Business Details
27 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Expert Bath Restoration Services in Hartlepool
Aqua Bath Coatings, established in 1999, is a family-run business based in Hartlepool, specialising in high-quality bath and sink restoration. Our founder, Stephen 'The Bath Doctor' Lowe, brings decades of expertise from his background as a coach builder, adapting precision techniques to revive various bath materials including cast iron, acrylic, and enamel. We offer tailored solutions for domestic and commercial clients, from repairing chips and cracks to full re-enamelling and tap hole relocation. Our services extend to restoring reclaimed baths and sinks, ensuring minimal disruption through on-site repairs. Accredited by The Guild of Master Craftsmen and the Bath Restoration Council, we prioritise durability, aesthetics, and client satisfaction.With a focus on sustainability, we help clients avoid costly replacements by extending the life of existing fixtures. Our commercial partnerships include hotels, councils, and home builders, reflecting our reliability and industry recognition. We provide free quotations and maintain transparent communication throughout every project. Our unique chemical cleaning process for vitreous enamel baths ensures superior results, while our tap hole relocation service offers practical design flexibility. By combining traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques, we deliver showroom-quality finishes that meet diverse client needs.
Services
Bath Re-enamelling
Sink Restoration
Tap Hole Relocation
Reclaimed Baths
Commercial Restoration
Details
- Year established: 1999
Highlights and features
- Established in 1999 with decades of specialist restoration experience
- Accredited by The Guild of Master Craftsmen and Bath Restoration Council
- Minimal disruption through on-site repairs and refinishing
- Unique chemical cleaning process for vitreous enamel baths
- Free quotations and transparent project communication
Associations and certifications
- The Guild of Master Craftsmen
- Bath Restoration Council
Services
Bath Re-enamelling
Our bath re-enamelling service restores worn or damaged surfaces to showroom quality. Using specialist techniques, we repair chips, cracks, and enamel defects on cast iron, acrylic, and ceramic baths. The process involves thorough preparation, chemical cleaning, and application of durable enamel coatings that resist wear. This service extends the lifespan of existing baths by 10-15 years, offering cost-effective solutions for domestic and commercial clients while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
Sink Restoration
We restore sinks of various materials including ceramic, cast iron, and stainless steel. Our process addresses chips, cracks, and surface wear through professional repair techniques and re-enamelling. The service includes structural reinforcement where needed and colour matching to original finishes. Commercial clients benefit from minimal downtime as work is completed on-site, preserving functionality while enhancing appearance and hygiene standards for hospitality and residential properties.
Tap Hole Relocation
This service enables bath and sink tap upgrades without replacing the entire fixture. We professionally mask existing holes and create new ones for wall-mounted or freestanding taps. The process maintains structural integrity while providing modern design flexibility. Clients avoid replacement costs and retain beloved vintage fixtures, with work completed efficiently to accommodate bathroom renovation timelines.
Reclaimed Baths
We source and restore period baths, sinks, and radiators to original condition. Our services include structural repairs, enamel restoration, and colour modification to suit modern interiors. Clients seeking authentic feature pieces benefit from our expertise in reviving historical elements while ensuring functionality. We also restore reclaimed items customers have acquired themselves, combining heritage preservation with practical use.
Commercial Restoration
Tailored solutions for hotels, councils, and property developers address high-usage wear and accidental damage. Services include rapid response repairs, bulk restoration projects, and preventative maintenance programs. Our on-site capability minimises property downtime, while consistent quality ensures uniform appearance across multiple units. Commercial clients receive dedicated account management and priority scheduling for urgent requirements.
People
Stephen Lowe
Owner & Master Craftsman
Stephen 'The Bath Doctor' Lowe founded Aqua Bath Coatings in 1999, applying coach-building skills to bath restoration. With over 25 years' experience in metalwork and enamel techniques, he specialises in reviving historic bathroom fixtures. His expertise includes developing chemical cleaning processes for vitreous enamel and training apprentices in traditional restoration methods.
Questions
What services does Aqua Bath Coatings offer?
We specialise in bath and sink restoration, re-enamelling, tap hole relocation, and reclaimed bathroom suite refurbishment for domestic and commercial clients.
Can you restore different bath materials?
Yes, we restore cast iron, acrylic, ceramic, roll top, pressed steel, and slipper baths to showroom condition using specialist techniques.
Do you work with commercial clients?
Yes, we provide services for hotels, councils, home builders, and other commercial clients with minimal operational disruption.
How long does the restoration process take?
Most on-site restorations are completed within a day, depending on the extent of damage and required work.
Are your restoration results durable?
Our professional re-enamelling creates a hard-wearing finish that lasts many years with proper maintenance.
Can you match specific bath colours?
Yes, we can recolour baths to match your interior design preferences using specialist enamel paints.
Reviews (7)
Joanne Bainbridge
Dec 12, 2021
Report
Re enamelled an old cast iron bath. Very professional service clean and tidy. Extremely pleased with the end result looks beautiful. I certainly didn't expect it to look like new so pleased we didn't replace It with a new one and much less upheaval. Would definitely recommend. Thank you.
Laura Jane Redfern
Oct 28, 2021
Report
Abysmal attempt to ‘fix’ our shower tray. Chips left untreated, Covered other holes with stick on patches from Amazon and charged £100.
Alison Humphrey
Jul 22, 2021
Report
Positive:Professionalism,Punctuality,Quality,Value
Thank you Steve. What a fantastic service. Our cast Irish n bath looks so shiny - so pleased we kept the original bath rather than buy a new one. Very professional, high attention to detail and wonderful end result. Recommend Steve highly.
Thank you Steve. What a fantastic service. Our cast Irish n bath looks so shiny - so pleased we kept the original bath rather than buy a new one. Very professional, high attention to detail and wonderful end result. Recommend Steve highly.
Andrea Howes
Jun 18, 2021
Report
Steve has just excellently repaired our hot tub which was damaged during delivery. We can not see any marks whatsoever. It's perfect :-) I can highly recommend him.
Karen McCarron
Jun 13, 2021
Report
Positive:Professionalism,Punctuality,Quality,Responsiveness,Value
Steve came today and re-enameled my cast iron bath circa 1934. It had been sitting in my garage for more than 5 years, but after 6 hours work i have a beautiful painted and enamelled cast iron bath. Excellent service. I would highly recommend
Steve came today and re-enameled my cast iron bath circa 1934. It had been sitting in my garage for more than 5 years, but after 6 hours work i have a beautiful painted and enamelled cast iron bath. Excellent service. I would highly recommend
Lauren
Apr 28, 2021
Report
Absolutely amazing service of re enamelling my cast iron bath, it's never looked so shiny! 10/10 amazing service the gentleman was very professional and so friendly definitely would recommend to anyone! Will be using this service again and will do for as long as I have a cast iron bath. Very reasonably priced and came on time as quoted, I honestly do not have a bad word to say about this business!
Andrew Jacques
Sep 28, 2020
Report
Just had my first bath since my bath was damaged over two weeks ago and I am absolutely ecstatic with the work of Steve at Aqua Bath Coating … the attached images do not do it justice but Steve has done a… fantastic job, the damaged area has been completely restored … it looks and feels perfect. Can’t recommend the workmanship and professionalism of Aqua Bath Coating highly enough … I am very grateful … THANK YOU.
