instances. Mostly we need to review where they are being fitted to make sure its possible. Well possible at least for an affordable price. Without having to open walls, rebuild the room, etc. Below is an example of nice back to wall suite. These are a model which is well priced for what it is. As you can see though, you cannot get to any pipes without removing the whole suite, so tricky to fit. Even worse if you are not fitting to a new pipe set up in exactly the right position. These are excellent toilets but in order to have a good toilet flush, must be set up correctly. IS THERE A SIDE OUTLET TOILET THAT HAS A GOOD TOILET FLUSH? The answer is not really. Caroma are really the only ones that still make a side outlet pan, which is probably exactly the same as you already have, but maybe a bit more white and shiny. They serve a purpose, They do flush, but they have never been to good. They were designed to solve the problem of fitting a toilet at right angles to the exterior wall. Most commonly now if we replace these old toilets, we build a small void or box section and set them up as per the photos below. This allows you to hide the pipe and finish up with a classy toilet with a great toilet flush. IN THE MARKET FOR A TOILET THAT IS GREAT! So if you want a new toilet, you will find thousands to choose from, but i’ll leave you with this thought. Find out what will fit first. You can spend heaps making the incorrectly purchased toilet fit and then it will probably end up with a poor toilet flush. There would not be much more frustrating than that. You can save $200 is a sale buying a cheap toilet, to just end up spending heaps making the lemon fit. Seek professional help. Buy what will fit your installation type. […]
Jan
People often ask me, “How long have you been based in Papakura. Are you a Papakura plumber? We thought you were Aucklandwide, not just a South Auckland plumber.” Well, let me clarify it all for you in a quick blog. PAPAKURA PLUMBER BY DEFAULT After growing up in Clevedon, completing secondary school in Papakura, then moving to live in Papakura as a teenager. It made sense to start plumbing in Papakura – to become a Papakura plumber. So by default I guess you could say, I am a Papakura plumber. None the less, before to long, we got a good name, the word spread, and we were Aucklandwide. So from a Papakura plumber, to a South Auckland plumber, to an Auckland plumber. It took time – possibly years to really multiply to what we are today, but Regency Plumbing has never looked back. PAPAKURA PLUMBER | REGENCY PLUMBING | MASTER PLUMBER OF THE YEAR 2007 After winning the most prestigious award in our industry in 2007 Regency Plumbing sky rocketed in growth, really stretching out across Auckland quicker than ever. Suddenly we didn’t have to only be referred by Papakura locals to their Aucklandwide friends. People gave us a shot based on our success. So, today we are totally an Auckland Plumber. We cover from Meremere to Silverdale. We even go further sometimes, but our office is still in Papakura. So Papakura plumber, South Auckland plumber, Auckland plumber, you decide. I guess it doesn’t matter, what does is how good we are at what we do. REGENCY PLUMBING TODAY So from a one man band in May 1998, just over 20 years later we are an award winning company. Multiple directors, 22 vehicles on the road, a team of 33 in total. And we do about 5000 jobs per year. So sticking to our grass roots goal. Trying to build a world class plumbing company. Having the purpose of turning mediocrity into greatness. Employing amazing people from all over the world. It has all been paved the way to what would be described as a successful mission. Are we still a Papakura plumber? of course we are. Are we an Auckland plumber who covers all of Auckland? of course we are. When you need a plumber in Auckland, you’ll find us hard to beat. Did you know, 1 in 4 homes in Papakura are on our database, so we definitely are the house hold plumber for Papakura. About another 17000 odd people use us from the greater Auckland area, so we know Auckland. We most likely will have a plumber in your street, anywhere in Auckland this week. You must have seen our vans around. Our new office is at 32 Elliot Street, Papakura WHAT DOES A PAPAKURA PLUMBER DO? Plumbing Gasfitting Heating Bathroom Renovations Spouting Roofing Drain Unblocking Drainage Repairs Water Tanks and Pumps Maintenance Hot Water Cylinders Gas Hot Water Gas Fires Radiators Underfloor Heating There is not much we don’t do. With having multiple directors, and multiple talents, our knowledge base and skill set is very broad. 24 HOUR EMERGENCY PLUMBER | PAPAKURA PLUMBER And of course the other service we provide is an emergency plumbing service. Once you get to the size Regency Plumbing is, and you have over 20000 customers, prompt service is critical. So if you are looking for a plumber, a plumbing company, to take care of your property, I suggest you check out Regency Plumbing. Papakura plumber, South Auckland Plumber, Auckland Plumber, where ever you need us in Auckland, we’ll be there as quick as we can! CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAM ON 0800 PLUMBER | 0800 758 623 WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU!
