Your perfectly tiled new bathroom is finally complete and is just missing one simple shelving unit to hold your generous fluffy towels. You measure twice, make sure you are over a stud, you avoid the water pipes and electrical cables and you tentatively get out your drill. Then the worst thing happens – you hear a loud crack and your precious tile is ruined. You have few other options than to get a tiling professional in to remove the tile and replace it with a new one.

What could you have done differently to avoid such an outcome? Read on for the answer.

Get the correct drill bit

A tile is a hard surface. Whether it is stone or ceramic, having the correct drill bit is essential. There are two main types: The carbide-tipped drill bit which is designed for masonry is generally good for tiles, but needs to be used carefully. A diamond-tipped drill bit is often recommended for tiles, because they are very hard and will not burn out mid tile.

Getting past the glaze

Tiles are usually shiny and smooth surfaces which do not react well to a hard drill bit which is spinning at a million miles an hour. The chances are that until your drill has bitten through the top surface, it is likely to slip.

There are ways around this. Masking tape over the spot you are drilling through is a great way to give the drill traction. Another way is to make a small scratch on the surface of the tile using a sharp implement or even the drill bit itself. Take care that your mark is not so large that it will be seen after the work is finished.

There are also a number of devices available to buy which will allow you to use a template to fix the drill bit to your tile. For large jobs or if you are a tiler, these may be worth buying.

Going all the way through

While your tile might seem fairly thin when you are laying them, you will soon realise that it can take some time to bore all the way through a hard tile and into the wall beyond. Many tiles – and in particular natural stone tiles- are very hard and will need a strong drill and some patience to get through.

The key to an even drill hole is to apply constant pressure, but not too hard. It is also essential that the drill is kept straight so that the hole is even. If it is taking some time and the tile or drill is getting hot, applying some water using a spray bottle to the hole will keep things cool. Of course you need to ensure your drill is water friendly.

The wall beyond

Once you are through the tile, you will quickly get through the wall behind. You may be drilling into a stud which will be a little more time consuming but will offer a stable place to screw into. However if you just have a wall board behind your tiles, it is still possible to use wall plugs to achieve a strong fixing point.

The speed at which you go through a wall board is important. Don’t go too fast or you could risk blowing a hole in the board and causing your tile to fall off. Not a good outcome. If you take your time, this is unlikely.

If you are using wall plugs (they are recommended) you should not use the expanding type at tile level – make sure they go into the wall. An expanding wall plug could cause your tile to break apart – especially if something heavy is hanging off it.

So, it isn’t as scary as you think to drill into a tile. It takes patience, a good drill bit and a little knowledge. It is certainly a job you can tackle as a DIYer and it doesn’t have to end in disaster.

Ready to dazzle your friends with sink-top trivia? Blow their minds with bathroom brass tacks? Amaze with your shower of knowledge?

You’ll find no toilet humour here. Just ten bathroom facts that are guaranteed to make you a hit at your next office party! No, really…

• The average person spends three years of their life using the toilet. That’s enough time to learn a whole new language!
• 7 million phones are broken every year as they make their way into the murky depths of the toilet. Even if your phone doesn’t make it out alive, remember to stay positive if you’re fortunate enough to have flushed your loo before your phone took a dive.
• In surveys, 70% of people have admitted to snooping in bathroom cabinets. Most people can’t help looking around someone else’s house, and the bathroom offers a privacy they won’t find in any other room.
• Though it’s not nice to think about, leaving your toilet seat open when you flush will send invisible bacteria from inside the bowl to other parts of your room. You can stop this happening by closing the lid when you flush, and can protect items like toothbrushes by putting them in aglass tumbler mounted well away from your loo – aim for a distance of at least six feet.
• If you’re in a public bathroom, choose the first cubicle for the best cleanliness. Most people will make their way to cubicles away from the door, where they’re tucked away and less likely to experience others walking past. That means that the first cubicle is used less often, and is less likely to be messy or out of paper.
• Almost 75% of toilet users leave the door open when they’re using the toilet and are the only ones at home.
• Surprisingly, toilet seats aren’t the least hygienic part of your home, car or office. You’ll find more bacteria on your bathroom sink, your car steering wheel and your desk.
• Lenny Bruce, George II of England and Elvis Presley all died on the toilet.
• In many cultures, particularly in India, the left hand is used for toilet activity. It’s therefore polite to shake hands with the right hand.
• 85% of injuries that happen in the bathroom occur when someone falls into the toilet after the seat has been left up. An alarmingly large number of people have also found themselves trapped in their toilet after reaching in to retrieve something they dropped.

