How Much Does a Wet Room Cost?

A wet room installation in an existing bathroom, converting from a standard bath or shower arrangement, typically costs between £4,000 and £8,000 for labour and materials. This assumes the homeowner is supplying tiles; if tiles are included in the quote, add the material cost on top.

The floor grading, tanking, and drainage work is the most technically demanding part of the installation and cannot be skimped on. Labour for a wet room installation tends to be higher than for a standard bathroom fit because of the additional skill and time required at the waterproofing and floor preparation stages.

At the upper end of the range, wet rooms with underfloor heating, premium linear drainage, frameless glass screens, and large format porcelain tiles can exceed £10,000 to £12,000, depending on the size of the room and the specification.

Floor construction: timber suspended floors require a different drainage and waterproofing approach to concrete or beam-and-block floors. Timber floors are common in older properties and need a wet room former or a bespoke drainage solution. This adds cost compared to a concrete base.

Drainage type: a standard central or off-centre drain is less expensive than a linear channel drain. Linear drains are popular for aesthetic reasons and allow the tiles to run in one direction, but they cost more for the drain unit and require more precise floor grading.

Glass screens: frameless glass panels or screens add significant cost, typically £500 to £1,500 depending on size and specification. Many wet rooms work well without them, particularly in smaller spaces where the screen is less necessary.

Tile size and format: large format porcelain tiles require a flatter substrate, which means more preparation time, and they cost more per square metre than standard ceramic tiles. The total tile cost for a wet room depends on the area to be tiled and the tile chosen.

A shower room with a tray and enclosure is a more straightforward installation: the tray contains the water, and the enclosure keeps it in place. A wet room has no tray or barrier: the entire floor surface must drain correctly, and every surface that can be reached by water must be properly waterproofed.

The tanking process, where the floor and lower walls are coated in a waterproof membrane before tiling, is a critical stage that takes time to do properly. The floor must also be graded accurately toward the drain, which requires skill and patience. These stages cannot be rushed without compromising the integrity of the installation.

A wet room fitted without proper tanking or with poor floor grading will leak, usually into the floor below. This is expensive to put right and causes significant damage. The additional cost of getting it done properly at the outset is considerably less than the cost of rectifying a failed installation.

Ask the installer specifically about their waterproofing method: which tanking system they use, how many coats are applied, and whether the floor is tanked before the former or drainage is fitted. A fitter who cannot give you a clear answer to these questions is a warning sign.

Look at examples of their previous wet room work if you can. The finish quality of the tiling and the neatness of the drainage installation are visible indicators of care and skill.

References from previous wet room customers are worth asking for. A problem with a wet room often does not become apparent immediately: leaks can take months to manifest. A customer who had a wet room fitted a year or two ago and is happy with it is a better reference than a recent installation that has not been tested over time.