Bathroom flooring has one job above all others: coping with water, day in, day out. Get it right and it will look good for fifteen years; get it wrong and you could be lifting a swollen, stained floor within two. Here is what actually works in British bathrooms, based on what we fit and repair around Leicester every week.
For most UK bathrooms, LVT brands such as Karndean and Amtico Click are the flooring we recommend more than anything else. It is fully waterproof, warm underfoot, and convincing enough as wood or stone that guests rarely spot the difference. Expect to pay roughly £25 to £60 per square metre for the material, plus fitting, with budget click ranges starting lower.
LVT also suits older Leicester housing stock well. Many Victorian terraces have slightly uneven timber subfloors, and glue-down LVT over a plywood or screed levelling layer copes with that far better than rigid tiles, which can crack if the floor flexes.
Porcelain is the hardest wearing option you can choose. It shrugs off water, scratches and cleaning chemicals, and decent porcelain floor tiles start around £20 to £40 per square metre. Ceramic is a little cheaper and softer, which makes it easier to cut but slightly more prone to chipping.
The drawbacks are comfort and safety. Tiles are cold without underfloor heating, and a polished finish becomes slippery when wet. If you go for tiles, choose a slip rating of R10 or above, or a textured matt finish, especially for family bathrooms or wet rooms.
Sheet vinyl is the unsung hero of budget bathrooms. Because it comes in one continuous piece with few or no joins, there is almost nowhere for water to get through. At around £10 to £25 per square metre it is ideal for rental properties, cloakrooms and quick refreshes, though it can tear and the cheapest ranges look exactly what they cost.
Laminate is the one we would steer you away from. Even water resistant laminate relies on joints staying sealed, and one overflowing bath or slow leak around the toilet can swell the boards permanently. If you love the wood look, LVT gives you the same effect without the risk.
Natural stone such as slate or travertine looks superb but needs sealing on installation and periodically afterwards, and it is unforgiving on both budget and cold toes. Solid wood is best avoided entirely in bathrooms; engineered wood can survive in a large, well ventilated family bathroom, but it is a risk we are always honest with customers about.
Electric underfloor heating pairs well with both tile and LVT and typically adds £400 to £900 to a bathroom project depending on size and whether the floor needs insulation boards. In an average UK bathroom of three to four square metres, running costs are modest because the space is small, and it turns the coldest option, porcelain, into the cosiest.
If you want a straightforward answer: choose LVT for warmth, looks and practicality, porcelain tile with underfloor heating if you want maximum durability or a wet room, and sheet vinyl if budget is the priority. Whatever you pick, preparation matters more than the product. A properly levelled, sound subfloor and sealed perimeter will do more for the life of your bathroom floor than any brand name.
Costs always depend on the state of your existing floor, the size of the room and the finish you choose, so treat the figures above as realistic ranges rather than quotes. If you are local to Leicester and unsure what your subfloor can take, we are happy to have a look and give you a straight answer before you buy anything.
We would not recommend it. Even water resistant laminate can swell permanently if water sits in the joints, which is common around baths and toilets. LVT gives the same wood effect and is fully waterproof.
LVT and sheet vinyl are the warmest underfoot because vinyl does not draw heat from your feet the way tile does. Cork is warmer still but needs careful sealing in a bathroom.
Not always, but it must be sound, dry and level. Timber subfloors often need a plywood overlay before LVT or tiling, and any water damaged boards should be replaced first, which is worth budgeting a contingency for.
