A few handy hints on antique, reclaimed and salvaged baths, basins, WCs, showers and bidets:
• Before engaging a plumber to instal antique, reclaimed or salvaged fittings ask if he or she has had prior experience
• UK DIYers installing salvaged fittings can find answers to some legal points in the UK Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (see below).
• Old baths with imperfect and less slippery enamel are good for children or old people
• Re-enamelling baths and basins varies from cheaper to expensive. Ask about guarantees, especially around the waste outlet, and try asking for customer referrals.
• Guarantees from cheaper re-enamelling companies may make your bath or basin quite difficult to use or clean. For example, you may be required to fill with cold water before filling with hot water - which is wasteful of water and impractical.
• Salvage dealers selling the bath will probably know of a re-enameller, so try asking
• To give a grubby original old bath, basin or Belfast a spring clean liberally coat with cream bathroom cleaner, leave for 24 hours then rinse well
• When buying a modern secondhand basin look for one with the original taps still attached which makes them cheaper and easier to fit
• Get your plumber to check the taps work before fitting the sink or bath into your home
• Old taps in salvage yards may look polished on the outside, but they may still have broken innards - ask if they have been restored and tested
• Repairing taps, whilst attached to the basin, can crack the basin [15feb13: Sam Coster]
• The brass in old British taps can be stronger than modern brass because the zinc content is lower
• Try using SalvoWEB free ads to sell your old bathroom, even if it is a recent bathroom - even the sludge green variety may appeal to someone.
• Seek building advice when fitting extremely heavy large old reclaimed baths into upper storeys especially with suspended wooden floors
• Antique earthenware WC pans or basins with crazed glazing allow water to leak through the fitting because unglazed earthenware is porous.
• Antique stoneware is impervious to water so crazed glazing does not result in leaks (but a crack all the way through will).
• Ask if your salvage dealer sells adaptors for old fittings so they can be connected to modern plumbing systems
• There are hundreds of antique bathroom items, half from Salvo Code dealers, for sale on SalvoWEB ranging from £50 to £7,000.
 
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 govern the reuse of antique reclaimed or salvaged kitchen and bathroom plumbing fittings in the UK. Para 2(4) states that 'nothing in these regulations shall require any person to cease to use any water fitting which was lawfully installed or used, or capable of being used, before 1st July 1999'. Para 25 (d) states: 'No flushing device installed for use with a WC pan shall give a single flush exceeding 6 litres'.