Bathroom or wet room: which should I choose?

By the SKJ Home Improvements team · Reviewed 25 October 2026

A standard bathroom with a bath or shower tray suits most homes and usually costs less. A wet room, a fully waterproofed room with a level-access shower draining through the floor, suits accessibility needs and small spaces but costs more and needs careful floor work. Both must meet the rules on electrics, ventilation and drainage.

What is the difference between a bathroom and a wet room?

In a standard bathroom, water is contained by a bath or shower tray and a screen or enclosure, and the floor around them only gets splashes. In a wet room, the shower area is part of the floor itself. The floor is laid to a gentle fall towards a drain, and the floor and walls are fully waterproofed, or tanked, so the whole room can get wet.

There is also a middle option: a walk-in shower with a low-profile tray and a fixed glass panel. It gives much of the look of a wet room with less floor work, and suits many family bathrooms. Wet rooms are often chosen for accessible bathrooms, because there is no tray edge to step over, and a fold-down seat and grab rails can be added.

Which is right for my home?

The right choice depends on who uses the room, the type of floor and what a future buyer might expect:

Choose a wet room if someone in the house needs level access, finds a shower tray step difficult, or if the room is too small for a separate enclosure.
Choose a bathroom with a bath if you have young children, or if a future buyer is likely to expect at least one bath in the house.
Consider the floor. Wet rooms are simplest on concrete ground floors. On upstairs timber floors, the joists may need stiffening and the floor recessed or built up to create the fall, which adds cost.
Think about splashes. Towels, toilet roll and the floor by the basin all get wet in an open room. A short fixed glass screen solves most of this.
Think about budget. If the main aim is a modern, easy-to-use shower, a low-profile tray with a fixed glass panel often gives a similar look for less money.

How much does a bathroom or wet room cost?

A wet room usually costs more than a like-for-like bathroom refit, mainly because of what you can't see: the waterproofing, the drain and the screed or former that creates the fall. Premium tiles, underfloor heating and wall-hung toilets push either option higher. A standard bathroom usually takes 5–10 working days on site. A wet room typically takes 7–15, partly because tanking and screeds need time to cure before tiling.

These are typical 2026 ranges for the West Midlands, including VAT, for supply and fit with mid-range sanitaryware and ceramic or porcelain tiles:

Like-for-like bathroom refit with a standard suite: £4,500–£6,500.
Full refit, fully tiled: £6,500–£10,000; a larger or premium bathroom with a layout change: £10,000–£16,000.
Full wet room, fully tanked, in a standard-size bathroom: £6,500–£9,500; accessible or larger wet rooms: £9,000–£15,000.
Level-access walk-in shower in an existing bathroom: £5,000–£7,000.

What do the electrical rules (Part P) say about bathrooms?

In England, the Building Regulations treat the area around a bath or shower as a 'special location'. It extends up to 2.25 m above the floor (or up to the shower head, if that is higher) and 0.6 m out from the edge of the bath or shower tray. Where there is no tray, as in a wet room, it extends 1.2 m from the shower head.

Installing a new circuit, replacing the consumer unit, or adding to or altering circuits within that space is notifiable. In practice, most bathroom electrical work, such as an electric shower on its own circuit or new lights, fans or shaver points near the bath or shower, must be certified by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme or approved by building control. You should receive a certificate at the end.

What ventilation does a bathroom need?

Approved Document F sets a minimum intermittent extract rate of 15 litres per second for a bathroom. If you are adding a wet room or bathroom where there wasn't one before, one of the ways the guidance gives is an extract fan at that rate together with background ventilation, such as a trickle vent.

Fans should be ducted to the outside with runs kept short and straight, so they actually achieve their rated performance. In a room without an opening window, the fan should keep running for at least 15 minutes after the light is switched off. Good ventilation is the cheapest way to stop mould forming on a new ceiling.

Do I need tanking, and does a new bathroom need approval?

Tanking means applying a waterproof membrane or liquid system to walls and floors before tiling. The Building Regulations don't name it as a requirement, but British Standard BS 5385-1:2018 recommends waterproofing wet areas in homes, and in a wet room it is essential. Tiles and grout on their own are not waterproof. Ask which system will be used, and check it covers the whole floor and the walls of the shower area. It should be checked carefully before tiling starts, because once the tiles are on, nobody can see it.

Refitting an existing bathroom with new fittings doesn't usually need Building Regulations approval, apart from any notifiable electrical work. Creating a new bathroom or en-suite where there wasn't one usually does, because it affects drainage, ventilation and electrics. Planning permission isn't normally needed for a bathroom inside the existing house.

What else should I plan for in a new bathroom?

A few practical points are worth settling at the survey, before the design is fixed:

Asbestos: in homes built or refurbished before 2000, textured ceiling coatings, bath panels and old cisterns can contain asbestos. Have them tested before stripping out.
Water pressure and hot water: check your boiler or cylinder can supply the shower you want.
Waste routes: a toilet or shower a long way from the soil stack may need a pump or macerator, which works but needs occasional servicing.
Heating: a heated towel rail or underfloor heating keeps the room comfortable and helps a wet room floor dry.
Future access: plan removable panels for valves, pumps and the drain trap.
Lead times: make sure tiles, sanitaryware and any made-to-order shower screens have arrived before strip-out, so the room isn't out of use for longer than it needs to be.

Sources

This guide is general information for homes in England, not legal or professional advice for your property. Rules change — check with your council or the Planning Portal before you rely on it.