A wet room is chic, sleek, stylishly minimalist – a desirable feature in every modern home and a popular alternative to traditional bathrooms.
Wet rooms – essentially a large, tiled waterproof shower-room, the floor very slightly inclined towards a plughole to drain any waste water. They not only look luxurious, but they are the perfect space-saving solution, ideal for en suite bathrooms, second bathrooms or small apartments. They’re also quick and easy to clean, and of course come with the bonus of effortless accessibility for anyone with mobility issues.
Wet rooms are an exciting concept, one which our bathroom designers and skilled bathroom fitters have embraced wholeheartedly at Port Marine Bathrooms.
If you’re wondering whether a wet room would suit your home and lifestyle, here are some key points, generated by our experienced wet room installation team in Bristol, that may help you make up your mind:
Wet Room Waterproofing
Installing a wet room is a little more complex than just fitting an ordinary new bathroom, because it requires sound preparation and tanking of the floor and walls to make the whole space watertight. Professional installers will use a tried and tested tanking system that will ensure that no moisture will seep through the walls of the room into the wider structure when the wet room is just that …. wet.
Along with tanking the wet room must be prepared to handle drainage, so waste water can be channelled into an exit plughole – much like a shower cubicle in a traditional bathroom. This is accomplished by fitting a sub-floor with a slight gradient at the appropriate angle – hardly noticeable once the floor is finished with tiles or vinyl flooring (which should be non-slip for safety’s sake).
Ventilation for a Wet Room
Imagine your wet room as one big shower cubicle and you will realise that after you’ve sprayed it with water, it may need some help to dry out so you don’t end up with mould and mildew. You’ll need a good quality extractor fan, vented to the outside, to ensure good ventilation, and if there’s a window in the room it’s a good idea to leave it open whenever possible. You can also have underfloor heating fitted, which helps keep things nice and dry, and keeps your toes toastie while you’re enjoying your ablutions.
Design and Layout of a Wet Room
Many people think a wet room can’t accommodate a bath. In fact, you can put anything in a wet room, as long as it is adequately protected from moisture, so if there’s enough room you can have a shower, bath, toilet and wash basin in your wet room. Free-standing baths, in particular, look very stylish and work well in a wet room – and why not opt for a modern wall-mounted toilet with a concealed sistern for a truly unadulterated aesthetic?
Without the constraints of an enclosed shower cubicle you can opt to wash under a soaking rainforest showerhead, and you won’t have to worry about the dangers that can be posed by tripping over the lip of a shower tray.
A wet room can be attractively designed to optimise every inch of available space. It’s useful to work with a bathroom fitter who uses 4D CAD virtual design software, so you can see how everything fits together before you go ahead with your wet room project.
Wet Room Electrics
Not surprisingly there are strict guidelines to follow when it comes to installing lights, electrical sockets and switches in a wet room. In fact, the building regulations state that no mains voltage may be fitted in a wet room, so all lights need to be enclosed and mounted on the ceiling with a pull cord switch to operate them. It is permitted to have wall-mounted switches outside the wet room, however – the same goes for extractor fans and any electric heating you may choose to fit in your wetroom.
Cost of a Wet Room Installation
Fitting a wet room in your home is slightly more expensive than installing a normal bathroom. The extra cost will come from the labour and materials involved in making the room watertight from floor to ceiling, and possibly the modification of the electrical system and plumbing to accommodate the wet room concept.
Overall though, if you opt for a wet room designed and installed by a reputable company you will be adding value to your property, and investing in an easy to clean and maintain bathroom that will stand the test of time.
Excited about the idea of enhancing your home with a Wet Room? If you live in North East Somerset contact Port Marine Bathrooms and explore all the options, including paying just 10% deposit with our 0% finance plan which is available to those who qualify.
