Measuring width of bath?????

marshallka

I have measured the width of my existing obsolete bath and as I see (and double and triple checked) it only measures 650mm wide and not the standard 700mm. I have done the measurement as half way to the middle of the taps and doubled it and its 325mm and then the full width and its a steel bath so nothing has been cut off of it but when asking about this and replacing it from a few obsolete bathroom places they all say that they never made baths EVER of 650mm and that there must be a mistake and that 2ins must have been sunk into the wall. This cannot be right as its steel and the edges are rounded. Anyone any ideas? What are we doing wrong?

Cool_Username

All I'd say is that you've measured your bath and you know how wide it is - for anyone to flatly state that they've "never" made baths of that width seems a bit silly.

marshallka

Cool_Username wrote: »

All I'd say is that you've measured your bath and you know how wide it is - for anyone to flatly state that they've "never" made baths of that width seems a bit silly.

I have just received another email from one of the obsolete bathroom places and they have said there is somewhere in Kent that did sell this width baths and they were actually imported from holland over 50 years ago. We wanted to replace our bathroom anyway and about 13 years ago we enquired about a bathroom straight swap and was told that as the bath is only 650 and very near to the sink we would have to move the sink and then the toilet. The toilet is on a s trap and not a p trap so it mean't a big job and we left it. Our toilet is hairline cracked and our bath is chipped in a few places but more recently we chipped at the top and it now leaks a tiny little (only a little). We rang the insurance and they have said that they could replace the bath and toilet and for us to find out the price of these obsolete items. The toilet we can get BUT with a different fitting bottom and the bath is a "no no" up to yet.

As we have a policy that states if they are a matching set and they cannot replace a like for like they should replace the set. Direct Line have said that they would also replace in white but only the damaged items and not the undamaged one too or that I get a quote for the two obsolete items. As the bath cannot be replaced then I wondered if I could ask that they consider this as a whole set in white. First I need to know that our bath is definately not obtainable and up to yet I have received an email from every obsolete bathroom place saying that they did not make this 650mm one that we have. I have taken photos of our bath holding a tape measure just to prove the width and also the amount of space between the sink and bath to show how close they are now. I think I may send all this to them and also my email replies and see what they say.

Alan_M_2

Bette make a bath at 650mm wide and 1600 long (the starlet).

Very good bath company, and they could likely make one to fit if need be. Not cheap, but they have a 30 year guarantee, which kind of gives you an idea of quality.

They also do baths with an offset (they taper in slightly at one end for smaller rooms to allow sink/toilet siting.

Starlet

Bambino

Luna

marshallka

Alan_M wrote: »

Bette make a bath at 650mm wide and 1600 long (the starlet).

Very good bath company, and they could likely make one to fit if need be. Not cheap, but they have a 30 year guarantee, which kind of gives you an idea of quality.

They also do baths with an offset (they taper in slightly at one end for smaller rooms to allow sink/toilet siting.

Starlet

Bambino

Luna

Hi, thanks for that. Wow, nice baths but a little too pricey for us lol just by looking I would think. As we have decided to get the whole bathroom redone instead hopefully depending on what insurance say!! (nothing expensive) and moving the sink and toilet anyway now we would just fit a 1600 x 700 mm bath in. This would mean a lot of work and also the tiling (also obsolete) and eveything gutting too BUT my argument will be that they could not have ever got a bath to fit our existing space in the old obsolete colour to match our suite so we should be entitled to their "matching items" piece that is written into their policy being that if they cannot replace a match then they will replace the whole set. Will have to try and see what they say.

Thanks again...it was just driving me mad when I have emailed all these bathroom places and they say that this bath does not (or did not) exist. Thankfully now one place has told me they did but not been on the market for the last 50 years. I think the builders here must have bought a job lot!!

