Things to Consider When Planning a Wet Room

Having a wet room installed not only makes for a great looking bathroom, but it also adds value to the home should you ever consider selling up so you can move to the Bahamas. Wet rooms are considered to be the classy corner of the bathroom, classier than a certain other aspect of a bathroom at least. It’s for the class and increased home value that many people opt to install a wet room.

While the above is without a doubt correct, planning a wet room is not always as straightforward or as easy as it may at first seem; you will need to have a firm understanding of certain aspects related to the installation of the wet room before going ahead and making the decision to build it.

You first need to work out what type of wet room you want, but whichever design style you go for there are things to consider for each.

• Drainage
• Waterproofing/underfloor heating
• Size the wet room generously
• Get estimates
• Surface materials
• Choose the fittings

Know the drainage system

Whenever you choose to put your ideas into motion, you going to need to have an intimate knowledge of the drainage system that is going to be used within your planned wet room. This helps to ensure that the added disturbance to the rest of the installation is kept to an absolute minimum after the fact. The system and the piping connected to it has to be done in such a way that it doesn’t clog easily, smell and is as easy to clean (if necessary) as possible. When you have the drainage system designed and installed properly, your wet room stands a much better chance of being a total success and running exactly as it should.

Choose waterproofed floors and maybe underfloor heating

Before you finish the floor, large form tiles are popular, the waterproofing has to be completed and if you are going for underfloor heating then this should be done before that. Underfloor heating isn't strictly necessary but unless the floor is to be tilted ever so slightly toward the drain, the way most modern basins are, then drying the floor could be problematic without it. The waterproofing should go without saying but will prevent potential damage to the floor and ceiling of the room below.

Choose the wet room size designs generously

Choosing the actual design is no small thing, mostly because a wet room can be of any size. Making it fit comfortably within the bathroom itself, and making it fit the style of the rest of the room, is not always the easiest of tasks. You can make the wet room portion of the room look, and indeed the rest of it, absolutely amazing if you take your time with this portion of the installation. Colours and fittings also play a very important role of course, and these require careful consideration too.

Get your cost estimates for the whole project

When embarking on any project, and a wet room is no small thing, you can’t ignore the cost – and a project like a wet room is not exactly the cheapest thing you can do with your home. It’s important to set a budget for the project, with a margin just in case, and then get quotes from a few different contractors for the job to be completed (materials included). Of course, if you are taking the project on yourself then labouring costs don’t matter, but you still need to shop around for materials and equipment.

Pick out the best kind of surface materials for your needs

The flooring of your wet room and the materials used shouldn't be cheap, but they can still be cost-effective. Longevity and sustainability need to be taken into consideration so that they don't have to be changed often, if at all. Because the given space is going to see a lot of use, relatively speaking, the materials you choose should be able to keep up.

Decide on the fittings and shower type

There is a lot to choose from when it comes to the fixtures and fittings of the bathroom so go nuts, but make sure everything matches everything else. The shower type is one such consideration, and with so many different types on the market, you will be spoilt for choice.

To conclude

The installation of a wet room is most certainly going to increase the resale value of the home as a whole, but don’t rush into it. Take the above into account and make sure you cover everything before you make any kind of a start