FAQ

Traditionally Wet Rooms are waterproofed (tanked) rooms usually equipped with a walk in (level entry) shower. The wet room itself becomes part of the shower enclosure, with a shower drain inset into a gently sloped floor in place of a conventional shower tray. More recently with increased awareness on the importance of controlling water, most new bathrooms are required by councils to be treated as wet rooms - requiring that the total bathroom floor is tanked (waterproofed) regardless of shower type or floor slope.

Tanking is a waterproofing procedure carried out in bathrooms, wet rooms, shower rooms and sauna/steam rooms. it is installed over either timber or concrete flooring prior to tiling and protects the building against moisture migration and leaks (steam, shower spray, etc). Contrary to popular belief, virtually all tile installations are, or will become over time, moisture permeable. If not controlled properly, moisture will migrate into the house structure potentially resulting in mould growth, rot and depending upon the type of house possibly even structural damage.

Hobs (aka nib or threshold) are basically a small barrier that you (usually) step over to enter the shower. They play a major part in containing water to the shower confines both from general splash or potential drain blockage or waste over run. Of course, depending upon your preference, they can also be chosen for their aesthetic appeal and as a feature of your shower.

Aesthetically a level entry shower provides clean lines and the creation of space - as well as often giving design flexibility and a more open bathroom. Of course this isn't an advantage if you prefer the look of a Hob - see above.

Practically, level entry showers are a must for disabled or assisted showers. You may not require it now but it is a way you can future-proof your shower against even a temporary physical disruption. Despite every intention it is very hard to contain all of the water within the immediate confines of a level entry shower (creating a potential slip risk) so a hob is often chosen for that reason alone. Building and construction constrains may make level entry an expensive option so it is worthwhile checking first. If you can lower the shower floor area by 20mm then more often than not we will be able to accommodate a level entry shower.

We have 2 main types of drain available - traditional square drains positioned either in the centre of the shower base or off to one corner, and channel drains - positioned near a wall or near a glass screen.

Traditional shower designs have the waste set either at the centre of the shower base, or offset to one side (usually in the corner between two walls). A channel drain is as per its name - a channel. It is positioned in a number of places in the base but is typically against the wall underneath the rose, at the entry of the shower, or in the case of larger or double showers, longitudinally against a back wall.

Most people choose a channel drain simply for the aesthetics of one. The ability to make a bold statement or, at the other end of the scale render almost completely invisible is easier with a channel drain. The "look" of the channel is not the only reason however. The ability to provide straight lines, flat planes, and no angle cuts int he tiles means often a much cleaner look. Grout lines can be kept to an absolute minimum - additionally enhancing the finished product.

From a practical viewpoint, less grout and the absence of angle cuts also may mean a much easier shower to clean and keep clean. The "fall" or slope of a shower base with a channel drain is significantly less because of the enhanced ability to uptake water. This provides a more comfortable standing position, and a better platform for disabled or assisted showering. Of course not having to stand on the drain (because it is positioned against a wall rather than in the middle of the shower) is also often considered a preference.

We have a full range of floor drains - all tested and approved (Watermark standards) with our system. Having said, that if there is a particular channel drain that you already have then let us know - it may work well with our system.

You can from our point of view, yes. The location of the door or entrance to the shower is typically determined by the general bathroom layout. This in turn will determine the best position for the shower rose, to prevent water spraying directly onthe door, which in turn sets the ideal location of the channel drain. The most common position is below the shower rose however because the fall (angle) of the floor is not steep, the channel can easily be situated on any side of the shower - including at the doorway. If your shower is part of a refurbishment you may have issues with getting the plumbing underneath positioned but talk to us because we have a number of options.

Fall is the slope in teh shower floor that directs water to the drain. It is very important that the fall in your shower is done correctly both functionally and aesthetically. Of course hand formed falls using either sand and cement or timber are always possible but they are often time consuming, and not easy to get consistently correct. If using sand and cement there is always a risk of poorly mixed product or inconsistency which can lead to a multitude of both short and long term problems. Our falls are factory made, designed to work with the appropriate drain, and eliminate any risk. Per the BRANZ good tiling guide, our centre and off centre wastes have a 2 percent fall - 10mm per every 500mm. Our channel drain wastes have a 1 percent fall - 10mm per every 1000mm.

Absolutely - our showers are designed with this specifically in mind and will cater for all the movement and vibrations that come with such structures. In some instances level entry or design choice may be limited by the space beneath the actual floor (to lower it int he shower area) but our system is designed with the absolute minimum of lowering - often just 20mm.

