Disabled Facilities Grant and new bathroom.

simon1966

Hello,
due to an assessment i have been given a Disabled Facilities Grant for a low level shower and the bathroom is being completely redone. It is only small and the council are drawing up plans etc, I own my own home.
To those that have had this done how much input did you get into choosing fixtures and fittings.?

joydivisionforever

I have just had a wet room done with a grant from my council.The council will put basic white tiles for walls,a non slip floor for wetroom and basic white toilet sink etc.
They allowed me to pick a better spec fittings with me paying the extra for this,the only thing was that they had to meet my needs,the council were shown the items I picked prior to the builder getting them.
Hope this helps

Jamiesmum

I'm a carer and going by my personal experience if you buy certain things, ie - tiles they will fit them for you.

If you want anything out of their standard they should (usually) be willing to allow you to purchase and them to fit. Obviously this is within reason but as far as taps, floors, handrails, showers, tiles and such go you can have your opinions/

If you think a certain design would work well you can put this forward too them, because these are all personal on mobility and space and they tend to be quite open.

Also, one person I know skipped the council and just asked the workmen when they came around who were more than happy to oblige, this was for different flooring + tiling.

Best too ask first though, everywhere will be different!

simon1966

joydivisionforever wrote: »

I have just had a wet room done with a grant from my council.The council will put basic white tiles for walls,a non slip floor for wetroom and basic white toilet sink etc.
They allowed me to pick a better spec fittings with me paying the extra for this,the only thing was that they had to meet my needs,the council were shown the items I picked prior to the builder getting them.
Hope this helps

Thanks for the advice, The lady that arranged the grant said i could have it how i wanted, i.e. in what fixtures and fittings and if i went over budget i would have to pay the difference.
But the Council guy that is drawing up the plans, was just saying basic this and that. I really don't want it ending up like a hospital bathroom and want it to be homely especially as i am 50.
He did say i could choose my own tiles £16 per square metre but want the radiator replaced by a chrome towel rail Approx £60 - £100, nice chrome mixer tap about £90 and ceiling down lighters and want to keep the toilet i have now as it is modern and 12 months old.
I am not asking for gold taps or anything over the top, just things that are homely and comfortable for me to live with.
If i have to pay the extra that is ok but don't want to be forced into having something i don't like. My bathroom is only 7 feet x 7 feet so not big at all.
Thanks once again.

margaretclare

Our bathroom is also very small. We had it completely re-done last spring, by Mobility Plus. We didn't approach anyone for a grant, paid for it out of savings - well, my share came from savings, DH's came from a 0% credit card. Approx £16K cost in total.

Wall tiles are not such a good idea. We had wall panels instead - easier to keep clean, they don't grow mould on the tile cement.

See http://www.mobility-plus.co.uk/walk-in-showers/the-richmond

50Twuncle

Are grants still available for these ?
Are they dependant on savings ?

Cyclamen

I received a grant in 2013.. have since found out the quality of work in some cases was pretty shoddy..so make sure you get good builders. Mine were all invted to quote by the project manager who was recomended by the social worker.

I had input on floor colour.
Toilet broke on removal otherwise they'd have refitted the same 'pink' loo. The sink was a case of I got what I was given.

The grant paid for tiling the shower area only, and they would have just plastered the wall where the bath had been. I paid extra for my choice of tiles and for the extra work/time to fit them.

I was given a say in location/positioning of grab rails, loo rail etc.

We had to argue for a sliding door at the plan stage and it was a battle.. it couldnt open inwards incase i fell as no one could get in..and if it opened outwards it blocks the hallway meaning you have to stand in ebdroom door to open loo door..or lots of reversing with a wheelchair.

It varies from council to council.. but make friends with the workmen, put the kettle on often and ask.

This all sounds terribly ungrateful but having a wet room put in was a huge huge positive, ok it looks a bit clinical with the rails etc but you soon get used to them an dthey become norml.. the pay off in freedom and less danger is amazing.

We quickly added brightly coloured shower curtains and accessories to jolly the room up. You can buy extra long shower curtains on amazon as you need extra length usually.

It's noisy, messy and inconvenient but so very very worth it.

teddysmum

Some time ago, there was a lady, who got her bathroom finished off by one of the tv 'do up' programmes. She complained that her work only covered new tiles in the shower area and these looked odd with the rest of the tile work/decoration.

minimad1970

50Twuncle wrote: »

Are grants still available for these ?
Are they dependant on savings ?

Yes and yes.

My Dad's just had his done, the only input he had was the choice of flooring.

simon1966

minimad1970 wrote: »

Yes and yes.

My Dad's just had his done, the only input he had was the choice of flooring.

Had to be firm but i have told them what i want and he has put it down on the plans.
I might have to pay extra for the materials but at least i will get a bathroom that i want. have to choose tiles £16 per square meter - fitting etc is free.
Requested close coupled toilet, down lights, chrome towel rail and smaller sink with chrome mixer taps, not gone mad but similar to what i have now but changing radiator to chrome towel rail.

margaretclare

50Twuncle wrote: »

Are grants still available for these ?
Are they dependent on savings ?

I think it may also depend on being assessed i.e. someone else's opinion. An OT or similar will come along and decide how disabled you are, and if they think you are not disabled enough, they'll make a report to that effect.