Importing home improvement goods from the UK

Hi i am currently renovating my house, so i've been checking out prices for wooden floors, bathrooms, paint, tiles, furniture, etc. i have checked what these items cost here and what they cost in the UK and they are generally coming out alot cheaper in the UK, just as an example a whirlpool bath was 700 euro cheaper and wooden floors where up to a third cheaper.
I have read previous posts and think i'm correct in saying that if i was to go over and fill my van, customs wouldn't have an issue with this because i would have paid the UK vat.
My question is has anyone done this, i see loads of people are importing cars from the UK, but the savings are there on most items when it comes to renovating.
The way the sterling is at the moment just makes the savings better,

Hi Dmac, there are a few previous threads on this. A number of the UK companies will ship to Ireland, so that might save you on the ferry, etc. costs of collecting them yourself.
Leo