installing a shower

[magichamster]

Hi, does anyone have any idea roughly how much it would be to remove a bath and put a shower in instead? Is it a huge job? It's a newish house with a fairly new bathroom suit so there shouldn't be any major plumbing issues.

Thanks

The answer is of course, how long is a piece of string?

Sounds like a 3-5 day job for a plumber/tiler/builder/decorator.

Depending on labour costs in your area say £100-£200 pd - so £300-£1000 for labour.

Then add the cost of the shower.

You could get an all in solution like this for £700
www.edensteamshowers.co.uk/shower-rooms/larvik-quadrant

Or you can specify higher quality items from www.matki.co.uk/ or a similar high quality brand and spend £1000-£5000.

presumably you have no cold-water tank in the loft?

Is there a hot water cylinder? Have you got a combi boiler?

When you turn on the bat hot tap, does the water squirt out forcefully at a good temperature?

Are you thinking about an electric shower or a thermostatic shower connected to your hot water?

How close is your fuse box to the bathroom.

Is it your only bathroom? Is your house a family house? Consider resale, families expect a family bathroom with a bath not a shower.

I knew there wouldn't be an easy answer!

It's not for us but for an elderly relative who can no longer get in bath. She's in her 90's and now lives alone and is very independent. I think this may keep her out of residential care for quite a while. She has the money to do it, but is worried about the resale issue. When she no longer needs the house, it can always be put back in.

She has tried various devices to help her but these haven't been a successful solution for her, so I think taking the bath out and putting a shower in will be the best solution for her.

It's not a combo boiler, she has a tank in the loft, and it's gas central heating. Not sure where her fuse box is, but it's a fairly small 3 bedroom house.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

when you say there is a tank in the loft, I presume you mean there is also a hot-water cylinder, perhaps in an airing cupboard.

In that case, it is important that the cold supply to the shower is also taken from the loft cold tank, it must not be at mains pressure. This is usually fairly easy in an upstairs bathroom, but more difficult if the bathroom is downstairs. The flow of water will be quite good unless you buy a showerhead with tiny jets. Put your thumb over the bathroom cold tap to see if it is already tank-fed or watermains pressure.

The shower pressure will be quite poor upstairs unless you get a shower pump, which is noisy and additional cost. However if you have a shower cubicle (and I recommend a shower seat in it) I think she will be fairly comfortable with a good warm flow, even though the jet will not knock her socks off.

It is possible to get a larger shower cubicle, and to get a wetroom flat floor so there is no step and (should it become necessary) a wheelchair can be pushed in. However these are prone to leak so you need a good plumber with experience of these.

Remember to get plenty of handholds/handrails in the bathroom and shower cubicle.

We have an annexe with a shower room and corner shower cubicle we thought it would be suitable for an elderly relative but when he became poorly he was unable to step up into the cubicle, as PJ suggests you will need a VERY slimline shower tray which might be difficult if the floor is concrete ,you should consider a wet room with possible wheelchair access.

We recently fitted out a shower room with a Matki top of the range shower cubicle (ex display) and Porcelanosa tiling (reduced in the sale) all the materials came to £1500 probably reduced from about £3,000 and the labour was £1500. I would estimate a wet room would cost in the region of £5-6,000. I am sure you could whip the bath out and install a cubicle for £1,000 but be sure it is fit for purpose.

Thanks, you've raised some points I hadn't thought of. Are wet rooms suitable for upstairs?

yes, but you have to take great care with waterproofing, and it will probably need a new floor laid in 22mm WBP ply. all the pipes, drains and cables under that part of the floor will be very tiresome to access for any future maintenance.

Thanks for all the advice, will get a plumber to go round.