Shower Installation: What Fitting a New Shower Involves

Shower installation can mean swapping a worn out shower for a new one of the same type, adding a shower over an existing bath, or building a new enclosure where there was none. The first is a short job; the last involves plumbing, waste, waterproofing and tiling. What decides the work is your hot water system, where the water can drain, and whether the walls around the shower are properly sealed. This guide walks through each so you can describe the job accurately when you ask for a price.

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Job one: replacing a shower like for like

If the old shower is failing and you want the same kind back, this is the simplest version. An electric shower is isolated at the consumer unit, removed and the new one wired and plumbed to the same points. A bar mixer on exposed pipes is swapped at the wall fittings. A concealed thermostatic valve is harder, because it sits behind the tiles; if the new valve does not match the old body, tiles have to come off to reach it.

Take a photo of the existing shower and any label on it before you call. It saves a lot of guesswork about what will fit.

Job two: adding a shower over the bath

This is common in older terraces and semis where there is no room for a separate enclosure. The fitter needs a hot and cold supply at the right height, or a spare electrical circuit for an electric unit. The wall around the bath has to be waterproof to full shower height, which usually means tiling or panelling higher than a bath alone would need. A fixed screen and a good seal along the bath edge keep the water in. Our comparison of a shower over the bath and a separate shower helps if you are undecided.

Job three: a new shower enclosure

Building an enclosure from scratch brings in every trade. A tray or a level floor former goes down with a waste that has enough fall to drain. Supplies are run to the valve position. Walls are boarded and the wet zone tanked so water cannot reach the plaster or timber behind. Then tiling or wall panels go on, followed by the screen, the valve trim and sealing. Our walk in shower options and wet room or enclosure guides go deeper on the choices.

Your hot water decides the shower

• Combi boiler: mains pressure hot water, suited to a thermostatic mixer. Flow depends on the boiler's output and your incoming mains.
• Unvented cylinder: good pressure and flow, suited to mixers and larger heads.
• Gravity fed tank and cylinder: low pressure unless pumped. A pump or an electric shower is the usual answer.
• Any system: an electric shower heats cold mains water itself, so it works even when the boiler does not, but flow is modest.

If your current shower is weak, read our guide to low water pressure in a shower before choosing a replacement, as the cause may be the supply rather than the unit.

Electrics and regulations

Electric showers, pumps and extractor fans in a bathroom all fall under Part P of the Building Regulations. A higher powered electric shower than the one you have may need a new, heavier cable back to the consumer unit. Our own electricians handle this, and the building regulations guide explains what applies.

Waterproofing is where showers fail

Most shower problems we see later are not the valve. They are water getting behind the tiles through failed grout or sealant, or trays that were bedded badly and flex. A shower can look perfect and still be soaking the wall. That is why the preparation behind the finish matters more than the brand of the shower; our guide to a shower leaking behind tiles shows what happens when it is skipped.

Getting a shower fitted

Shower work sits within our bathroom fitting and walk in shower services, with plumbing, tiling and electrics done by our own team. You get a fixed written quote within 24 hours of the survey. Send us details of the shower you want or call 01782 901390.

Common questions