If you’ve been doing some research for your bathroom renovation lately, you’ve probably noticed that the wet room bathroom idea is the latest big trend. And that’s no surprise, because the benefits really are inspiring and super-cool.
A fresh option: If you like to get creative, a bathroom wet room is for you. A bathroom wet area means no fixed cubicles or shower trays, but a truly open-plan, modern, sophisticated look and feel throughout.
More value: For those looking to maximise their house value and re-sale price, the bathroom wet room adds a real ‘wow factor’ to your place thanks to its Japanese-style simplicity and contemporary elegance – like a 6-Star B&B!
What are wet area bathrooms, exactly?
In a traditional bathroom, some parts are waterproofed – the shower, for instance – while the rest is not. Generally, though, wet area bathrooms are completely waterproofed from floor to ceiling, wall-to-wall. A doorless shower, for instance, can be completely open anywhere in the room, with the water draining away thanks to smart gradients into the main bathroom drain. Think of it like an open-plan bathroom, where everything is designed to get safely wet.
If you’re still not sure, consider that a properly designed and installed bathroom wet area is easier than normal to clean and maintain – basically because of the simplicity and features like floor-to-ceiling tiles. Other benefits include:
- Novel, super-stylish design options
- Perfect for small bathroom spaces as well as large.
Bathroom wet room – The downsides
Are there downsides to a wet room bathroom? While we wouldn’t necessarily call them downsides, it’s important to understand every aspect of a novel idea before diving in at the deep end:
- Not suitable for everyone: Don’t forget, the very idea of a whole-room wet area is that the entire space is designed to get wet. Although perfect for people with limited mobility because of the open space nature, make sure those particularly vulnerable to slippage know the risks.
- Not everyone will love it: You might get excited when reading a real estate listing about a home with a bathroom wet room – but that doesn’t apply to everyone. Some people just want a ‘normal’ bathroom.
- Understand the cost: It may be simple, but it’s not necessarily cheap to create bathroom wet rooms. So have a look at your traditional bathroom renovation estimate and add a few more percent.
- Get the drainage right: Remember, a self-contained shower cubicle only has to manage a limited area as all the runoff rushes down a dedicated drain. In wet area bathrooms, the shower drain is basically the main bathroom drain, so if poorly designed or badly installed, drainage could be a major issue.
Ready to plan your very own wet room bathroom?
If you’ve read through this far, though, you probably love the idea of a wet room bathroom – and we couldn’t agree more! It will make a squeezy bathroom seem a lot bigger, open up cool new storage options, the kids and those with mobility issues will love it, and – let’s face it – the latest and most contemporary of modern styling simply looks and feels great, doesn’t it?
But remember: for a bathroom wet area to work well and function safely and efficiently, you’ll need plenty of expert guidance. And here at Fawcett Plumbing Adelaide, we’ve advised and worked on plenty of bathroom wet rooms all across Adelaide & beyond! Get in touch with our friendly bathroom plumbing & renovation team today to explore your options!