Some of the facts above are informative. Some are simply fun or interesting. However, many show the dangers of ignoring bathroom hygiene. Extractor fans, bathroom storage and effective cleaning products can reduce your risk of bathroom-related injury or illness, and a good toilet seat can protect you from germs, and from time spent inside your toilet bowl!

In all the excitement about the latest thing and the cutting edge of design, it is often overlooked that the United Kingdom has an enormous built heritage of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian and pre-WW2 homes.

These can sometimes be ‘re-imagined’ as space capsules on Grand Designs, but the vast majority of their owners want to respect the look and feel of their house and install equipment that is efficient but also in a style complimentary to the fabric and the original features.

Thus it is that you can find large catalogues of bathroom and toilet fitments that echo the lines of their predecessors from a century or more ago.

We have seen the reemergence of the roll-top cast iron (or lighter aluminum) bath, where space and drainage arrangements permit: but in the matter of ceramic fittings, we see modern designers taking their cue from classic basins and toilets of the past.

Reflections washbasin

One such is Dave Tilbury of Studio Levien, whose work for Ideal Standard has resulted in ranges such as the Plaza, with 30s Art Deco modernism as its starting point: the semi-octagonal shapes, with moulded tops, are very distinctive. While the Revue and Reflections ranges look further back to the turn of the 20^th century when bathroom design was still in its formative stages. Match them with a wooden loo seat for the true traditional effect. The basins in these ranges come with two tap holes for the British traditionalists: other makes are one-hole for monobloc taps (which can be had in a quasi-traditional styling).

The Moods company offers an Edgware range with a squared-off style in its basins and pedestals (these types of sink do benefit from a traditional full-length pedestal if you have the room for it). If a pedestal is not feasible, make sure you specify a chromed metal waste and trap, rather than inappropriate modern plastic. The Edgware basins come with moulded soap recesses, and there is a nifty little corner ‘cloakroom basin’ with only space for a single tap hole.

The same range includes toilets that are, in the modern idiom, either close-coupled or back-to-wall with a concealed cistern, but they will not look out of place in an older house.

Another Moods range, Abbey, has neat little upstands built into basin and cistern alike, for a retro touch.

High-level polished aluminium cistern

Of course, toilets of an earlier era wore their cisterns high on the wall for the maximum flush downforce; that is no longer a technical requirement but the look is unmistakably vintage and it can still be had by specifying the Burlington high-level toilets (or mid-level if headroom is tight). The details include angled-corner wooden seats where the lower seat base extends to the wall and attaches to it.  Chromed brass pipework and cistern supports are connected to a choice of cistern: this can be simple white porcelain, or moulded aluminium with the makers name picked out, in white, polished metal or matt black finishes. Finish off the look with the same company’s washstands for the complete experience.

How do you like your retro?

We have all seen just how easy it is to makeover your bathroom on TV. It seems as though everyone can do it and that the skills you need are easy to learn and possible even for DIY novices. Unfortunately this is not the case – not even remotely. If you have spent hard earned money on quality bathroom fittings and taken the time to design a bathroom which meets your needs, the last thing you want is a result which forces you to keep the door closed, or worse still, get in an expert to fix the damage.

Water, water everywhere

When it comes to bathrooms the major problem which is faced by DIYers and even professionals is water. All it takes is a misplaced nail or an incorrectly fitted pipe and you have a water-based disaster waiting to happen. Not only will this ruin your bathroom, it will also affect any rooms directly below and could possibly require the services of a builder to repair the ceiling and your insurance company to give you the cash for new carpet.

Even the smallest of leak, which may not be immediately noticeable can lead to major damage. Dampness in your floor and walls can mean problems with mould and condensation and eventual rotting of the wood timbers. In the long run, this can be an even worse problem than the torrents of water you see with a broken pipe.

