The cost of a wet room, including materials, is between £4,000 and £15,000. However, this figure varies greatly depending on different factors.
Bathroom installers usually charge between £200 – 350 as their day rate for labour only.
It is difficult to give a more definitive cost, as many variables can lower or raise the cost of installing a wet room. Let’s look at things in more detail.
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Contents
Wet rooms have become increasingly popular in the UK because they are stylish, accessible for everyone, spacious, easy to clean and can increase your property’s value.
How much does a wet room cost?
Although installing a wet room has advantages, it does come at a cost.
The room must be waterproof, have correct drainage, good ventilation, and anti-slip flooring. If not done correctly, you may encounter serious problems or damage in the future, so it is advisable to hire a professional.
The cost of a wet room ranges between £4,000 and £15,000. The average cost of a wet room is £9,500.
This cost includes labour and materials but depends on many factors, such as size, materials, design, and additional features. We will discuss these in more detail later.
Here is a simple guide to the cost of a wet room depending on its size. These figures include labour and materials. However, expect the price to increase if you choose luxury tiles.
| Wet room size | Cost |
| Small wet room (2m x 2m) | £4,000 – 10,000 |
| Medium wet room (2.5m x 3m) | £6,000 – 12,000 |
| Large wet room (3m x 3.5m) | £8,000 – 15,000 |
| Get quotes | |
What factors affect the cost of a wet room?
We can see that size influences the wet room installation price, but what are the other factors? Here, we discuss the factors that will bring you to the lower end or the higher end of the spectrum:
Quality of materials
You can use a range of materials in your wet room, but the most important thing is that it needs to be waterproof, so it is advisable to use quality materials.
The bathroom fitter must use high-quality waterproofing membranes and sealing materials to ensure the wet room is long-lasting and leak-free. These materials might be more expensive, but they will be worth the investment!
The type of material you choose for the flooring and walls will also affect the price of your wet room. See below for more information on wet room flooring costs.
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Existing plumbing condition
Whether your home is new or old, the condition of the existing plumbing work will affect the cost of your wet room installation.
For instance, older bathrooms could need new plumbing or pipe rerouting and more structural work than a new build.
Removal of old bathroom
If you need the bathroom specialist to rip your old bathroom out or remove any tiles, this can significantly increase your overall price. Old, stubborn tiles can be difficult to remove, adding another day to the labour time.
You might also need to hire a skip to dispose of waste, adding another £150 – 400.
Underfloor heating
Adding underfloor heating is a luxury addition to your wet room, but you may want to consider it.
Not only will it help dry the room out after every use, but it will also make it more comfortable underfoot, especially if you have tiles.
Underfloor heating costs between £50 and £185 per m², depending on whether you have an electric system (electric mats) or a water system (pipes). Electric underfloor heating mats are cheaper as they are easy to install and come in a variety of sizes.
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Lighting
You will want some lighting in your wet room, so this will be an additional cost to your wet room.
Depending on what fixtures you choose will affect the overall wet room installation cost.
Whether you go for recessed ceiling spotlights, LED strip lights or wall-mounted lights, lighting fixtures in wet rooms need to meet IP (Ingress Protection) ratings to ensure they are safe from water exposure.
Your bathroom fitter won’t do any electrical work but they will most likely recommend or work closely with an electrician to ensure you have the correct installation.
To give you a rough idea on lighting costs, installing four spotlights will cost you around £240 – 320.
Wet room installation cost
Bathroom fitters usually charge around £200 – 350 per day. Typically, a wet room installation takes 5 – 7 days to complete, but it can be longer, depending on the job’s complexity.
As we have previously discussed, to make it a wet room, the room needs to be waterproof, have correct drainage, and have ventilation, which requires someone who knows what they are doing!
A professional bathroom fitter would typically handle all aspects of the installation, including tiling, plumbing, waterproofing, shower, and fixture installation.
However, they will work with an electrician for lighting or underfloor heating.
Installing a wet room requires a lot of work, such as:
- Installing a wet room tray or dipping the floor (creating a slight slope towards the drain)
- Applying a waterproof membrane (tanking kit)
- Sealing joints and edges
- Installing drainage system (upgrading or modifying drainage pipes)
- Installing underfloor heating (optional, and this may be a job for an electrician)
- Installing chosen water-resistant walls, i.e. tiling
- Laying the flooring
- Installing shower & fixtures
The cost to tile a wet room alone can cost between £850 and £2,200, including labour and tiles.
The more work and complexity of the installation, the longer it will take for the wet room installer to complete; therefore, labour costs will be higher.
For instance, installing a wet room tray instead of manually screeding and dipping the floor is much simpler and will save on labour costs.
Also, note that labour costs are higher in London and the south-east than in the north.
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Wet room cost calculator
To give you an idea of how much everything costs to install a wet room, here is a breakdown of the different costs involved:
| Wet room item | Cost |
| Labour | £250 – 350 per day |
| Shower tray former | £200 – 550 |
| Tanking (waterproofing) kit | £70 – 200 |
| Underfloor heating | £50 – 185 per m² |
| Tiles | £15 – 90 per m² |
| Tile adhesive | £3 per m2 for walls / £6 per m2 for floors |
| Grout | £3 – 7 per kg |
| Shower screen | £70 – 750 |
| Get quotes | |
Wet room flooring cost
Tiles are the most popular type of flooring for a wet room in the UK; however, there are different materials you can have and which will affect the price of your wet room.
In the table below are the different options you can have for wet rooms and a rough idea of the cost:
| Material | Pros | Cons | Cost (per m²) |
| Tiles |
|
|
£15 – 90 |
| Vinyl |
|
|
£10 – 45 |
| Natural stone |
|
|
£25 – 115 |
| Microcement |
|
|
£80 – 150 |
| Get quotes | |||
Each material has a low—to high-price range, so it depends on your budget which end you choose.
Which material you choose will also impact the labour cost. Vinyl is quicker and easier to install than tiles, hence a lower labour cost.
However, if you want tiles, choosing simple styles will keep down the labour cost. If you choose complicated designs such as mosaics or herringbone, this will undoubtedly increase the labour cost.
Wet room cost FAQ
Do I need planning permission to install a wet room?
You don’t usually need planning permission to install a wet room because it is considered internal work, which generally falls under permitted development.
However, you might need planning permission if you are making significant structural changes, your home is listed, you are building an extension, or you live in a conservation area or a flat.
Building regulations, however, are likely to be necessary when installing a wet room, as it must adhere to specific standards for drainage, waterproofing, and ventilation.
If it is designed for disability needs, it may also need to meet specific requirements.
How can I save on wet room installation costs?
Here are a few tips for installing a cheaper wet room:
- Choose basic, large tiles or vinyl
- Reuse existing features
- Remove bathroom and old tiles yourself; just be careful of any plumbing work in place
- Choose a shower tray former rather than dipping the floor
Above, we’ve discussed the price of installing a wet room and the costs of tiles and other materials. Hopefully, this gives you a rough guide for your project.
Next, to kick your project off, post a job to get quotes from local bathroom fitters.