We will. A number of the components can be bought separately but one of the real benefits of our product is that we supply, install and guarantee. The system is designed specifically for easy installation but there are key products and procedures that need to be followed in order to ensure long term success. We are very proud of our guarantee and getting it wrong can be very costly - as anyone who has had a poorly installed shower will tell you.

We can install the shower - including walls, floor and underfloor heating in half a day if required. Typically, though, this is worked in with the construction period and spread out over several days. Depending upon the situation we may be required to provide an additional coating over the showers and floor in which case another two days would need to be allowed for.

If (when) water finds a path through grout it can very quicly track behind tiles. If this is not handled carefully it will more than likely end up where it shouldn't. Concrete is porous and subject to cracking. Subsequent water migration can then cause damage to carpet, plaster work and stud walls etc.

No not really. Virtually all tiles and thicknesses will work with our system. Do discuss the suitability of your chosen tile with your tile retailer though.

Not at all - infact it might be a much more practical way of treating the room. Walk in showers are great for giving an impression that a space is larger than it actually is.

We certainly do - as well as an insulating underlay (to replace tile and slate underlay) that will ensure you get the most efficient and responsive floor heating possible. You don't have to have it of course but it does have many benefits and doesn't have to be expensive to purchase or to operate.

Of course but we wouldn't recommend it. The reason we include glass, apart from making it easier for you, is that it creates a barrier to physically stop water from creeping out of the immediate shower areas between the tiles and the waterproofing. We also use the glass trims to solve a number of tricky aesthetic problems that arise when tiling a traditional channel drain shower.

Yes, but there are advantages to glass. Obviously glass aids in directing water to where it should go and to a certain extent containing steam. Sometimes ensuring that the warmth generated from a nice hot shower is kept within that space. Not to mention, of course, if done properly the type of glass and door will almost always add to the whole look of the room. We have specifically chosen 10mm quality glass made in NZ to New Zealand standards with specific attention given to appropriate matching fittings and finishes. Full specifications are available upon request.

A wetroom is a room that has been waterproofed/tanked throughout. This will mean that entire floor area and the shower walls will be tanked thus providing a water tight finish, which offers full  protection against leaks. A wet area is when just the shower area has been waterproofed and in some cases only the floor.

Of course we offer a guarantee on our showers and installation and are pleased to offer a 25 year written warranty. Your REAL guarantee, however, is the research, development, testing and retesting that every component has jointly and separately undergone. The cost of failure is such that it is only common sense to specifically target the best fit-for-purpose products and product partners. Showers and Wetrooms are only limited by your imagination so there are always things we are adding or improving on, but the fundamentals will never be compromised. Apart from the overall compliance and acceptance testing already published here, if there is something specific you are unsure of, please contact us.

Yes. We have a range of set sizes but one of the attractions of our system is the ability to easily customise it to your desires.

Yes. We have a range of set sizes designed to work with the system. Of course we can customise hob size but this may lead to comprmises in other areas of the shower.

10mm (NZ standards) toughened safety glass. For those of us less enamoured with cleaning, we can easily include pre-treated Euroguard easy clean glass.

Regular maintenance is important with any areas of your home and showers are no exception. Regular cleaning will always be required but careful attention to detail during installation can make the world of difference to the time spent cleaning in the future. Two areas that require special mention are the glass and the grout. Treating the glass prior to installation by EUROGUARDING it will definitely assist. We strongly recommend using epoxy grout in showers. Traditionally disliked by tilers becuase they are notoriously tricky to install and clean up but ther are a number of products entering the market that are both practical to install and give a fantastic end result. They also don't discolour when wet. If you can't use epoxy grout, talk to your tiler, tile retailer, or give us a call. There are a number of very good alternatives.

Absolutely - one of ours that is.

The development of our showers stemmed from working with other trades and seeing the issues they had. Our showers are designed to make it as easy as possible for other trades to work to. For more details check out the downloads section or contact us and we would be happy to provide you or your Builder/ Tiler/ Plumber any information they require.

As long as they are a good quality specified for use in wet areas and designed for a particular tile there should be no issue. If you have a particular requirement or would like a specification provided please contact either us or your tile adhesive supplier.

As early as possible. Aside from making sure your project runs as smoothly as possible and minimising the work required from others, we may have some useful ideas to either save a dollar or two to achieve a particular look.