installing a shower

[GeorgeEliot]

We want to replace the ridiculously tiny bath in our guest bathroom with a large walk in shower. As it is a guest room it won't be used very often.

Have had two plumbers round to quote for the job, one mentioned having to put in something called aqua board first to make the walls properly waterproof, the other one was planning to just tile directly on to the wall.

Anyone know what's for the best? Thanks.

I have aqua board rather than tiles and absolutely love it, easier to keep clean and not grout to go manky

Interesting - i was thinking of having aqua board and then tilling over it. We want something that looks traditional.

Ah what I have is perhaps something else

I know if you have a walk in shower you need to put something under the floor to make it watertight.

think your plumber is talking about this

reviews.wickes.co.uk/9987-en_gb/220561/reviews.htm

Whereas I had some of this installed

www.diamondbathrooms.com/acatalog/Wetwall_Shower_Panelling.html

Tiling is fine but if the grout or mastic cracks, the water gets into the walls/floor. The modern belt-and-braces is tanking which is a paint-on rubber shit that seals the walls/floor and you tile onto it. It's not too expensive and you paint it on everything i.e. you can't get it wrong. If you go for a wet room (no shower tray) then the floor has to be done right or it won't drain right - go for a fixed price instead of a day rate so if they cock it up they have to fix it at no extra cost.

thanks. would love a wet room but beyond our budget so just going for a v large shower that takes up one end of the room, IYSWIM. The wet wall looks v posh.

The wet walls are not really that expensive - much quicker to fit than tiles etc, so if you like the look of them don't rule them out. Blades down and dries quicker than tiles IME. We have black pixels design, hides the water marks from hard water wonderfully