A bathroom installation replaces your old suite with new sanitaryware, a bath or shower, tiling and fittings, including the plumbing, electrics, ventilation and waterproofing needed for a complete, watertight room.
If you have a new bathroom on your list for a property in Kelso, we can help from the first measurements to the final clean-up. For a typical home, plan for 1–2 weeks per bathroom, though larger or more complex jobs take longer. We cover postcodes TD5 and nearby Galashiels, Hawick and Peebles, and every quote we send is fixed for the scope described in it.
- Guide price
- £4,800–£11,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–2 weeks per bathroom
- Postcodes
- TD5
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- The Scottish Borders
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new bathroom in Kelso?
Below is a breakdown of typical costs for a new bathroom in Kelso. Because rates in Scotland are about 4% below the national guide, the overall guide comes to £4,800–£11,500, including VAT. Size, materials and access move the figure, and a free-of-charge survey settles it.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Kelso |
|---|---|---|
| Shower room or en-suite | A compact room with a shower, basin and toilet, keeping the existing layout. | £3,800–£7,700 |
| Family bathroom | A full suite with bath and shower, new tiling, lighting and an extractor fan. | £4,800–£11,500 |
| Premium bathroom or wet room | Standalone bath, wet room or walk-in shower, underfloor heating and large-format tiles. | £11,500–£19,000 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Room size and the amount of tiling
- Suite, shower and tap specification
- Wet room waterproofing and underfloor heating
- Condition of the floor, walls and existing pipework
What do you get?
- Removal and disposal of the old suite and tiles
- New supply and waste pipework, including concealed fittings
- Waterproofing behind showers and in wet areas
- Wall and floor tiling to your chosen design
- Bath or shower, basin, toilet and taps fitted and tested
- Heated towel rail, silicone sealing and a final clean
Building in Kelso
Mill towns such as Hawick, Galashiels and Selkirk have stone terraces and tenements from the textile industry, Melrose and Kelso have older sandstone centres, and farmhouses and cottages across the Borders are built of whinstone or sandstone under slate roofs. Post-war and newer estates surround the larger towns.
Mill-town terraces and tenements often need lime repointing, re-roofing in slate and replacement windows. Newer homes commonly take extensions and garage conversions, and rural properties add fencing, porches and driveways.
These patterns matter for a new bathroom: older walls, roofs and floors in Kelso can need different materials or extra preparation compared with newer homes.
Permissions for a new bathroom in Kelso
Because Kelso falls under Scotland's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
Internal improvements do not need planning permission in Scotland unless the building is listed.
Like-for-like kitchen and bathroom replacements do not normally need a building warrant, but structural changes and some drainage or heating alterations do, and electrical work must meet the building standards.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
Free site survey
First, someone visits your home in Kelso to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.
Written quote
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Dates and permissions
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
On site to finish
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
How we work
Bathrooms in Kelso: questions
How much does a new bathroom cost?
A typical family bathroom costs £4,800–£11,500 supplied and fitted, including tiling, a new suite, shower, lighting and an extractor fan. Shower rooms and simple en-suites cost a little less, while wet rooms, standalone baths and large-format tiles cost more. Moving the toilet or replacing rotten floorboards adds to the total. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after the survey.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
How long will a new bathroom take?
On a typical home, allow 1–2 weeks per bathroom. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
Will I have to go without a bathroom?
If it is your only bathroom, you will usually be without a shower or bath for most of the fitting time. We aim to keep the toilet working overnight wherever possible, refitting it temporarily at the end of each day during strip-out and first fix. If you have a second bathroom or downstairs toilet, the disruption is much easier. We plan the sequence with you before starting.
Do I need a new boiler for a new shower?
You do not always need a new boiler for a new shower, but your hot water system decides what kind of shower will work well. Combi boilers suit mixer showers directly from the mains. Tank-fed systems may need a pump for good pressure, and electric showers heat their own water. We check your boiler, cylinder and water pressure during the survey and recommend a shower to match.
Nearby towns
If your address falls within TD5, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Galashiels, Hawick and Peebles, which we include alongside Kelso when arranging surveys and quotes.

