Costs
Wet room costs explained
Why a wet room costs more than a shower room, and what you are paying for beneath the tiles.
A wet room usually costs more than a comparable shower room, and the difference is almost entirely in work you will never see once the tiles are down.
This guide explains where that extra money goes so you can judge whether a wet room is the right choice for your room.
The floor is the expensive part
A wet room needs a fall built into the floor so water runs to the drain rather than towards the door. On a timber floor that means cutting into or building up the structure, fitting a former and reworking the waste beneath.
On a concrete floor it means forming falls in screed. Either way, this is a day or more of work before a single tile appears.
Tanking is not optional
The whole wet area is waterproofed with a membrane system before tiling. Tiles and grout are not waterproof, so a wet room without proper tanking is a leak with a delay on it.
Where wet rooms save money
There is no tray, no bath and often no enclosure beyond a single fixed screen. In very small rooms a wet room can also remove the need to reconfigure the layout, because the whole floor becomes the shower.
When a wet room is worth it
For accessibility it is frequently the best answer available: nothing to step over and space for assistance if it is needed. For style led projects in larger homes it delivers a look that a tray simply cannot.
- Level access needed now or expected in future
- Very small rooms where a tray wastes space
- A seamless tiled look across floor and shower area
- Ground floor rooms with a concrete slab, where falls are easier
When it is not the right call
If you want to keep a bath, if the floor structure cannot take the build up or if the only bathroom in the house is used by young children, a well fitted low profile tray shower is often the more practical choice. We say so at survey rather than selling the more expensive option.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is a wet room always more expensive?
Usually, because of the floor work and tanking. The saving on a tray and enclosure rarely offsets it.
Can a wet room go upstairs on a timber floor?
Often yes, with the right former and a structural check. It costs more than a ground floor concrete installation.
Will the rest of the bathroom get wet?
Not with correct falls, a suitable screen and a well placed showerhead. Poorly designed wet rooms are what give them that reputation.
Do wet rooms need a special floor tile?
They need a slip rated tile in a size that follows the falls. Very large tiles do not sit well on a sloped area.
How long does a wet room take to build?
Typically a few days longer than an equivalent shower room, because of the floor preparation and tanking.
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