Budget is key for any bathroom remodel and after reading this walk-in shower costs guide you’ll have a much better idea of how much you will have to spend to get what you want.
Whatever your shower room ideas, there are a host of components that make up a walk-in shower. It's not just the cost of the shower you need to consider. There’s the basics such as the shower unit, shower screen/enclosure and shower tray. But beyond this you need to consider prices for wall coverings, any extras and of course installation.
There’s a lot to consider and here we look to cover all aspects and give you pointers to prices for everything you’ll need.
How much does a walk-in shower cost?
Walk-in showers come in many different shapes, styles, types and materials. All of this will have an effect on the price you should expect to pay. Low-end walk-in showers can cost as little as £100, but this will only be for the unit. On top of this you will need to think of doors/shower enclosure, shower trays, pipework, tiles/wall panels and of course installation costs. More of this later.
If buying shower tray separately, they start at around £150-£200, like this Slimline White Gloss Rectangular Shower Tray from B&Q. While plain white low-cost tiles cost around £10-12m2. But expect to pay on average around £15-30m2 for better quality tiles.
As a general guideline, material costs are typically around 30-50% of the overall cost for a new walk-in shower.
Try these walk-in showers in your bathroom
Diamond Grid Wet Room Shower Screen
Pair this up with a rectangular shower tray and dark tiles to get a sophisticated and contemporary looking walk-in shower for less.
Matrix Ultimate Walk In Enclosure
A smart looking walk-in shower enclosure that comes with 10mm glass. This set includes a main screen, return panel, side panel and shower tray.
Cooke & Lewis Square Shower enclosure
A budget square corner entry double sliding door with an aluminium frame. Comes in a space saving 700mm x 700mm making it ideal for small bathrooms.
Thomas Oldham
Thomas Oldham has spent the past four years using his expertise of working in the engineering and construction industry for over a decade to develop the UK Construction Blog - a leading online platform dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses in the construction industry.
Walk-in shower installation costs
Installing a walk-in shower is not a job for most DIYers as Thomas Oldham, Co-Founder, UK Construction Blog suggests, “Installation needs careful planning and skilled workmanship, and proper tiling and plumbing are essential.”
So you really need to call in a professional to get the job done. But how much should you expect to pay? Oldham adds, “A walk-in shower can start from around £1,500 for a simple setup to £7,500 for something high-end. A basic unit might cost between £300 and £2,000, while luxury features can push the price up to £4,000.
Then you need to think about other extras such as tiles. These will cost a minimum of £30-£40 an hour, or £200+ a day for labour.
Factors affecting the cost of installation
Alex Woods
Alex is a marketing manager at Victorian Plumbing, a major online bathroom and kitchen retailer based in Merseyside, UK.
Alex Woods, bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing extols the virtues of a walk-in shower, “When considering a walk-in shower, it’s important to factor in the upfront and long-term costs. While the upfront cost may be higher compared to traditional showers, the added value comes from enhanced style, accessibility, and functionality.”
He adds, “A walk-in shower enclosure can range from £300-£800, but this generally does vary depending on installation and materials.” The type of walk-in shower you have does affect the installation costs.
If you have a large screen, this is typically quicker and easier to install so this will keep installation costs down. There are budget door options available from as little as £100 which can keep the material costs down, but may do little to affect the installation costs.
Wood shares other factors that will affect installation costs, “Added costs may come from plumbing adjustments, waterproofing, or custom glass panels.”
Cost to replace a bath with a walk-in shower
If it's time to say goodbye to your old bath and hello to a new walk-in shower it makes sense to know the cost before you plough ahead. You’ll need to make sure that it fits within your budget. And if it doesn't you can wait, or consider tackling some of the simpler jobs yourself to save money.
You’ll need to remove and dispose of the old bath before you can even think about installing a walk-in shower. You can expect to pay around £200+ to remove and dispose of an old bath. You can remove and dispose of yourself to save money. You will need to check with your local recycling centre to see if they will accept it. You might need to cut it up to get rid of it.
Then you will need to consider the current plumbing setup. It won’t be a straight replacement so costs will vary depending on complexity and positioning. Plumbers charge around £50 an hour so expect to pay a minimum of £200.
Other costs will be the need for a base for the shower and installation of the shower tray and the tray itself. You may also need to reconfigure the space with stud walling and waterproof board. Plus, to finish you will need to consider tiling, which costs around £200 a day for labour charges. In total expect to pay a minimum of £1500-£2000.
FAQ
What extras should I consider and how much do they cost?
Budget is typically a big part in a bathroom remodel, but if you’re free of budget restrictions or happy to spend a little extra to get the perfect walk-in shower for your needs there are some smart extras you should consider.
Here we look at what you can add to a walk-in shower that will add little to your budget but plenty to your finished product.
Introduce shower seating Before your new walk in shower is built, discuss with your builder how to integrate some simple bench seating. The added extra cost shouldn’t be much more than £200. The alternative is to add a hardwood bench like this The Original Asia 18" Teak Shower Bench from Amazon. This allows you to move it in and out of the shower as needed.
Add a shower niche When designing a walk-in shower consider a shower niche to store shampoo bottles, soap and other shower products. You can design in an integrated niche and tile to match the rest of the wall. Or, invest in a niche like this RAK Ingot Square Recessed Niche with LED from Victorian Plumbing to complement your design.
Say hello to shower panel wall panels If you fancy something different to tiles you should consider shower wall panels like this Premium Large Grey Stone Shower Panel from B&Q. They are cost effective, quicker and easier to install and offer different styles and finishes to tiles.
Go doorless If you have the space, introduce a doorless design. This adds a contemporary feel to a walk-in shower, offers easy access to the shower and improves ventilation. To create the doorless look you need a shower screen like this Nuie Wetroom Screen from Victorian Plumbing, which costs around £200-£300.
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Steve Jenkins is a freelance content creator with over two decades of experience working in digital and print and was previously the DIY content editor for Homebuilding & Renovating.
He is a keen DIYer with over 20 years of experience in transforming and renovating the many homes he has lived in. He specialises in painting and decorating, but has a wide range of skills gleaned from working in the building trade for around 10 years and spending time at night school learning how to plaster and plumb.
He has fitted kitchens, tiled bathrooms and kitchens, laid many floors, built partition walls, plastered walls, plumbed in bathrooms, worked on loft conversions and much more. And when he's not sure how to tackle a DIY project he has a wide network of friends – including plumbers, gas engineers, tilers, carpenters, painters and decorators, electricians and builders – in the trade to call upon.
