Replacing the taps when they're round the back

The_Economist

southcoastrgi wrote: »

get a replacement divertor for the taps if availible, meaning taps/shower will prob work.

Yep i'll agree with that.

leaving gold taps that are tarnised & not looking very good, which the OP doesn't like

Yep I'll agree with that too.

replace the taps which will involve removing the bath

Nope cannot agree as more investigation needs to be done. Depends how the taps are connected.

boingsaidzebedee

Actually a third option which I've done several times.
The tap is almost certainly inaccessible unless you have multi jointed 4ft. long arms.
Unfortunately it means replacing like for like and retaining part of the old taps.
If they are the taps I think though the photo is'nt clear--then----
At the rear a large nut retains the tap body to the hot and cold uprights.
Undo the 2 nuts and remove the whole tap body leaving existing uprights in situ.
Replace with a new tap body which has the same centres--i.e distance between uprights,just not using the 2 two new uprights.
You will have 2 tarnished uprights and a shiny new tap body and shower unit.
Not ideal but the working parts of the taps will be new.These taps are not expensive.Change things when you redo the bathroom.

southcoastrgi

yes boing that is another option, however gold taps these days are like rocking horse s**t & even more so if you want to fit to existing "uprights"

Eco it doesn't matter a jot how they are connected you still need to undo the back nuts on the taps & you can't do that without taking the bath out

boingsaidzebedee

I was wondering how they intended to undo the backnuts--but perhaps they know something we don't.
These are the older style Edwardian type and a bit better quality than most of those in the sheds.
But the distance between the centres may well be about the same.
If the taps could be matched then easy peasy.The only thing to watch is not to turn the uprights thereby undoing the water connections.

Stooby2

I'm just wondering if the bath would even come out far enough as it looks like the toilet cistern might be in the way on the right?

And I hope they didn't put the bath in and tile around it completely - my in-laws had a similar setup and the tiler quite effectively tiled the bath into the walls - including the bath panel.

pimento

Thanks all. I honestly thought that someone would say "there's a tool that does that!"

Canucklehead

Once the panel is removed it's suprising how far you can get under the bath.

If I were asked to change these taps I would try and reach them by doing the above.

Yes I have done it, but not all baths have the same shape and the space between wall and bath varies. Pipework or anything else running under the bath will also hamper access.

It also helps if the plumber is not bit of a bloater He/she would have the right tools for the job as well. eg:

You can but try.

anotherbaldrick

As an alternative , you could cut the pipe tails (assuming they are copper) with a small wheeled pipe cutter up as high as you could get and then slide a long box spanner over the ends up to undo the backnuts. Flexibles would help in re-coupling the new tap together with Canuckleheads tap spanner (Shetack). You do however need to be of modest physical proportions and lithe and supple enough to struggle for some time in an undignified and cramped position.

boingsaidzebedee

Do these people a favour,take off the bath panel and take a photo.
If the bath has been fitted normally and not raised on concrete or wooden blocks for extra height then distance from floor to bottom of bath is probably between 6 and 9 inches.
I doubt if modest physical proportions would be sufficient.Possibly if you could get hold of a six year old suffering from anorexia you might just manage to stuff them under there.
As for tools---you still need 4 foot arms and X-ray vision.

southcoastrgi

Canucklehead wrote: »

Once the panel is removed it's suprising how far you can get under the bath.

If I were asked to change these taps I would try and reach them by doing the above.

Yes I have done it, but not all baths have the same shape and the space between wall and bath varies. Pipework or anything else running under the bath will also hamper access.

It also helps if the plumber is not bit of a bloater He/she would have the right tools for the job as well. eg:

You can but try.

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

As an alternative , you could cut the pipe tails (assuming they are copper) with a small wheeled pipe cutter up as high as you could get and then slide a long box spanner over the ends up to undo the backnuts. Flexibles would help in re-coupling the new tap together with Canuckleheads tap spanner (Shetack). You do however need to be of modest physical proportions and lithe and supple enough to struggle for some time in an undignified and cramped position.

& neither of these will work, you can't change them by going in from the front unless you have 10' arms & are double jointed, if you had a normal bath there maybe a slight chance you could get in at one end, but you have a double ended bath & therefore you have absolutly no chance of getting round the ends, there are tools to change taps but none of them will work in your situation, box spanners & shetacks inc