Dodgy electrics

The fact is that if you are making changes to the electrics in your bathroom and you are not Part P qualified, you are breaking the law. Any work carried out in your bathroom, such as fitting new lights, electrical sockets, fans or electricial heating must be carried out by a professional. The consequences of not doing this can be huge.

You will not be able to sell your home unless you can show that you have the correct electrical certificates for the work carried out. In addition you will be putting yourself at considerable risk of harm from incorrectly earthed electrical items such as showers. Think about it – you are standing on a metal shower tray, with water cascading over you and you reach out to switch off the electric shower – sound like a DIY disaster of epic proportions?

The best you can hope for is that your whole house electrics trip out every time you switch on the light, the worst is an electrical fire or even death – not worth it.

Just a bad look

So maybe you have taken the plumbing courses and gotten your mate in to do the electrics, but can you handle the basic tiling and flooring?

When it comes to installing a beautiful bathroom you need to pay attention to the detail. Tiling, when done in the right way adds symmetry to the room. The grout lines need to be perfect and every cut needs to be in line with the next. Awkward areas such as behind the toilet or around the sink need to be carefully thought through or your expensive bathroom could become an eyesore.

Tiling and flooring is certainly a skill which any DIYer can learn and practise makes perfect. Don’t attempt your bathroom without first practising in the downstairs loo or on a piece of spare MDF. The fact is, that you need to watch the online videos and take advice from other people who have more experience. Chances are that the final result will be good if you simply take your time, but if you have doubts, get in an expert.

Basically a DIY disaster can be avoided if you just understand your own personal limits. Learn the skills before you attempt anything and be ready to get in an expert where it counts. Never leave your bathroom as a hazard or you could be one of the hundreds of victims of DIY disasters in the UK who head to A&E over a long weekend.

The alarm goes off. You make your way to the bathroom in a zombie-like state, then shower quickly as you realise you’re going to be late again. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, many of us forget to regularly clean our bathrooms. We’re so busy that we leave pools of water around the edge of the bath, let tiles sit in condensation and ignore shower curtains until they’ve turned an ugly shade of black. Extractor fans can help, but they can only do so much. Sometimes, a bathroom just needs a thorough clean. Below are some bathroom cleaning tips and tricks, to make cleaning your bathroom a little less of a chore.

Black Grout

One of the most common signs of a neglected bathroom, black mould takes over your bathroom and grows on the grout and sealant between tiles. It’s unsightly, unhealthy, and hard to remove if you’ve let it sit for a while. So, what can you use to make your job easier? These household products can help to remove stachybotrys chartarum.

- Distilled Vinegar
-  Bleach (mixed with Bicarbonate of Soda for tough stains)
-  Mould Sprays and Bathroom Cleaners
- A Paste of Water, Lemon Juice and Baking Soda

Shower Screen Limescale

To stop mould and limescale on your shower screen, use the Aqualux Shower Blade. It works on straight and curved surfaces, and is an excellent preventative measure if used regularly.

Flooded Floors

When you have a shower or bath, you risk water accumulating on the edge of the tub and dripping to the floor. Those little pools of water can sink into tiles, and eventually cause the adhesives to wear away. If you’ve noticed tiles lifting near the bath, a dripguard can be a great preventative measure to add to your bathroom. They create a wall, so that there are no flat surfaces for water to run off.  They’re cheap and easy to install, and can save you a fortune in bathroom repairs in the long run.

Scratches and Scrapes

Been a little too vigorous with your scrubbing in attempt to remove unsightly grime? If you’ve scratched the surface of your sink, bath, shower or toilet you won’t need to stare at those scuff marks forever. The Complere Bathroom Care and Maintenance Kit comes with all you need to fix chips, scratches and scuffs with ease, and can also be purchased separately if you need only one component.

Sealant Beyond All Hope

If your bathroom sealant is excessively pitted, covered in mould and past the point of repair, it doesn’t cost a fortune to fix it on your own. Silicone sealant can be purchased when a complete removal and replacement is the only option. It’s easy to apply, and will dry clear so you’ll have no concerns if a little sealant ends up where it shouldn’t. Just remove the old with a Stanley knife, and add the new for a bathroom that looks spotless in no time.

Remember that prevention is always better than , and is cheaper in the long run. If you’re seeing signs of water damage, buy an effective extractor fan and use it daily.