Bathroom Refresh on a Budget: Shower Heads, Bidet Sets, and Extractor Fans You Can Fit Yourself

A full bathroom renovation costs thousands. But the parts that actually change how a bathroom feels day-to-day — the shower head, the toilet hygiene set, the fan that actually clears steam — can be swapped in an afternoon for under £50. This guide covers what to buy, what fits without a plumber, and what gives you the most noticeable upgrade for your money.

Shower Heads: What the Settings Actually Mean

Most shower heads sold in the UK list a number of spray settings — 3, 5, or 7 — and most people never move the setting off "standard". But the settings do different things, and knowing which one you want changes the buying decision.

• Rain/massage: Wide, gentle flow — popular for rinsing and washing hair. Needs decent water pressure to work well.
• Jet/concentrated: Narrow, high-pressure stream — good for cleaning the tray, rinsing specific areas.
• Mist/aeration: AirMix models aerate the water with air to give a softer feel while using less water. Feels fuller at lower pressure.
• Pulse/massage: Alternating burst — popular for muscle aches, useful on low-pressure systems where a steady flow feels weak.

If you're on a combination boiler with good pressure, any shower head works. If you're on a gravity-fed system from a cold water tank in the loft — common in older London properties — look for a model designed for low pressure, or consider a shower pump if pressure is the consistent problem.

Shower Heads in Stock at APM

• Inventive Creations 7-Function Spray Shower Head, Chrome — £5.61 — seven spray patterns including rain, jet, and massage. Standard ½" BSP connection — fits any UK shower arm or hose. The budget replacement pick: if your existing head is blocked with limescale and you want it sorted today, this is it.
• Euroshowers C-Jet Shower Head, WRAS Approved, Chrome — £12.79 — WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) approved, which matters if you're on a mains water system or renting out a property. A clean single-mode head, good pressure performance. WRAS approval means it meets UK water fittings regulations — required for some tenancy compliance inspections.
• Euroshowers AirMix Multi 3-Spray Shower Head, Chrome — £15.99 — three spray modes with air-injection on the rain setting. The AirMix mechanism draws air into the water flow, which gives a softer, fuller feel at lower water pressure. If your shower is functional but feels a bit limp, this is worth trying before spending money on a pump.

How to Change a Shower Head (Takes 5 Minutes)

1. Turn off the shower or make sure the valve is closed.
2. Unscrew the old head from the hose or fixed arm — it's a standard left-hand thread in most cases (turn clockwise to loosen if it doesn't budge the usual way).
3. Check the connection type: most UK showers use ½" BSP thread. The new head will say ½" BSP — this is the standard.
4. Wrap 2–3 turns of PTFE tape clockwise around the male thread before fitting the new head.
5. Hand-tighten, then a quarter turn with a cloth-wrapped spanner. Don't overtighten — you'll crack the fitting.
6. Turn on and check for drips at the connection.

No special tools, no turning off the water at the mains.

Bidet and Douche Sets: The Practical Upgrade

A bidet douche set — sometimes called a hand shower or health faucet — connects to the cold water supply at the toilet and gives a small spray head on a flexible hose. It's the most cost-effective bathroom hygiene upgrade you can make, and they're increasingly standard in UK bathrooms.

The installation connects to the cold fill valve behind or beneath the toilet — a standard push-fit or compression connection — and requires no mains water work beyond that.

• JTP Douche Bidet Set with Safety Shut-Off, Chrome — £39.99 — includes the spray head, flexible hose, wall bracket, and a tee piece with integrated safety shut-off. The shut-off is important: it prevents backflow from the hose into your cold water supply, which is required under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations for any device connected to mains cold water that has a flexible submerged outlet. This set complies with that. Includes everything needed for a complete self-install.
• JAXI Bidet Hand Shower Head — £15.21 — the spray head only, for adding to an existing bracket or replacing a head on an already-installed system. Chrome finish, standard connection.
• Aumix Douche Head Bracket, Chrome — £4.90 — wall-mount bracket for the bidet hose holder. If you're fitting the head to a wall without a holder, this is what you need — screw fix, one hole, done in minutes.

Extractor Fans: When to Upgrade

Most bathroom extractor fans are either dead, too slow, or missing a timer — which means they turn off when the light goes off and leave moisture in the room. The fix is a fan with an overrun timer: it continues running for 15–20 minutes after the switch goes off, long enough to clear steam from a hot shower.

Signs you need a new fan:

• Condensation on the mirror that takes more than 10–15 minutes to clear
• Black mould appearing in ceiling corners or around the extractor grille
• Audible rattle from the fan unit
• Fan that stops when the light goes off

A standard 4-inch (100mm) bathroom extractor with timer covers most bathroom sizes up to around 8m². For en-suites with a shower enclosure, this is the standard spec.

We stock a range of bathroom extractor fans at our Acton trade counter — call ahead on 020 8702 8080 to confirm stock on specific models with humidity sensors or timer functions.

Putting It Together: A Bathroom Refresh Shopping List

For under £60, you can meaningfully change how a bathroom functions and feels:

• Euroshowers AirMix shower head — £15.99
• JTP Douche Bidet Set with shut-off — £39.99
• Aumix bracket if needed — £4.90

All three items fit without a plumber. The shower head is a 5-minute swap. The bidet set connects under the toilet cistern — the JTP kit includes the tee piece and all fittings. An afternoon, a pair of pliers, and some PTFE tape.

Collection from our Acton trade counter today, or order online for next-day delivery.

APM Plumbing & Electrical | 24 Western Avenue, Acton, London W3 7TZ | 020 8702 8080 | apmi.uk