Should You Install a Bidet?
Here in the UK, you’d be hard pushed to find a modern bathroom which is built with a bidet.
Only 5% of UK homes have a bidet, unlike Italian homes where over 97% have a bidet fitted.
There are lots of good reasons why you should think about installing a bathroom in the family bathroom, and getting one fitted isn’t as expensive as you might think.
Bidets and Hygiene
One of the main reasons for having a bidet fitted at home is for hygiene.
Washing after using the toilet is always going to be more hygienic than using paper, and there are medical studies showing that using a bidet helps stop the spread of bacteria and other bugs like norovirus through the different members of the family.
Many people find that toilet paper irritates their skin, and using a bidet can mean your skin becomes less inflamed and sore.
Eco-Friendly Bidets
In the UK we use 600 million toilet rolls every year, and apart from the cost of buying them, there is also cost in terms of transport to get the products to store and chemicals used in bleaching and processing, not to mention the trees which have to be chopped down to make the paper in the first place.
It also costs considerable sums to filter all of the paper out of the sewerage system.
Switching to using a bidet can slash the amount of money spent on loo paper, but will also help the environment too.
Costs for Buying and Installing a Bidet
If you have space for a bidet and have decided to take the plunge and install one, then it is probably best to get a plumber in to do the job for you.
It’s not a tricky job, but it will involve running new pipes to the site for the bidet and attaching it to the waste system too.
Plumbers here in the UK do not work on bidet installation as often as they install sinks or baths, so it is important to make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing.
Make sure you choose a model which goes well with the rest of your bathroom suite, unless you are planning on replacing the entire bathroom.
Once you have chosen your bidet and decided where you are going to put it, contact at least three local plumbers found through Top Tradespeople or from personal recommendation, and ask at least three of them to provide a quote, in writing.
Make it clear whether or not you will be buying the bidet yourself, and don’t forget to add in extras such as VAT.
Once you have received all of your quotes, compare them not only on price but also in terms of how quickly the company can do the job, and feedback you have received from friends, family or reviews on websites.
