Wet room or shower tray?
Two ways to get a walk-in shower, side by side: cost, time, the floor and the risk.
Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.
- €5,000 to €10,000a wet room
- €9,000 to €16,000a walk-in on a low tray
- No stepin a wet room
- 10 to 14 dayson site for a wet room
Before and after
Real bathrooms, before and after the work.
Wet room or shower tray?: the short answer
A low shower tray is cheaper and quicker: €9,000 to €16,000 in Ireland. A wet room costs €5,000 to €10,000 and takes longer, but gives a level floor with no step, which matters for mobility. Both need the shower area tanked; a wet room needs the whole floor tanked and laid to fall to the drain.
The two, compared
| Low shower tray | Wet room | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost here | €9,000 to €16,000 | €5,000 to €10,000 |
| Step into it | A low lip, about 25 to 45 mm | None |
| Floor work | Only under the tray | The whole floor laid to a fall |
| Waterproofing | The shower area | The whole floor and up the walls |
| Time on site | 7 to 12 days | 10 to 14 days |
| Upstairs on timber | Straightforward | Joists strengthened and overlaid |
| Suits | Most homes, most budgets | Mobility needs, a level look, small rooms |
How to choose
- Pick a low tray if nobody needs a level floor and you want the lower price and a shorter job.
- Pick a wet room if someone uses a wheelchair, a frame or a shower seat, or the room is so small a tray and door won't fit.
- Upstairs on timber, a tray is simpler. A wet room can work, but the company needs to see the joists.
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Questions people ask us
Is a wet room more expensive than a shower tray?
Usually, yes. In Ireland a wet room is €5,000 to €10,000; a walk-in shower on a low tray is €9,000 to €16,000 as part of a full renovation.
Which is easier to keep clean?
A wet room: there's no tray edge and no door track. But the whole floor gets wet, so a fixed screen helps.
Which suits someone with limited mobility?
A level floor with no step, which means a wet room or a level-access shower former set into the floor.
Can I have a wet room upstairs?
Usually, on a strengthened timber floor laid to a fall and fully tanked. A low tray upstairs is simpler.
More from the guide
- Wet roomsWet rooms on timber and concrete floors.
- Walk-in showersThe bath out, a walk-in in: what changes and what it costs.
- Accessible bathroomsLevel showers, grab rails and comfort-height suites.
- Walk-in showers costsEvery job priced across Ireland, line by line.
- All townsAll 26 counties of Ireland compared from Census 2022.
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