Shower Toilet Installation Explained for Dublin Bathrooms

How Shower Toilet Installation Works in a Dublin Home

Shower toilet installation in a Dublin home needs three things in the right place: a cold water feed, a safe electrical supply and a waste connection. Where these already sit close to the toilet, fitting is usually straightforward. Where they do not, new pipework, wiring or a concealed frame must be planned in first.

This guide covers the services a shower toilet needs, the difference between wall-hung, floor-standing and seat-only options, the stages of a typical installation and the details worth checking before work starts. If you are still deciding whether one suits your home, our bidet and shower toilet range is a good place to begin.

Shower Toilet Water and Power Supply Requirements

A shower toilet looks like a standard WC, but it contains a small wash unit with a water heater, a pump or valve, and electronic controls. That means it needs more than a conventional toilet, and the position of each service decides how much preparation is involved.

Shower toilet water connection

The wash function draws from the same cold mains feed that fills the cistern. In most cases the fitter adds a branch with its own isolating valve so the shower toilet can be shut off for servicing without draining the cistern. Many models list a minimum and maximum water pressure, so we check the supply against the manufacturer's figures before ordering. Approved units include built-in backflow protection so that water from the wash unit cannot be drawn back into the mains.

Shower toilet power supply

The heater, dryer and controls run on mains electricity. The neatest result comes from a supply run behind the wall to a fused connection close to the toilet, so no cable is visible once the job is finished. Bathrooms carry stricter wiring rules than other rooms, and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities states that you should always use a Registered Electrical Contractor for electrical work in your home, who must give you a completion certificate. We plan the position of the supply with the electrician before any wall is closed up.

Waste and drainage

The waste outlet connects to the soil pipe in the same way as a standard toilet. Problems arise when the existing soil pipe sits in an awkward spot for the new pan, or when the pan projection differs from the old one. Measuring the centre line of the waste and the distance from the finished wall avoids surprises on fitting day.

Wall-Hung, Floor-Standing or Seat-Only Shower Toilets

The type of unit you choose has the biggest effect on how much work the installation involves. Each suits a different kind of bathroom and a different level of disruption.

Wall-hung shower toilets

A wall-hung shower toilet is mounted on a steel frame that carries a concealed cistern, with the water feed, power and waste all hidden behind a boxed-in or false wall. The floor stays clear underneath, which makes cleaning easier and suits a modern look. Because the frame has to be fixed securely and the services run inside the stud wall, this option fits best into a full renovation or a room where the wall is being rebuilt anyway.

Floor-standing and back-to-wall models

A floor-standing shower toilet sits on the floor like a conventional pan, often with the cistern concealed in a unit behind it. It can usually reuse the existing waste position, and the water and power connections can be brought up close to the back of the pan. This is often the simpler choice in a bathroom that is otherwise staying as it is.

Bidet toilet seats

A bidet toilet seat replaces the seat on a compatible existing pan. It still needs a water branch and a power point near the toilet, but there is no change to the pan, cistern or waste. It is the least disruptive route, although the fit depends on the shape and fixing holes of the pan you already have.

The Stages of a Shower Toilet Installation

On a project where the services need to be added, a shower toilet installation usually follows the same order. Doing these steps in sequence means nothing has to be opened up again once the tiling is complete.

1. Survey and measurement. We confirm the waste position, water pressure, wall construction and where power can be brought in.
2. First fix of water and power. The plumber runs the cold feed with an isolating valve and the electrician runs the supply to the agreed position.
3. Frame or cistern installation. For a wall-hung model, the frame is fixed to the floor and wall and set to the correct height.
4. Boarding, waterproofing and tiling. The frame is boxed in with moisture-resistant board, then tiled or panelled around the openings for the connections.
5. Fitting the pan and wash unit. The shower toilet is mounted, connected to the waste, water and power, and the flush plate is fitted.
6. Testing and handover. We check for leaks, run the wash, dryer and flush functions, and show you the settings and how to isolate the unit.

Where water and power are already in place behind the wall, fitting the shower toilet itself is often a few hours' work. Where wiring, a frame and new tiling are involved, the job becomes part of the wider bathroom programme and the timing depends on the rest of the work.

Shower Toilet Cost and Timing Factors

There is no single price for fitting a shower toilet, because the amount of preparation varies so much from one bathroom to the next. These are the factors that make the biggest difference.

• Whether a power supply already exists near the toilet or needs to be run from the consumer unit.
• Whether the model is wall-hung, floor-standing or a seat-only upgrade.
• The condition of the existing wall, floor and soil pipe.
• How much tiling or panelling has to be replaced after the services go in.
• The specification of the unit, such as heated seat, dryer, deodoriser, remote control or automatic lid.

Shower toilets are a natural fit when you are already planning a full bathroom renovation, because the frame, wiring and tiling can be done in one programme. If you want to spread the cost of a larger project, our flexible finance options are worth looking at, and our guide on what to expect during a full bathroom fit-out explains how the wider project fits together.

Details to Check Before Shower Toilet Installation

A few checks at the planning stage save time, money and disappointment once the bathroom is finished.

• Confirm the pan height and projection suit everyone who will use the toilet.
• Agree where the remote control or side panel will sit so it is easy to reach.
• Make sure there is an accessible isolating valve and a way to reach the connections for servicing.
• Ask for the electrical completion certificate once the wiring is finished.
• Check whether the water in your area leaves heavy limescale, and read the manufacturer's descaling advice.

Seeing the units in person also helps, because seat shape, height and controls vary between models. You are welcome to visit our bathroom showrooms in Dublin to compare options before you decide. Our earlier article on the benefits of a bidet shower toilet covers the everyday comfort and hygiene side of the choice.

Getting Your Shower Toilet Fitted Properly

Good shower toilet installation comes down to planning the water feed, the power supply and the waste before the walls are finished. For homes across Dublin, a wall-hung model suits a full renovation, a floor-standing unit suits a simpler upgrade, and a bidet seat suits a quick change to an existing pan.

To talk through shower toilet installation for your bathroom, contact The Factory Outlet or call us on (01) 457 9229. You can also email info@thefactoryoutlet.ie and our team will help you plan the right option for your space.