Frequently asked questions
Starting a refurbishment project often comes with many questions. This section provides answers to our most frequently asked questions regarding project timelines, guaranteed completion dates and maintenance. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please get in touch or explore our insights area for more detailed guides.
Project planning and regulations
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Under the UK Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, employers must provide adequate, separate facilities based on the maximum number of people on-site. The standard HSE legal ratios for mixed-use or female toilets are:
1 to 5 employees: 1 toilet & 1 washbasin
6 to 25 employees: 2 toilets & 2 washbasins
26 to 50 employees: 3 toilets & 3 washbasins For dedicated male washrooms with urinals, the legal requirements vary.
Contact our team to ensure your office fit-out is fully compliant.
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School washrooms are strictly governed by the Department for Education (DfE) and School Premises Regulations. Key requirements include providing 1 toilet per 20 pupils over the age of 5, mandatory separate male and female facilities for pupils over 8, and ensuring hand-washing areas are highly visible to discourage bullying. All cubicle doors must also feature emergency release overrides for staff safety.
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Yes. We design and install fully Document M (Volume 2) compliant accessible washrooms. This includes the precise layout of radar-key entry doors, outward-opening emergency doors, specific configurations for grab rails, low-level thermostatic sinks, and compliant emergency assistance pull-cord alarms.
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When you reach out to discuss a commercial washroom refurbishment, our team will gather key details like project scope (full vs. partial refit), location, and the number of rooms. From there, we will arrange a free site survey to accurately measure your space, assess your plumbing infrastructure, and discuss your design requirements.
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A free site survey involves a washroom specialist visiting your premises to evaluate your current plumbing, drainage, ventilation, and space layout. While we can sometimes provide a ballpark estimate from high-quality photographs, a physical survey ensures an accurate, fixed-price quote with zero hidden costs.
Costs, timelines and logistics
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The total cost of a commercial or school washroom refurbishment varies depending on the size of the footprint, the number of cubicles, and your chosen material specifications. Factors such as switching to touchless sensor technology or relocating underground drainage will impact the budget. We provide transparent, itemised quotes tailored to your budget constraints.1 to 5 employees: 1 toilet & 1 washbasin
6 to 25 employees: 2 toilets & 2 washbasins
26 to 50 employees: 3 toilets & 3 washbasins For dedicated male washrooms with urinals, the legal requirements vary.
Contact our team to ensure your office fit-out is fully compliant.
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Absolutely. We specialise in fast-track school holiday refurbishments (including summer, Easter and half-term breaks) as well as out-of-hours commercial office fit-outs. Our project management team plans every phase meticulously to ensure zero disruption to your daily operations or academic term dates.
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Yes, Focus Washrooms provides a comprehensive turnkey refurbishment service. We act as your single point of contact, managing everything from the initial strip-out, structural alterations and flooring to compliant plumbing, electrical installations and final decoration.
Materials, maintenance and troubleshooting
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Choosing the right material dictates the lifespan of your washroom:
MFC (Melamine Faced Chipboard): Cost-effective option that is best for low-traffic office environments.
HPL (High-Pressure Laminate): Mid-range durability choice ideal for standard commercial settings.
SGL (Solid Grade Laminate): Impervious to water, highly impact-resistant and completely vandal-proof. SGL is the industry standard for high-traffic school toilets and public washrooms.
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Persistent odours in washrooms are typically caused by poor extraction ventilation, bacteria trapped in porous grout, incorrect drainage traps or standard urinals in gents' toilets. When we design your new washroom, we eliminate these issues by installing ventilation, non-porous solid-surface vanity troughs and sensor-flush technology to stop odour buildup at the source.
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Yes. Our integrated plumbing system (IPS) duct panels are fully removable using concealed clips or hinged access locks. This allows your maintenance or estates team to easily access cisterns, valves and pipework without needing exposed, unsightly plumbing.
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Every project is backed by our dedicated 12-month Aftercare Service starting from the day of completion. If any issues arise regarding our workmanship or installations, our engineers will promptly resolve them. Please note that issues unrelated to our installation, such as independent drain blockages or accidental building damage, are not covered.
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Aesthetics can deteriorate quickly due to harsh chemical degradation or incorrect cleaning protocols. For instance, using abrasive cleaners on certain laminates or solid surfaces can strip their protective finish.
Head to our insights area to watch and read our useful guides on all aspects of refurbishing and maintaining washrooms.
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Planning a washroom refurbishment?
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