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Carron/Carronite baths

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 LastBoyScout 27 Dec 2021

As part of doing a couple of other things in the bathroom, but wife wants to replace the bath and is looking in the sales.

The one we've got - Ideal Standard Tempo Cube (we think) - has quite angled sides and is actually very narrow at the bottom. Not a problem for her, but the kids are getting bigger and it could be quite narrow for any visitors. Would also be handy to have a bath with a grab handle.

The existing bath has been tiled around, so I'll need to cut the silicone around the bath to get it out, but I don't want to have to take any tiles off, if I can possibly help it. I'll also need to remove the shower screen. I'm concerned that, because of the tiles, I'll probably need to remove one side of the door frame to slide it out from under the tiles, but that shouldn't be too much of an issue to replace. Whoever fitted it in the first place would have had room to take it in vertically and then lie it down before the tiling went in.

Now, we've found a Carron bath that seems to fit the bill, made out of their own Carronite material, which claims to be thicker, stronger, more rigid and retains heat better than a standard acrylic bath - they're also more expensive than an acrylic bath, but we've found one at an acceptable price.

So, my questions are firstly, are they worth the extra money and, secondly, how hard are they to fit, given the weight and that I've got very limited space to manouvre in the bathroom?

I will have taken out the sanitaryware for the other jobs, but it'll still be very tight, as I'll only have about 7" clear at one end. Existing plumbing should match up and I don't need to drill any tap holes, as it fills via the overflow - mixer tap on the wall above the bath for bath/shower.

Thanks in advance.

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 Graeme G 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

I believe they’re also heavier. So maybe not ideal if installing upstairs?

 MarkAstley 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

I replaced our original bath a few years ago, from the original builder installed acrylic one ( 5mm thick at best) to one that sounds similar to what you're looking at  9mm thick with an 18mm baseboard in it.  I'd say definitely worth spending extra on some quality and robustness especially if it has an over shower. We don't have any creaks. 

Easiest way to remove the old is to jigsaw it in half, like you our alcove was tiled, it was impossible to fit new bath without removing the bottom row at the head end but it's not too hard to reinstall. 

2 of us lifted it in on a tilt without much trouble.

It's also now packed round with rockwool type 100mm insulation to retain more heat for those that like to soak

Mark 

OP LastBoyScout 27 Dec 2021
In reply to MarkAstley:

> I replaced our original bath a few years ago, from the original builder installed acrylic one ( 5mm thick at best) to one that sounds similar to what you're looking at 9mm thick with an 18mm baseboard in it.  I'd say definitely worth spending extra on some quality and robustness especially if it has an over shower. We don't have any creaks.

It does have an over shower, but that's only really used for hair washing, as we have showers in the en-suites in the bedrooms. I think I used it once just for the heck of it.

> Easiest way to remove the old is to jigsaw it in half, like you our alcove was tiled, it was impossible to fit new bath without removing the bottom row at the head end but it's not too hard to reinstall.

I'd prefer to get it out and sell/Freecycle it, as it's only about 2 years old and doesn't have tap holes, so could easily be re-used.

I do have some spare tiles and one of the jobs is to tile the rest of the room, so wouldn't be a massive issue, it's just more work I'd prefer to avoid.

> 2 of us lifted it in on a tilt without much trouble.

> It's also now packed round with rockwool type 100mm insulation to retain more heat for those that like to soak

Yes, that idea also occurred to me. My wife isn't really big on a long soak, but with 2 young girls in the house, that might change as they get older.

Post edited at 17:27
 FactorXXX 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

> The one we've got - Ideal Standard Tempo Cube (we think) - has quite angled sides and is actually very narrow at the bottom. Not a problem for her, but the kids are getting bigger and it could be quite narrow for any visitors. 

Couldn't you keep the original bath and use it one at a time? 🛁

 whenry 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

Worth the money if you're planning to stay in your house for a few years and aren't doing to move in six months. Shouldn't be a problem installing it upstairs. Not personally fitted any - got a fitter to do it.

 SouthernSteve 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

I thought Carrionite was a species of 'witch-like people' on Doctor Who!

 65 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

We got one fitted just over a month ago. I’m c.90kg and there is zero flex when I’m standing up in it. Keeps warm long enough too.

 Deri Jones 27 Dec 2021
In reply to LastBoyScout:

Check if they do a non Carronite version - we've got the non Carronite version of our bath (Profile) and it is very sturdy - no flex or feeling "drummy" (if that makes sense!) even with my lardy arse getting in and out. It was considerably cheaper than the heavier version but a step up from some of the baths we looked at.

OP LastBoyScout 29 Dec 2021
In reply to Deri Jones:

Yes, that's probably my preferred option at the moment.


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