I appreciate a forum is a place to come and ask questions, but there is something about the tone in the OP that really riles me. It is not just that he is clearly a penny pinching scrimping landlord who all tenants should avoid by a country mile, this thread has just really rubbed me up the wrong way.
Believe you me, if I was penny pinching, I wouldn't be renovating. I'm trying to save where I can given the circumstances of how the last tenant left the property. So without knowing the full facts, shouldn't assume and label people.
I've removed the backing board and now left with a space behind the bath taps. Have access to it from the side so I need to cover this section back up. What method would be suitable and waterproof?
bond007, I know you dont want to hear it, but the consensus of opinion, is to do it properly. Whatever you do now to patch up & make do, will come back & bite you later, & cause you more grief. Believe me, I've been there, do it right. Make it 100% water proof, & it will last for years done properly. Also, IMO put a shower in with electric shower on wall. Also, as all landlords know, if the tenants deposit is right, they will leave the property right. You will have their deposit which you can rightly hold, to cover expenses for damage etc.
I'm going with your advice now and getting a quote to remove the bath and put a new one in. Move the coper pipes and waste pipe so the taps are on opposite wall. Also put a shower screen on the side.
Can the current bath be used but have the tap holes drilled on the opposite side. It's a sturdy bath made of Porcelain Enamelled Steel, not the acrylic one.
"IMO put a shower enclosure in, with electric shower on wall". So much less hassle, cleaner, less chance of water ingress, looks better, more impressive. But thats me. See what others come up with. All the best.
Some tenants must have option of baths - if they have small children for example, so if no bath it limits your possible clients. Landlords I know have baths in their smaller homes and an electric shower above bath
"if they have small children for example" Not necessarily so Heat. My boys 2 kids loved our shower so much when visiting you couldn't get them out. 2nd daughters kids the same, so much so they have now installed a very large shower. And, who wants to pay for hundreds of gallons of water, just for a bath?? (ok over the top, but you know what I mean). Best of both worlds.
bond007, also one other thing to consider. As peeps get older, they do not like baths, much easier to use a shower. Particularly if they are disabled in any way, they can easily step into a shower. Electric shower & enclosure way to go.
Any tips on what to put behind the bath to make it waterproof, seen as though I'm removing the bath now.. Also around the bath trim edges to stop water leaking behind it
You can get tanking kits to seal baths or shower tray areas. Check with plumbing merchants. There is a flexible seal tape that half of width bonds to bath or shower tray edges. Classic Seal is one brand. It prevents any water getting past if the joint at tiles/panels to bath/tray fails. Critical that a bath is supported below edge by a baton of wood if plastic bath. Shower trays also critical to have no movement
Difficult to say. Some young and old folk still prefer baths. Ideally best would be to have both, if bathroom was large enough to accommodate a shower cubicle and a separate bath, or if house had two bathrooms. But most rental won’t be that large or luxurious
Plasterboard is frowned upon nowadays to be used in potentially wet areas. But tanking it should do a good job. Hardiebacker board is now used instead