Is a Wet Room a Good Alternative to a Bath?
Wet rooms are one of the biggest bathroom trends at the moment. We all love the idea of having a completely waterproof room with a huge shower, and not having to install a shower tray or bath in the corner of your bathroom can definitely be an added bonus! But although wet rooms may be trendy and convenient for some, are they truly worth ripping out your bathroom for?
In this blog, we will explore whether gutting out your bathroom and replacing it with a wet room is the best choice for you.
The Pros
Accessibility friendly
Unlike a bath which can be difficult for some people to get in and out of, a wet room is ideal for anyone suffering from disabilities. There’s no need to awkwardly manoeuvre yourself over a bath rim, instead, you can simply walk into your wet room with ease. The large space of a wet room is also perfect for anyone who requires a mobility aid.
Ideal for smaller bathrooms
If you have a smaller bathroom, a wet room might be the way forward for you. These innovative spaces create the illusion of a larger area, meaning if you install a wet room in a smaller bathroom, you'll still feel comfortable in the space. Where a bath is likely to take up a considerable amount of room in your bathroom, a wet room conveniently opens up the space instead.
To make the most of your small bathroom, you can try these tips.
Beautiful modern feel
It’s clear to see why so many people desire a wet room. Boasting a beautifully modern aesthetic, you can easily transform a drab, tired bathroom into a stylish, contemporary space. Where a generic bath can create a bathroom that's ordinary, a wet room makes for a bold and unique statement in any home. Creative freedom can also be yours in these diverse spaces, with a wide variety of different colours and styles on offer.
Looking for more information on wet rooms? Read our blog on everything you need to know about wet rooms.
The Cons
Are you looking to sell?
If you're planning on living with your wet room for decades to come, then considering how easy it would be to sell your home on becomes far less of an issue. However, if you have one eye on the future and are thinking of moving on in a few years, consider your target market when it comes to sales. If you're thinking of changing the only bathroom in a family home to a wet room without a bath, this could potentially put off a huge number of families who prefer to give their babies a bath rather than a shower. Young professionals, on the other hand, may find a modern wet room far more appealing than the traditional bathroom, and people suffering with mobility issues could also prefer a shower to a bath, too.
Although a beautiful wet room could add thousands to the price if you are pitching a city centre flat to a young professional, it could also be detrimental if you are trying to sell a characterful house in the countryside. The cost of installing your wet room should also be weighed up against how much value it could add to your home.
Expense and disruption
Wet rooms are more complicated and expensive to install than a normal bathroom as the whole room has to be completely sealed and water tight. The typical cost of installing a wet room at home is anything between £5,000 and £10,000, compared with a new bathroom suite costing around £1,000. Installing the waterproof tanking on all of the walls and laying a wet room deck and waterproof membrane on floors is also more time consuming than just fitting a new bathroom suite, and if you only have one bathroom in the house, then it might be impractical.
Is your flooring suitable?
Not many of us have carpet in the bathroom, but there are many other flooring types which are not appropriate to use in a wet room. We recommend tiles as the best option for a wet room floor.
Where a wet room is limited to only a few flooring options, with a generic bathroom design that houses a cabinet, bath, and standard fittings, you have the flexibility to use a variety of materials like cork tiles, laminate or even put a rug down to keep your toes warm!
Property style
Lots of us like period houses with original features, and it could look a little odd to go into a Victorian house to find it stripped of its ceiling roses and iron fireplaces and find that the owner has installed a cutting edge wet room. Victorian bathrooms with high ceilings may not lend themselves well to the look of a wet room, which is often more appropriate in a modern or new build property. Also, ripping out original features in a bathroom to install a wet room may result in lower offers if you decide to sell your home in the future.
Will you miss your bath?
When it comes down to choosing if a wet room is the right choice for you, the only true question you need to ask yourself is simple; could you live without a bath? Can a wet room ever compare to the bubble-filled joy of a warming bath tub? Could you miss out on that soothing soak after a long, hard day? And does the glamour and style of a luxurious wet room compete with the relaxing feel of a tempting bath?
If all this talk of wet rooms has made you want to try your hand at installing your own, then read our blog on How to Turn Your Bathroom into a Wet Room.
You might also be interested in - Small Wet Room Ideas - Wet Room and Walk-in Shower Enclosure Ideas - How to Turn Your Bathroom into a Wet Room.
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