Wet Rooms

If you are looking for something more impressive than a traditional shower and bath combination, then a wet room may be the perfect choice for you. Wet rooms are completely waterproofed bathrooms, complete with a walk-in shower. The whole room effectively becomes the shower - no shower tray is needed, creating a truly walk in shower room - and a drain is set into the floor, which is sloped to allow water to drain away easily.

As well as being luxurious, wetrooms are a perfect choice for many houses with unusual designs. They can be tailor made to fit any house, and any room, no matter how large or small. They are an excellent option not just for opulent mansions, but also to replace standard suburban bathrooms. They can also be installed in extremely limited spaces, such as former cupboards - the minimum space a wet room can be comfortably installed in is about 1 metre by 1 metre.

Unlike a normal bathroom, a wetroom must be completely waterproof.  Ordinary tiles and grouting are not waterproof, and water can seep into and through these in minutes, leading to damage from damp, and costly insurance claims. 

Waterproofing is usually achieved by 'tanking' the room.  This involves lining the entire room in a membrane.  Dual layer membranes are also available for extra peace of mind. 

DIY wetroom installation is certainly a possibility, and many manufacturers sell wet room kits that come with all of the materials you will need and detailed instructions. However, this is not a project to be taken lightly, as a mistake with the waterproofing in particular, can result in a great deal of water-damage to your home.

If you are confident that you have the skills needed (or can hire local plumbers who do have the skills) then a DIY wet room kit can be a sensible, cost-saving option. But if you are not confident at DIY, then it is safer (and will probably be cheaper in the long run) to hire a professional wet room installer.

There are several great options for tiling your floor.  Your choice will depend on a mix of practicality, and your own personal tastes, but this is a decision you should think over carefully as it can affect the entire character of the room.  One of the most important things to consider is the colour of the tiles - lighter tiles will make a room seem larger, whereas dark tiles can make your wetroom seem gloomy - espcially if there is no natural light coming in from a window.

Personally, I prefer stone tiles, or flagstones, such as slate, but if these are porous (as slate is) they can require re-sealing a couple of times a year, which is a bit of a hassle.  One of the biggest benefits of large tiles is that there are less gaps between the tiles, which means less grouting, and less opportunity for water to seep through and cause water damage or damp problems.  There is also less space for mold to grow, and less fiddly cleaning required.  But you can also opt for smaller ceramic tiles or mosaic tiles.  Mosaic tiles, especially, are better for grip but, because of their small size, mean more gaps and more opportunities for water damage...

 There will be little equipment in your wet room, so it's worth really splashing out on a few luxurious items that really stand out.  The shower head is often the focal point of the room, so get something that you really like the look of.  Take care, though, when choosing and installing shower heads to make sure that their water flow is not greater than the capacity of your drainage system.

If you can afford it, you might also want to consider installing electric underfloor heating to keep your feet warm.  This is particularly suitable for stone floor tiles, as well as ceramic tiles and, as well as keeping your feet warm, can be more efficient than traditional heating methods, such as radiators. 

Finally, if you have a large enough wetroom to also include a toilet, sink and towel rail, it might be worth investing in a shower screen or shower door.  Otherwise, spray from the shower has a tendency to soak your towels and loo roll!

One of the great benefits of buying a wetroom is that they are relatively low maintenance, and so the cost of running them over the long term is relatively low. Water spilled on the floor just goes down the drain, and because the whole room is tiled, it's wipe clean.  Bear in mind, though that if the room does spring a leak (unlikely, but possible) repair costs could be high.  Which brings me on to my next point...

I've looked high and low to find insurance for wet rooms, but really haven't been able to find anything. As most insurance claims related to wetrooms relate to water damage to the rest of the house, it looks like the best approach is to go with a regular home insurance policy, but to make sure when buying that it specifically covers any damage caused by wetroom leaks.  (Obviously, bear in mind that I'm not an insurance professional.  If you plan to buy insurance, or even if you don't plan to buy any, please make sure you take professional advice.)