Spot repair: one or two areas of damage
If the bath is in good condition apart from a chip, crack, rust spot or hole, a spot repair is the quickest and cheapest fix. We fill the damage and colour-match it, and most baths can be used the next day.
It works best when the rest of the enamel is still glossy. On dull, worn enamel a repair can stand out.
Re-enamelling: the whole surface is worn
If the bath is rough, stained, dull or has many chips, re-enamelling gives the whole surface a new finish. The bath stays in place, so tiles, taps and panels aren’t disturbed. It’s often the best choice for cast iron and period baths, which are heavy and costly to move and replace.
Replacement: when it makes sense
Replacing can be the better choice if the bath is a standard-size acrylic that comes out easily without damaging tiles, if you want a different shape or size, or if the bath is cracked through in a place that can’t be supported. Remember the hidden costs: removal, plumbing, making good the tiling and disposal.
Questions to ask yourself
- Is the damage in one spot, or across the whole bath?
- Would removing the bath damage tiles, flooring or a fitted panel?
- Is the bath a period or cast iron bath worth keeping?
- Do you need the bathroom back quickly?
If you’re unsure, send us photos. We’ll give you an honest view, including when we think replacement is the better option.
Spot repair, re-enamel or replace at a glance
| Spot repair | Re-enamel / resurface | Replace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | One or a few chips, cracks, rust spots or holes | Worn, dull, stained or heavily chipped surface; colour change | Badly cracked or leaking body; new shape or size |
| Bath stays in place | Yes | Yes | No |
| Tiles and panels disturbed | No | No | Usually |
| Time | Usually one to two hours per repair | Usually most of a day | Often several days with plumbing and tiling |
| Our price | From £95 | From £350 | Not a service we offer |
How the material changes the decision
Cast iron baths are thick and very heavy, and many are period roll-tops worth keeping. They are almost always better repaired or re-enamelled in place, because getting them out of a bathroom, especially upstairs, is hard work and risks damaging stairs and walls.
Pressed steel baths are lighter but are usually fitted with tiles sitting on the rim. Chips can rust, so they’re worth repairing quickly. A whole steel bath that’s dull or heavily chipped is a good candidate for re-enamelling.
Acrylic baths don’t rust, but they can crack or be holed. Most cracks and holes can be repaired if they can be reached and supported from behind. A cheap standard acrylic bath that lifts out easily, in a bathroom you’re already refitting, may be worth replacing instead. Not sure which you have? Read what is my bath made of.
Signs a repair is enough
- The damage is in one or two places.
- The rest of the surface is glossy and smooth.
- There’s no water getting through.
- You’re happy with the bath’s colour, shape and size.
Signs it’s time to re-enamel
- The surface feels rough even after cleaning.
- There are many chips, worn patches or rust spots.
- Stains won’t shift with gentle cleaners.
- A previous coating is peeling or bubbling.
- You want to change a coloured bath to white without a refit. See coloured suite to white.
Signs replacement may be better
- An acrylic bath is cracked through in several places, or in a spot that can’t be reached from behind.
- Water has already damaged the floor or ceiling below and the bath has to come out anyway.
- You’re refitting the whole bathroom and want a different layout.
- The bath is the wrong size or shape for how you use it.
Thinking about the rest of the bathroom
A bath rarely comes out without disturbing what’s around it. Tiles that sit on the rim usually crack or have to be cut, the bath panel may not fit a new bath, and floors and walls often need making good. If you like the rest of your bathroom, repairing or re-enamelling keeps all of that as it is. If the whole room is due a refit, it may make sense to replace everything at once.
If only one piece is the problem, we can often repair the shower tray, basin or tiles on the same visit.
A note on period and listed homes
In period and listed homes, an original cast iron bath or basin can be part of the character of the room, and replacing it with a reproduction may cost more than restoring it. Re-enamelling in place keeps the original fitting, and repairs can often be made around makers’ marks rather than over them. Read restoring a cast iron roll-top bath.
The environmental angle
Repairing or resurfacing keeps a bath out of landfill and avoids the waste of a full refit. That matters more for heavy cast iron and steel baths.
Quick answers
Will a repair be invisible?
On a bath in good condition, a colour-matched repair is very hard to spot. On older, dull enamel a repair can look glossier than the surface around it, which is when re-enamelling makes more sense.
Can a re-enamelled bath be repaired later?
Yes. A chip in a resurfaced bath can be repaired like any other.
Will you tell me if it’s not worth repairing?
Yes. If we think replacement is the better option, we’ll say so when we see your photos.
Every job is different. Send us a photo and we’ll tell you what we’d recommend for your bath, sink or surface.
