In this era of wall-hung toilets and no-touch technologies, finding a tradesperson who can turn your dream bathroom into a reality is a serious business, writes Harvey Grennan.

Creating clean, simple lines in a contemporary bathroom is far from simple in practice. Many tradespeople still lack experience in the brave new world where wall-hung toilets and concealed cisterns are de rigueur, along with recessed basins, automatic taps and frameless glass. To achieve that minimalist look, maximum expertise is required in the installation, with a lot less room for error in design and execution.

I discovered this firsthand in a house I built a few years ago. My minimalist bathroom turned out to involve multiple pitfalls. First, because there was to be a continuous bench running the length of the room, along the vanity and into the shower, and no hob on the shower opening, it was prudent to waterproof the whole floor and the bench. We did it twice to make sure it was right. Then, the vanity had to be cut down below standard height to accommodate a cantilevered basin. And finally, the large, frameless mirror had to be replaced: the first one was a couple of millimetres out and a perfect fit was crucial.

The major problem, however, was the concealed cistern. First, there was the difficulty of finding a mechanism to fit the space, then the issue of future access should something go wrong. Access was achieved by splitting the bench so that a small section could be lifted off (after first cutting away the silicone sealer). I repeat: simplicity ain't necessarily simple.

How do you go about hiring a builder who can do the job properly? "Find a builder who specialises in bathrooms," says Belinda Geels, Bathroom Marketing Manager at Reece. "Ask the right questions and don't compromise on the fittings you want. How many in-wall installations and open shower systems have they done? Ask to see some of their previous work."

Another bathroom supplier, Rogerseller, has launched the Find a Builder program to direct homeowners to suitable tradespeople. "It's not that the European product lines we supply are more difficult to install," says Marketing Manager Rebeca Park. "They are, however, innovative in design and newer to the market. Installation ease goes hand in glove with experience. We advise clients to speak with the builder or a consultant about installation during the early stages of product selection."

So beware: that wall-hung toilet pan may look great but if you don't want it crashing off the wall while your auntie is sitting on it, get tradies who really know their stuff.

Lay it online

The Reece website has an interactive bathroom planner that allows you to finetune your layout. You specify the size of the space, then add walls, windows and doors. Next, select baths, showers, toilets, taps and towel rails from the wide range of brands and models available and plonk them on the plan. There's even a facility to rotate fittings through 360 degrees.

Points of style

Consider these design tips from Rogerseller:
Think about the way you live and how to translate that into the specifics of your bathroom space.

Utilise space and light effectively.

Choose one great hero piece as the focus of your bathroom and design around this.

Keep the main palette neutral but add colour and texture in the form of soft furnishings.

Looking for more indoor inspiration? Check out our Indoor section.