The challenge
The customer wanted to modernise their downstairs cloakroom by replacing a dated back-to-wall toilet and small wall-mounted basin with a contemporary vanity unit and a new concealed cistern WC. Although on paper it looked like a straightforward swap, the existing pipework boxing didn’t match the footprint of the new furniture, so the new units couldn’t simply be dropped into place. The cistern feed, waste connection and basin services all needed to line up precisely with the new vanity and WC unit while keeping the plumbing accessible for any future maintenance.
How we solved it
After stripping out the old sanitaryware, I carefully modified the existing pipework boxing so the new vanity unit and concealed cistern furniture would slot perfectly into position, while keeping service access where it mattered. New water supplies and waste pipework were then connected, fully aligned to the new units, and pressure-tested before commissioning. To finish, I sealed all the exposed edges of the vanity and WC unit with a neat silicone bead so the furniture reads as built-in rather than bolted on.
The cloakroom now feels like a completely different room — a sleek green fluted vanity with a brushed brass tap and matching concealed cistern WC replace the dated suite, giving the customer a modern, space-saving finish with hidden storage and a properly built-in look.
