As one of the most functional rooms in the home, the bathroom is an essential part of our daily routines. It's where we go to freshen up, unwind, and everything in between. But when it's time for a refresh, it can feel like a daunting task. In fact, research from our previous study shows that a whopping one-third of renovators find the bathroom to be the most stressful room to revamp.

But fear not, because we've got you covered. We've surveyed 2,000 homeowners to uncover the secrets of successful bathroom refurbishment – including how much they spend, how much they do themselves, and how they manage the stress. And that's not all! We've also tapped into the expertise of trade professionals who have spent years fitting bathrooms to bring you their top tips and insights. Get ready to transform your bathroom from a source of stress to a sanctuary of serenity!

With the bathroom being one of the toughest rooms in the home to renovate, it's no surprise that once it's been done, there's no rush to do it again any time soon.

We found that on average, nearly a third of homeowners expect to refurbish their bathroom every six years, but nearly one-in-ten will give their bathroom some kind of update every one-to-two years.

However, our trade experts say that depending on the products used, the big bathroom refurb might not need to be as often as you think. More than half (52%) say a bathroom should be renovated every nine-to-ten years, and more than a quarter (27%) say 11 years or more. In fact, one expert we spoke to said, "A good bathroom installation should be good for 20 years – taps and valves will [however] need more regular replacement".

With so many DIY tips out there on TikTok and YouTube, it's no surprise that more than one-in-ten homeowners (15%) would be willing to tackle the work themselves. In fact, some of the most popular search terms around bathroom refurbishments include "how to fit a bath" with just under 38,000 total searches since 2019, "how to fit a toilet" with just over 33,000 searches, and "how to change bathroom taps" at just over 17,000 searches.

However, when we asked homeowners which jobs they would attempt themselves, stripping out old amenities (28%) and changing the taps (22%) were the most common they would have a crack at.

When we asked the experts which jobs should be left to the professionals, wiring in lights was the most popular answer – with a whopping 95% agreeing. In fact, one bathroom and kitchen fitter from the East of England says, "Any electrical work is covered by Part P, so needs to be done by a qualified person." However, one-in-ten homeowners from our survey said they would do this themselves (11%).

Other jobs that our experts recommend to leave to those qualified include installing an extractor fan (82%), and installing a shower and new pipes (both 75%).

Unfortunately, not everything goes to plan. And with a large project like a bathroom renovation, it's easy for mistakes to be made. The top three mistakes that homeowners say drove them around the "u-bend" is not installing enough storage space, opting for cheap materials or amenities, and not installing a sufficient extractor fan. The latter of which is particularly key, as a quality extractor fan can help with ventilation to prevent condensation and a mouldy bathroom.

According to our experts, the most common mistake made during a bathroom refurb is installing poor drainage systems, with 52% citing this issue. It's not just drainage that needs careful consideration – 50% of professionals also note that opting for cheap materials or amenities can lead to issues down the line. Not sealing the amenities correctly to the wall sits in third (48%) – so make sure to use strong adhesives and sealants to keep everything in place!

When it comes to bathroom renovations, timing is everything. With such a crucial room out of action for an extended period, it's important to have a clear idea of how long the work will take so you can plan accordingly. While it depends on the amount of work required, the trade experts we spoke to say it takes just over eight-and-a-half days for a professional to complete a full bathroom renovation, on average.

However, this drastically changes if a homeowner is deciding to DIY their bathroom refurb themselves. While everyone's DIY skills differ, trade experts say it would take around 22-and-a-half days for a homeowner to complete the renovation. With full-time jobs and busy personal lives, it's clear to see why this can take such a longer time to complete.

Whether you're attempting your bathroom refurb yourself or calling in a professional, we've asked trade experts their advice on how to cut down the time of the renovation. While some say you can't cut down the time if you want your dream bathroom, the most popular answer is to keep everything in the same position. In fact, one fitter from the South West says, "Keep the layout as close to the original as possible, especially the toilet as this is the largest pipe to install."

