Wet room cost UK 2026
A wet room is a fully waterproofed bathroom with no shower tray — drainage runs through the floor and water can wet the whole space. UK conversion costs typically run £6,000–£12,000, with high-spec installs reaching £18,000+. The premium over a standard bathroom is the tanking and drainage work.
Cost guide ranges
| Project | Standard | Premium | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convert existing bathroom (small) | £5,000–£7,500 | £7,000–£10,000 | £10,000–£14,000 |
| Convert existing bathroom (standard) | £6,500–£10,000 | £9,000–£14,000 | £13,000–£18,000 |
| Convert existing bathroom (large) | £8,500–£13,000 | £12,000–£18,000 | £17,000–£24,000 |
| New-build wet room (in extension) | £6,000–£11,000 | £10,000–£15,000 | £14,000–£20,000 |
| Wet room + WC + basin (full bathroom) | £8,000–£14,000 | £12,000–£18,000 | £18,000–£25,000+ |
What's typically included
- Strip out existing bathroom (if conversion)
- Floor preparation + sub-floor reinforcement
- Full tanking (waterproof membrane on floor and lower walls)
- Linear or square drain installation + waste connection
- Tiled floor with appropriate fall to drain
- Tiled walls (full height typically)
- Glass shower screen (frameless or framed)
- Standard shower mixer + rainfall head
- Standard WC, basin, taps
- Plastering, decoration, lighting
What's typically NOT included
- Specialist heated tiles or underfloor heating (£60–£100/m²)
- Wet-to-dry zone separation if larger room
- Spa shower with body jets (£800–£3,000+)
- Smart shower controls (£500–£2,000)
- Bespoke vanity unit / wall-hung furniture (£800–£3,500)
- Replacement waste pipes back to soil stack if old (£300–£1,500)
- Building regs application if structural works needed
What drives the price
- Tanking quality — single biggest difference between £6k and £12k. Cheap polymer membrane vs full Schluter / Marmox sheet system.
- Drainage — linear drains (£200–£600) cost more than square but look better. Existing waste position matters — new soil pipe routing adds £400–£1,500.
- Tiles — porcelain large-format (£60–£120/m² supply) is the typical mid-range. Marble or natural stone adds 50–150%.
- Underfloor heating — almost always recommended in a wet room (warmer floor, faster drying). Electric mat £40–£80/m² supply, plus install.
- Glazing — frameless 10mm glass screens £400–£1,500. Custom-curve or full enclosure £1,000–£3,500.
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How we estimated these ranges
This is a guide only. The ranges below are intended for early budgeting and trade benchmarking. They are not a substitute for a site visit or an itemised quote from a qualified tradesperson. Always get a site-specific quote before agreeing work.
What's included in these ranges: typical labour costs, common materials at standard specification, and routine preparation or installation work for a standard project of this type.
What's excluded: unusual access (multi-storey, restricted parking), unforeseen structural issues, specialist design or architect fees, planning and building control application fees, premium or high-end finishes, emergency or out-of-hours work, and regional extremes.
Regional note: London, the South East and remote rural areas can vary significantly from the UK averages shown. London labour rates in particular can run 30–50% higher than national averages on the same scope.
Sources and checks used: publicly available UK trade supplier pricing (2025–2026), common day-rate and labour-duration assumptions used in trade quoting, internal example quote structures from TailoredQuote platform data, and where relevant cross-referenced regional contractor surveys and BCIS-style construction cost data.
Last reviewed: May 2026 by TailoredQuote. Prices in this guide will be reviewed and updated periodically.
Frequently asked questions
Wet rooms cost 30–60% more than a comparable standard bathroom because of the tanking and drainage. They're worth it for accessibility (no shower tray to step over), small bathrooms (visually larger without enclosure), and high-end aesthetics.
Yes, but the floor structure has to handle the load and the tanking has to be done properly to avoid leaks to ceilings below. Most modern build-up systems are fine for upstairs use; older joist floors may need reinforcement.
Not if the tanking is done correctly. The waterproof membrane is the critical layer. A poorly-tanked wet room is a disaster. Always use an installer who can name the tanking system they use (Schluter Kerdi, Marmox, BAL WP1) and provides the tanking guarantee in writing.
1–2 weeks for a conversion (longer if the floor needs structural work). 1 week for a new-build install in a fresh extension before tiling.
Related cost guides
Last reviewed: May 2026
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