Alan_M_2

A Starlet 1600 x 650 is going to be in the region of £500

marshallka

Alan_M wrote: »

A Starlet 1600 x 650 is going to be in the region of £500

Yeah, thanks for that. I think that is a little out of our price range. A lovely bath though and as we are having to remodel the bathroom now we are able to move the sink over and perhaps a lot of building work to be done to move the trap which at present is an "s trap" waste and a little awkward we have been told. I will just tell the insurance that there is no way we could get a bath to fit in the colour of our suite and see what they say. They can only say no to us so has to be worth a try. If they want to come and measure my non existent bath they are free to do it.

I have been sent a quote from one obsolete bathroom place for a bath of 1500 x 700 and its about £460 delivered and also the toilet is £281 delivered. Not much use though as its not the right size. Still a lot of money when we could get a reasonable white set much cheaper.

Owain_Moneysaver

[STRIKE]Heritage Belmont Double-ended 650mm bath £282 .[/STRIKE] - sorry, 750mm external dimension
Bow-front bath 650/850mm £316
Bette Starlet £425

I know it's not much cheaper but the £75 saving will probably buy a special offer WC from ALDI. And you can get very slimline cloakroom basins and WCs if you need to juggle things around.

marshallka

This is the wording on my policy and it states

4 We will not repair or replace undamaged items which are part of
a set or suite unless they are part of a bathroom suite or fitted
kitchen and the damaged parts cannot be repaired or an exact
replacement found.

Now when Direct Line put an obsolete bathroom company in touch with me and they rang me and told me that the toilet would not have to be an exact match and that only the colour had to match, the base could no doubt be different (making our flooring an item to replace also ( but direct line said this would be classed as consequential damage and we would have to pay) but that is all exact match mean't. I then mentioned the bath and he said then that they could also get another bath (which they can) but only of a different size.....I then called direct line back and they said that I could claim for the bath BUT it would mean a seperate incident so two seperate claims. Granted, they are seperate claims BUT we have today emailed this guy who direct line told to ring us and he told me quite categorically in an email that my measuring of the bath must be wrong (perhaps is but cannot see how!! very confusing) as they just did not make this size bath in my colour of 650 wide. My bath was damaged (again) about a month ago and although it already had two bottom chips in it this is actually a small pinhole now and we have no choice than to claim. My toilet cracked after hoovering at christmas (someone dropped a glass in there on new years eve) but we did not make the claim as we know that to claim for these two items it going to cost us as much in having the fittings etc changed and pulling off the tiling so have left it as long as possible. In fact thinking about it now I may just leave the damaged items in and hope for the best. It seems that this is more hassle than enough ringing around and getting quotes etc for this and that. I have 4 different places now telling me that 650 baths do not exist but tonight one firm has confirmed that they did and were imported from Holland but not sold here for the last 50 years. Does that now make my bath claim the one claim in that they cannot match my item and have to replace it as a whole set? My toilet one would not then exist would it? Also the toilet one would again not be an exact match in my eyes as the bottom could be different and our flooring is naturally cut around OUR bottom??

So for harping on but we have had our policy for years and years and have only ever claimed on it for a carport panel that was damaged in bad weather. So annoying that they sell these polices so nicey nicey and then when you come to make a claim they are so different. I honestly thought that as they could not replace the exact toilet (and I thought that this would class as not exact match as we had tried to ring around to get this done without the insurance) that I would not have to make a claim for the bath as they would replace all from then on as per their wording of "exact" match.????

Alan_M_2

This may be a dumb question, but if this is an insurance claim, what's the issue with a £500 bath of the insurer is obliged to pay for it on the grounds it's the only one that fits?

marshallka

Alan_M wrote: »

This may be a dumb question, but if this is an insurance claim, what's the issue with a £500 bath of the insurer is obliged to pay for it on the grounds it's the only one that fits?

I see what you are saying here but if we actually take out all the bathroom then we can move things along a bit anyway and I could then fit a regular width bath in which are cheaper. Have to see what they say.

Thanks for that.