Bathroom Renovations, Gas Hot Water, Plumbing Services, Toilet, Water Leaks
Auckland Plumbing Company
Jan
Do you have some Plumbing or Gasfitting work you require an Auckland Plumbing Expert for? 7 REASONS WHY REGENCY PLUMBING ARE REGARDED AS A WORLD CLASS AUCKLAND PLUMBING COMPANY We are On time, Every time, and We Clean Up, GUARANTEED! or the first hour is FREE Possibly we’re the only Auckland Plumbing Company that always answers the phone We’ll always fit in your job, and we are on call 24/7 We carry the parts to fix most jobs, Always clean up our mess Offer a hassle-free solution on large jobs (we arrange the whole job, including subcontractors) We are Master Plumbers and our Plumbers are Licensed Practitioners. AN AUCKLAND PLUMBING COMPANY YOU CAN TRUST We are often told the number one concern people have with letting a tradesman into their home is, can than trust him? We fully appreciate this fear, or concern people have, and do our best to make sure we only employ trustworthy people to join our team. After 20 years of building a World Class Auckland Plumbing Team, we do not want to spoil our reputation by hiring people ‘You cant Trust’ or that ‘We cant Trust’ AUCKLAND PLUMBING ON TIME It almost seems like an impossible mission, getting a plumber to your door at the arranged time, however with modern technology and sharp as a tack office ladies we run a very timely operation. Getting a plumber or gasfitter in Auckland traffic to your place at the arranged time comes with its challenges of course, but we will do our best to get him there on time. Should our Auckland Plumbing Expert be running late, or going to run late we will advise you and make a new arranged time, either slightly later, or we will shift to another time convenient for you. AUCKLAND PLUMBING SERVICES Of course, no one person is an expert in every different facet of plumbing, gasfitting, and heating. But if you put the right combination together, create a World Class Team, you can almost do anything. Regency Plumbing has 3 individual directors, and almost 30 guys with a wealth of knowledge, giving us the technical knowledge and ability to do almost anything, enabling us to be a great all-around Auckland Plumbing Company. Bathroom Renovations Design Construction Delivery of a World Class Bathroom – On Time We do bathrooms, and we do them well Project Management all included Very few Auckland Plumbing Companies offer the full package (let alone are specialists at it) New Housing and Projects Plumbing Hot and Cold Water Services Hot Water Cylinder Replacements Wastes and Stacks Stormwater Watermains Gasfitting Natural Gas LPG Gas Hot Water Systems Gas Fires and Heating Heating Ducted Systems Radiators Underfloor Heating Solar – we have extensive knowledge in this field Maintenance Plumbing We have possibly the largest Auckland Plumbing repairs team Our Auckland Plumbing regular hours are Mon – Fri, 7.30am – 5.00pm But we also have ON CALL SERVICES – 24/7 Leaks and repairs Burst pipes Toilets, taps, and tubs Bathrooms Kitchens Drain Unblocking It’s not so easy to find a plumbing team that has their own Drain Unblockers Basic blockages cleared High-Pressure Jetter CCTV Camera drain inspections Drainage Repairs Spouting and Gutters Marley spouting replacements Downpipes Water tanks and pumps GREAT ALL ROUND AUCKLAND PLUMBING COMPANY When you need an Auckland Plumbing Company with fantastic service, great tradesman, and friendly office ladies, call Regency Plumbing now. When you need an established plumbing and gasfitting company that has built a great reputation over the last 20 years, call Regency Plumbing. Regency Plumbing – A World Class Auckland Plumbing Company – Turning Mediocrity into Greatness. CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAM ON 0800 PLUMBER | 0800 758 623WE WOULD LOVE TO HELP YOU!
