5 hacks for kitting your bathroom out for less on eBay — tips from the pros on saving money and avoiding buyer's regret

Pre-loved interior shopping has been on the rise in recent years, and it's set to continue, with more of us looking to secondhand sites and antique shops to give our homes a makeover on a budget. While home decor is easy to find secondhand, knowing how to shop for bathroomware on eBay and other pre-loved sites might not be on your radar.

When planning a bathroom renovation, it can be tempting to go for a brand new matching suite, both for convenience and that 'new' look. However, taking a bit more time to curate individual pieces of bathroomware for your design will actually create a much more lived-in look that reflects your individual taste.

It's also the perfect way to bring a budget bathroom idea to life. Finding bathroomware on eBay allows you to find either valuable vintage items that aren't available anymore or would cost a lot from a secondhand retailer or brand new items for less. So many people sell extra tiles or bathroomware that's no longer needed for their own renovation on eBay, so it's a great place to practice where to spend and save.

How to shop for bathroomware on eBay

Once you know how to use it, eBay is one of the best places to shop for homeware, and more specifically, bathroomware. Bathroom renovations can be costly, so if you can find ways to cut costs wherever possible, then your budget will thank you.

Particularly if you have an older property where you want to design a new space in keeping with the traditional appearance, or you just favour antique-inspired interiors, buying secondhand bathroomware (whether it's decor, taps, or a full bathroom suite) is a great way of injecting character into a space.

'If you are wanting to revamp your bathroom on a budget, shopping secondhand is a great place to start as you can often find incredible brands or beautiful vintage and antique pieces at a fraction of the price,' explains Carina Raymond, interior designer and founder of Studio Raymond. She's put together this list of bathroom items to start scanning eBay for, to give you a handy place to start.

• Reclaimed Sinks & Basins – Vintage pedestal or Belfast sinks can add instant charm. Look for durable materials like porcelain or cast iron.
• Traditional Taps & Fixtures – Classic brass or nickel taps can be restored and paired with new plumbing for a heritage feel.
• Freestanding Baths – A cast iron roll-top or clawfoot tub can be refinished for a fraction of the cost of a new one.
• Vintage Mirrors – Ornate or Art Deco mirrors add personality and are often better made than modern reproductions.
• Decorative Wall Lights – Vintage sconces in brass or frosted glass can bring warmth and elegance to the space.
• Antique or vintage chest of drawers can also be reused as vanity units and instantly add character to a bathroom.

1. Pay attention to condition

Most eBay sellers will detail the condition of the item in the description of the product, but it's important to pay close attention to the images to make sure it's as advertised. If you're unsure, there's no harm in asking the seller for better photos for peace of mind.

This is particularly important for large bathroom pieces that are tricky to return. While you'd be able to raise it with eBay and potentially get your money back, it's a lot of hard work that could be avoided.

2. Be aware of reproductions

'Be wary of items labeled ‘vintage-style’ rather than genuinely old pieces,' warns Carina Raymond, interior designer and founder of Studio Raymond.

Secondhand interior shopping has risen rapidly in the last few years, and with this expansion, comes dodgy sellers looking to sell vintage-look items for more than they're worth.

If you're on the hunt for a more valuable antique item, it's worth using eBay's Authenticity Guarantee, where the seller sends the item to an independent authenticator before it gets delivered to you. If legit, it will then come with an authentication card, offering you peace of mind and making it easier to resell if it isn't quite right for your bathroom.

3. Check compatibility

Nothing is worse than when something you've bought online turns up and is 5x smaller than what you expected. Except, of course, purchasing your dream antique taps only to find that they aren't compatible with your sink.

There's a lot more to consider when shopping for bathroomware secondhand other than simply looks. Take the time to figure out if the dimensions are correct for where it's going and if it's going to be compatible with your plumbing, electricity and existing fittings.

'Ensure taps and plumbing fixtures match UK pipe sizes and can be adapted to modern systems,' adds Carina. It's hard to tell online how big items are, so measure, re-measure and measure again.

4. Go rogue with keywords

The knack to finding the best pieces of bathroomware on eBay is to vary your keyword search. While it might seem like the easiest option to simply search for 'vintage taps', filtering it down to your specific wants and needs will take the time out of scrolling and give you more accurate results.

On Whinnie William's Instagram post with top eBay tips, she explains that 'keywords are your best friend and I love to use keywords like quirky, old, job lot, 50s, 60s or 70s to help find strange and wonderful items like these pink tiles I found under 'job lot'.'

Carina recommends the following keywords for bathroom-specific searches:

• ‘Reclaimed’ (e.g., Reclaimed cast iron bath, reclaimed brass taps)
• ‘Antique’ (e.g., Antique Victorian sink, antique wall sconces)
• 'Vintage’ (e.g., Vintage pedestal basin, vintage towel rail)
• ‘Art Deco / Mid-Century / Edwardian’ (depending on your preferred style)
• ‘Belfast / Butler Sink’ (for a classic, deep-set basin)
• ‘Clawfoot / Roll-Top Bath’ (for a timeless, elegant bathtub)
• 'Original’ (to filter out reproductions, e.g., Original brass taps)
• ‘Unlacquered Brass’ (for fixtures that will develop a beautiful patina over time)

5. Don't discount bad photos

It's easy to be enticed by well-lit, high-quality photos, but actually there might be treasure hiding in the slightly worse ones.

This isn't to say that you shouldn't look for good images - ultimately, listings with better photos will probably be a safer bet. However, plenty of people sitting on vintage bathroomware treasures might not have a knack for taking and uploading photography.

As Whinnie William's noted on her Instagram post, 'People want to get rid of something cheaply and quickly, so if you see the potential, take the risk!'