Converting existing bath to walk-in

a2mn1lt

My elderly parents are thinking of using a company called UDOOR to put a door into their existing bath, converting it into a walk-in bath.  Does anyone have experience of this company or know of any problems with doing such a conversion?  I have read the posts regarding the drawbacks to walk-in baths, specifically getting cold when the bath is filling/emptying.  However, my father would like to stick to a bath for medical reasons so we have fitted a bath seat to their existing one, but need to deal with the problems he has getting into and out of the bath.  We were hoping to convert the existing bath to walk-in and then buy a good bathroom heater.  Incidentally, if anyone knows of a bathroom heater that is safe in the bathroom and doesn't need wiring in, could they let me know. 

Any advice would be appreciated. 

ka7e

Have you looked at bath lifts? Some have a platform at the side so you can slide across onto the seat, but you still have to be able to lift your legs over the bath side. Then they lower the bather into the water. I rejected the door-in-bath models as you need to be in them before you fill it and stay in while it drains - not ideal!

The regs surrounding bathroom heating means you cannot have anything that isn't wired unless you can extend CH and put a radiator in. I have an electric towel rail and a convector that are passed for bathroom use, but they still have to be a certain distance from any water source. I got an electrician to check that they were suitable and he fitted them quite easily.

Sandtree

My gran went with a lift instead as well as it allowed her safer independence as when in the bath she would have struggled to reach the taps at the foot end and so either would need someone else to operate the bath whilst she's sat in it or more likely struggle through and sit in a bath thats too hot or too cold as she was too pig headed independent to have others help. 

NeverTooLate

My Dad also uses a bath lift, it also has the advantage that you can take it with you if you go to stay at someone else's house. (Quite bulky in the car though)

twopenny

Yes, i looked at a lot when viewing bungalows.
The walk in baths are a bit of a nightmare as you have to sit and wait for it to fill up - turn the taps off (can he reach?) - then sit and wait for it to drain.
There is all sorts out there that are a better idea.
I inherited near ceiling fan heaters, they are brilliant. Quick and efficient. Use with radiator in winter, a boost for cold days spring and autumn.

Andy_L

a2mn1lt said:

My elderly parents are thinking of using a company called UDOOR to put a door into their existing bath, converting it into a walk-in bath.  Does anyone have experience of this company or know of any problems with doing such a conversion?  I have read the posts regarding the drawbacks to walk-in baths, specifically getting cold when the bath is filling/emptying.  However, my father would like to stick to a bath for medical reasons so we have fitted a bath seat to their existing one, but need to deal with the problems he has getting into and out of the bath.  We were hoping to convert the existing bath to walk-in and then buy a good bathroom heater.  Incidentally, if anyone knows of a bathroom heater that is safe in the bathroom and doesn't need wiring in, could they let me know. 

Any advice would be appreciated. 

Realistically no. Especially if you're getting it for somebody with mobility problems.

You can have, eg, an oil filled radiator running off a cable to a socket outside the bathroom  but it has to be 600mm+ from the bath & impossible to move it closer to the bath than 600mm. So effectively that means fixed to the wall at which point you might as well get a sparky in to wire it up anyway