Upgrade existing shower...why do I need to take all the walls down?

We have spoken to a number of new bathroom installers about getting a new walk-in shower.....hotel style in our existing bathroom.

We have a 90's shower cubicle with fixed shower head. We have to step up and down getting in and out. Not practical anymore as we get older. We prefer the hand held shower heads also. The new cubicle would be about 90cms x 120cms and flat on the ground.

We are constantly being told they they need to take down all the bathroom walls, remove everything and then start from scratch.

I can understand them taking down two of the walls in the shower area but do they really need to take down two other walls on the opposite side of the room.

We have a perfectly good sink/deep sink and a perfectly good toilet. The mirror on our wall above our sink is perfect. I have an electrical shaving outlet above the mirror with light also. Very 1990's but very practical. The tiles in our existing shower are an off white. These tiles also are also on the other walls, covering half the walls. I reckon we could get a complimentary tile, not identical for just inside the new shower cubicle.

I was shown a new mirror with shaver outlet in a showroom recently....cost €1k. I didn't even like the look of it.

When I talk to a bathroom installer they say that they don't do micro surgery.

Does anyone know of a bathroom installer (Dublin) who would be happy to undertake some micro surgery on an existing bathroom without ripping the whole area apart? Someone who could do plumbing, tiling and some electrical work. (new heated towel rack).

Sounds like somebody wants to clean you out.
Keep asking around until you find a company which is willing to do the job the way you want it done.

This is an all depends kind of situation, but it's very important this job is done correctly, and this will not necessarily be the way you want it.

Eliminating a step up means you must convert the room to a wet room. To do that properly you need to replace and tank or waterproof the entire floor very carefully and that necessitates waterproofing running up along all walls. How high depends on the size of the room and areas that will be subject to splashes or direct spray.

You will likely get someone to agree to do a smaller scale job, but be prepared for it to leak in time and good luck getting them back to put it right or deal with the potential structural damage to your home.

As ever, the best approach is to get three or more recommended trades out to quote and outline how they suggest the result you want should be achieved.

Leo said:

that necessitates waterproofing running up along all walls

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But why all walls? I have two walls far enough away from the shower that could not be effected by some splashing. I will have a stone non slip tray with glass siding to one side.

WaterWater said:

But why all walls?

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Because water will generally find it's way to an unprotected side where it will seep in underneath the floor waterproofing and destroy everything underneath. You might be more careful than many in keeping water on the floor to a minimum, but the trades won't want to risk their reputation or insurance by not following the tanking systems manufacturer's recommendations and minimum specs.

You talk of

micro surgery

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But not seeing the room its not so easy to get advice.
Based on some of your comments above your are on a budget but I would urge caution.
There is no point doing a "job" now and having to revisit it again


To get someone here to maybe give a more nuanced answer you may have to give a more detailed explanation.

We have a 90's shower cubicle

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Size? 70cm*70cm? bigger?
Is this in an alcove of sorts or free standing in a corner?
If its 70*70 and your new unit is 90*120 then the pipe work may need adapting.

As you mentioned above its there about 30 years.
It might be better for the long term if you fix any pipe work or plumbing now when it opened up.
Extra cost now but long term it probably would be best.


We will be replacing our bath later this year/next year with a large walk in shower to future proof ourselves.
In Midwest so no use advising on plumbers/contractors in Dublin.
Ours will be "simpler" as no walls need moving and pipe work is not changing bar probably moving waste trap.
That been said we are under no illusions its not a "days work" either.

The tiles in our existing shower are an off white. These tiles also are also on the other walls, covering half the walls. I reckon we could get a complimentary tile, not identical for just inside the new shower cubicle.

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For the tiles we plan to remove all tiles over the bath.
Extra cost but in the grand scheme cleaner and easier than trying to match a decade and a half old tiles in our case and 30 (?) in yours..

Is this shower cubicle upstairs?

You mention a "step" into the current cubicle.
We have a separate ensuite and our shower there also requires "stepping" in.
That been said it has a "lip" inside which the tiles and shower door sit.
No leaks.
All the larger bases we are looking at do not have this.
They are suggesting a "double sided sealant type strip" as its the latest solution.

fixed shower head

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Is this staying put or will the new unit size necessitate a new centralized location?

What many of us think of as a "small job" isn't always so when you start to do the work.

I got 3 bathrooms replaced. They had to build a new wall to accommodate the shower tray size we wanted.
The stud wall in my ensuite had to be rebuilt as well for some reason, I was not charged extra they absorbed the cost of it.
The tanking and water proofing went from floor to ceiling the took no chances.

Trust me, you either do the job right, or else you leave it as is, especially in a high moisture water content area like a bathroom.