Professionals also recommend having a clear plan on what you want before starting the work, and to prepare the area in advance. This means decluttering the space to provide room to work, and ensuring that all the necessary materials are available and undamaged before getting started.

While it may take days or even weeks for your new bathroom to be fitted, it's good to have a plan of what to do while one of the main rooms in your home is out of action. More than a third of homeowners will use the bathroom of a family member when theirs is "occupied" (37%), while 30% say they will just use their shower or bath less frequently.

However, for some, needs must, and one-in-five will use the shower or bathroom facilities at the gym (19%), nearly one-in-six will use the facilities at their workplace (14%), and 8% will pop to their neighbour's home to use their bathroom.

To help you plan, we asked trade experts how long it takes for a professional to complete different tasks involved with a bathroom refurbishment. For example, while some are planning to befriend their neighbours to use their loo, this may not be needed – as three-quarters of the experts (75%) say plumbing in a toilet should take less than three hours.

Some of the other jobs that experts agree should take less than three hours include plumbing in a bathroom sink (75%), wiring in wall lights (75%), wiring in ceiling lights (71%), and laying linoleum flooring (67%).

On the other end of the scale, tiling the walls is set to take the longest time, with nearly one-in-five (19%) saying this could take over 48 hours. If you're wanting to save time, trade experts recommend to retile if you already have a tiled bathroom. If you are to go back to a plain wall, this will need to be plastered which will require more time and money.

One of the top tips recommended by our experts is to have a clear plan of what you want your bathroom to look like before clearing the space and adding any facilities in. Not only is it important to decide what colours and styles you want to opt for for your aesthetic, but it's also key to decide what accessories and amenities you want throughout your bathroom.

We've looked into Google search data and found "bathroom tiles" are what people are searching for the most – with just under one million searches in 2022 alone (976,500). "Mirrored bathroom cabinet" is second with 498,200 searches, while "extractor fan" is in third at just over 400,000 searches.

To help decide what amenities to include, we asked trade experts to list the most popular requests they see for new bathrooms. Walk in showers take the crown as the most wanted, followed by power showers and heated towel rails. This is backed up by our search data as "walk in shower" sits in the top five most searched for bathroom trends – with just over 300,000 searches last year.

On the flip side, we asked the professionals to note some of the most unusual requests they've received from a customer. The list includes some interesting answers such as "his and her toilets", a urinal, vinyl laminate on the walls, and body jets built into the walls.

Choosing the perfect design and style for your bathroom can be a daunting task. To get inspired, we asked homeowners where they turn for ideas. While online research is always an option, it seems that in-person viewings and discussions still reign supreme. Our research found that the most popular source of inspiration for homeowners was home stores (38%), followed closely by bathroom designers or experts (36%).

With trends and tutorials at our fingertips, it's no surprise social media is third, with more than a quarter (29%) using this for their inspiration. Interestingly, those aged 18-24 will scroll on TikTok, with #bathroominspiration receiving over 90 million views on the platform alone. On the other hand, anyone over the age of 25 is more likely to use Pinterest.

So, you've got an idea in mind of what style of bathroom you want to install, but with so many components to think about, from toilets to tiles, it's no wonder the overall cost can leave you feeling a little flushed.

We asked homeowners how much they are willing to spend to fully renovate their bathroom and, while the average spend sits at £4,069, our findings reveal that more than 10% are willing to spend more than £7,000.

However, it appears the older we get, the more likely it is we won't settle for anything less than a bargain. Those aged 55 and over are willing to spend just £3,700 on their bathroom – the least across all age demographics.

If a bathroom renovation is next on your agenda, Toolstation has a wide range of bathroom fittings and accessories to help make your project a successful one. From shower pumps to grab rails and seats for accessible bathrooms, Toolstation has a variety of products to help turn your dream bathroom into a reality.