Geoff Wells, bathroom planning expert at Dolphin, comments on the benefits of wall-hung sanitaryware and offers tips and advice on fitting wall-hung basins:

“Even though the bathroom is typically the smallest room in the house, homeowners can maximise space and add volume with wall-hung sanitaryware. Perfect for smaller bathrooms, wall-hung products can make a room feel bigger, whilst still creating a contemporary, streamlined look.

“They are also user friendly and hygienic which makes them ideal for wetrooms, as they are easy to clean and don’t allow dirt to collect around the base.”

Will the wall take the weight?

“The beauty of wall-hung basins is that they can be fitted pretty much anywhere in a bathroom and to any wall, as long as it is of sound construction. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that you should always be careful of placing a basin under a window, as you will need to ensure you’ve left enough leverage to support the window frame.”

How is the sanitaryware fixed to the wall?

“To attach a wall-hung basin to a solid wall – ie a wall made of breeze block, brick or stone – you will need to use sturdy fixing bolts such as a Fisher bolts, which are drilled directly into the wall to ensure no movement.

“If the wall is a stud wall – ie made of plasterboard – you will need to use a fixing frame which sits behind the plasterboard. Fixing frames are designed specifically to spread the weight of the wall-basin evenly.”

What’s the fitting process?

“Because Dolphin is the only national bathroom specialist to provide an all-inclusive service from initial design to installation, you don’t need to employ different people to do the independent jobs; everything is project managed by Dolphin’s highly qualified team. So once you’ve agreed your new bathroom design, you simply leave it to Dolphin to take care of the rest.

“As part of the fitting process we:

 Remove your old bathroom and take it away for you
 Take the bathroom back to it’s basic elements so that we can start again from scratch
 Identify any plumbing already in place – ie what we need to keep and what needs to be removed
 Renew any old pipework that needs to be kept
 Identify the point and position where the new basin is going to go
 Excavate the area to ensure it is clean and relay the new pipework to the new basin
 Use fisher bolts to anchor the basin in place to make sure it is secure and unmovable
 Or if fixing to a stud wall – fix the frame and build the stud wall around it
 Connect the tails to the pipework to feed the basin mixer”

What about pipework?

“As part of Dolphin’s service, we never leave any visible pipework. Easily hidden, pipework can be concealed behind a stud wall, or if you have a solid wall it is possible to hide pipework by boxing it in and concealing it from view.”

What happens if there’s a leak behind the boxing in?

“As long as the job has been completed by a qualified installer, it is very unlikely you will have a problem. But if you do, the best action is to switch the water off and call in the experts. At Dolphin, once an installation is complete we always re-check the products and provide a comprehensive after-sales service. Plus there’s also a 12month warranty guarantee.”

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 With Cappuccino the warm coffee colour floor tiles blend beautifully with the glossy milk coloured wall tiles to create Dolphin’s latest design – which doesn’t negotiate on style. Perfect for relaxing after a busy day, this brand new bathroom has a calming feel where it’s easy to imagine washing your troubles away.

With the gorgeous recessed mirror and wall-hung heated towel rail, Cappuccino has all the contemporary features you can expect from Dolphin whilst remaining functional at all times. With glossy, wenge-toned wall tiles on the lower walls and bath panel, combined with the light beige tiles, the room makes the most of the space without looking cluttered or cramped.

Geoff Wells, Bathroom Planning Expert for Dolphin Bathrooms comments:

“With more of us improving our homes rather than moving it’s essential that we make the most of our bathrooms when we come to update them. The new Cappuccino design caters perfectly for the bustling family household incorporating both a bath and shower area to make it highly practical to use every day. This bathroom would suit any home and more importantly will never go out of style.”