Wet Room or Framed Shower Enclosure
A wet room tanks the whole floor and lets water drain openly to a level gulley; a shower enclosure contains water within an enclosed tray and screen.
A wet room tanks the whole floor and lets water drain openly to a level gulley; a shower enclosure contains water within an enclosed tray and screen. Both work well — the deciding factors are the room's structure and who uses it.
The case for a shower enclosure
Simpler waterproofing scope, works on most existing floor structures without alteration, and suits smaller rooms where an open wet area would leave little dry space.
The case for a wet room
Step-free access for anyone with mobility needs, and a clean, open look in a larger bathroom where floor structure can accommodate the fall to a gulley.
Which wins when
Step-free access requirements point firmly at a wet room. A smaller room, or a floor structure not suited to forming a fall, points to an enclosure instead.
What we check before recommending either
- Floor structure and whether it can be built down to falls
- Room size relative to the splash zone a wet room creates
- Any accessibility requirement driving the decision
Who does the work
- Gas Safe registered engineers — registration 554328
- Worcester Bosch accredited installer
- John The Plumb Ltd, company registration 10026483
Get advice on wet room versus enclosure
Send us the room dimensions and your floor type and we'll say which format the space genuinely supports.
Questions we get asked
Is a wet room harder to keep watertight?
It relies entirely on correct tanking under the tiles, so workmanship matters more than in an enclosure, where the tray and screen do much of the containment.
Do wet rooms need special floor structure?
Often the floor needs building down or a former forming to create the fall to the gulley, which isn't always straightforward on suspended timber floors.
Can a wet room be fitted in a small bathroom?
It can, but the splash area needs realistic screening or the rest of the room stays permanently wet — worth discussing before committing to layout.