1. A floor that falls to the drain
The floor is built with a gentle slope to the drain, so water never sits. On timber floors we fit a wet-room former (a pre-sloped board); on concrete we screed the fall. The floor must be solid: any flex will crack tiles and grout.
2. Waterproofing (tanking)
The whole floor and the walls around the shower are covered with a tanking system: a membrane or liquid coating with taped corners and sealed pipe collars. We photograph it before tiling, so you have proof of the work you'll never see again.
3. The drain
- Linear drain along one wall: the floor falls one way, so large tiles work well.
- Centre drain: the floor falls in four directions, which suits small tiles and mosaics.
4. The right tiles
Use porcelain or mosaic with a slip rating of R11 (or R10 with small tiles, whose grout lines add grip). Avoid polished tiles on the floor. Glass screens stop splashes reaching the rest of the room.
What affects the cost
- The floor type and whether joists need strengthening or lowering.
- Moving the drain and pipework (your plumber or ours).
- How much of the room is tanked and tiled.
- Underfloor heating, which wet rooms dry out much faster with.
Every wet room is different, so we price after a free visit. See our wet rooms and showers page.