As with any product you purchase for your home there is a wide variety of choice: choice in styles and, of course, in quality. And the bathroom products and fittings that you choose are no different. There are myriad websites selling a range of goods; many purporting to be just the same as high end designer items for less money. Some of them really are the same high end designer goods for less money! Then there are DIY stores selling reasonably inexpensive items but that lack any real design flair right through to the designer bathroom showrooms where both quality and design are available, albeit for a high price.

With all this choice it is not surprising that many of us find it hard to make a decision, particularly when certain inexpensive items, on the face of it, look much the same as other, more expensive items. Is expensive necessarily better, we might wonder, but on the other hand will the cheap products stand the test of time? Were they produced in high-tech factories with rigid quality control or produced in a dated factory with minimal quality control? And how can you tell just by looking at an item?

Well, here are some tips to help you make a judgement for yourself and not just rely on the website, brochure or salesman:

Compare Weights
High quality ceramics are heavier than lower quality items (and of course, check that it is ceramic) so compare the weight of comparable basins and WCs.

Check Your Whites
Firstly, always buy a basin and WC from the same manufacturer as different manufacturers have different colour whites (believe it or not)and the purer the white the better the quality. If you are also having white tiles, especially those lovely, high gloss white porcelain tiles then check the sanitary ware white is the same as the tile white.

Invest in Taps and Shower valves
If you are trying to minimise your budget there is one area that is not worth cutting corners and that is on your taps and shower valves. They take a lot of pounding in an average bathroom so make sure you buy the best quality you can afford. Don't be seduced by cheap bargains; they may look just as good on the outside but it is the inner working parts that will cause problems on the cheaper versions.

Floor and Wall Tiles Matter
Another area where quality matters is when it comes to the wall and floor tiles; and it is not just the tiles but also the quality of the products used to install them. The adhesive should be appropriate for the weight of the tiles and the substrate onto which they are being installed; and the grout, it goes without saying, must be waterproof in the shower area and for the floor tiles. Whilst ceramic tiles are still a good option for those on a budget, porcelain tiles are much more durable and will look better for longer. Confusingly tiles are not always clearly labelled so double check whether they are ceramic or porcelain tiles before you decide which ones to buy.