Lower shower tray... expensive?

[IsTheGrassGreenerEver]

We're starting to plan to redo our shower room. At the moment the shower tray is one of those with a step up, ideally we'd like something lower - not flush with the floor but a lower profile. Looking underneath the tray it seems like the height it is there to allow for the waste pipe to run from plughole/drain to waste outlet if that makes sense.

Is it a big expensive job to lower a waste pipe? I've no idea so don't want to be told a load of waffle.

I've a plumber coming next week to take a look & am hoping it's a case of if we get a tray with a different drain location it's not going to be a problem.

It’s difficult to say without looking at the job, it can depend on a number of factors mainly under the floor, like if the joists run a particular way or where the drain goes to and if there is enough fall in the pipe to it and so on…… so you can’t really put a price on it till then. Sorry.

Look at BETTE. German shower tray .

If you getting a low profile shower try I’d recommend one of these as they are excellent high flow , well made and easy to clean out. Ditch the crap ones that come with the tray ( if it does ).

mcalpineplumbing.com/traps/shower-traps-accessories/st90cp10-hp2c-112-90mm-hi-flow-shower-trap

It's not a big job per se, but it depends on how deep your floor is to allow for effective draining.

Thanks @Diyextension I'll see what the plumber makes of it next week. From the way the joists run in the attic we should be ok 🤞

One caution, if you have a 'rain type shower' you need to ensure the the drain can take the high flow of the shower.

Ours didn't and our shower tray used to fill dangerously high and so we had to have a flow restrictor fitted into the supply pipe.

The high flow traps above say they are tested to 42L per minute, I wouldn’t put anything less on a shallow shower tray. They are definitely worth the extra when fitting the tray.

Damn, that's obviously what the plumber should have fitted. He tried to get round it by fitting some sort of air valve. (It had an odd name but can't remember what it was) and that didn't really help.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles very good point, plus need to be mindful of all the hair that already gets trapped down there