If you are thinking about installing a new shower in your bathroom, there are a whole range of shower options available on the market for you to ponder and consider. The type of shower you choose will have an impact on the final supply and labour costs of installing it.
It’s therefore important that you have a good idea of your budget before you begin to shop around for a shower. Make sure to take into account the installation costs as well as the supply costs when you begin to budget for this home development project.
The difference between types of showers is discussed later on to give you some guidance on what the best type of shower for your home would be, to help ensure you pick the shower type that best suits your needs.
Our guide takes a look at the different kind of showers available, shower installation costs, what affects the cost of installing different types of showers, how you can save money on a shower installation, and the best way to find a professional installer.
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How Much Does a New Shower Cost?
The cost of a new shower will largely depend on the type of shower you’d like installed. Each shower type has its own price range, and labour costs will differ from shower to shower also.
Some showers will be far more complex and time-consuming to instal than others and the state of your current plumbing will also be a factor in the total labour costs.
| Shower Type | Supply and Labour Costs | Time Required | Total Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric showers | £150-£200 | Two to eight hours | £200 |
| Mixer showers | £50-£150 | Two to eight hours | £150 |
| Power showers | £150-£500 | Two to eight hours | £350 |
| Thermostatic showers | £150-£200 | Two to eight hours | £200 |
| Digital showers | £300-£1,000 | Two to eight hours | £600 |
On average, the cheapest shower option to consider purchasing will be a mixer shower, which is likely to cost between £50-£150 for supply and labour costs. A mixer shower mixes hot and cold water from an existing source of water, and usually requires electricity to run.
If you have a bit more of a budget and don’t think that a mixer shower is the right option for you, you should consider looking into electric showers, power showers, and thermostatic showers.
An electric shower is likely to cost from £150-£200 and uses an electric in-heating device to instantly heat cold water. Electric heaters don’t have a pump installed with them to improve water pressure, however.
A power shower also uses both hot and cold water to reach your preferred water temperature. With this type of shower, a pump is installed in the wall to increase the water pressure.
Power showers are known for being an enjoyable and sought-after shower experience. They are a slightly more expensive choice and are estimated to cost between £150-£500.
A thermostatic shower is likely to cost from £150-£200 and has a system of internal valves that detect changes in water temperatures to regulate the temperature. This prevents scalding water from leaving the shower and causing any harm or discomfort to the individual using the shower.
The most expensive type of shower is a digital shower, costing from £300-£1,000. Digital showers are a new technological advancement that combines mixer showers with digital control, giving you more control over the temperature of the shower and the water pressure of your shower.
As digital showers involve the latest technology and come with an external LED control pad as well as a digital thermometer, you should be prepared for more expensive costs to have a digital shower installed in your property.
If you’re looking to compare contractor quotes for a shower installation, use HouseholdQuotes to compare a range of quotes with one simple click. HouseholdQuotes will show you a selection of quotes to help make sure you pick the absolute best installer for the job!
Click To Get QuotesWhat Affects the Cost of a New Shower?
A series of different factors will have an impact on the final cost of installing a shower in your home.
Type of Shower
The largest impact on the cost of a new shower is the type of shower you want installed. Once you’ve done your research into what types of showers are available and lined that up against what you require from a shower, you can begin to budget accordingly.
Showers that are more complex to install, such as digital showers, will cost more than a like-for-like replacement of an old shower with an identical unit.
Any Other Plumbing Work
If you’re installing a new shower as part of a larger bathroom renovation project, remember to take into account any other work that may need to be done, such as tiling or appliance fittings. This work will impact your final installation cost.
Similarly, if there is any pipework or plumbing that needs to be done alongside the shower installation, this will also add to the final cost, as the work may need to be carried out before the shower can be installed.
You can expect a plumber to charge between £30-£60 per hour on average, though this rate does depend on the individual or company. If your plumbing job is going to be a larger project that may be one- or two-day’s work, the plumber could offer you a daily rate instead which is likely to be between £50-£200.
Ease of Access
If you are hoping to renovate your bathroom with a new shower but your bathroom is extremely space inefficient, you may be required to change up the layout of the room so that your ideal bathroom design can be made a reality.
If this is the case, you should speak to a bathroom designer or plumber to find out the best position for installation in your bathroom to reduce the amount of extra plumbing needed. This will also hopefully keep your costs of installation for new appliances down.
Location
As with all home renovation or construction projects, where you are located in the UK will undoubtedly impact the final cost of a shower installation project.
If you’re located in central London, you can expect the prices for installing your shower to be two to three times more expensive than shower installation pricing for a property located in the Western or Northern regions.
How Can I Save Money on a New Shower?
You should first decide which type of shower you want installed. This will dramatically impact the final cost of your shower installation as there is a large price difference between different types of showers.
You should also take into account your current plumbing situation and whether or not this will allow for the type of shower you want. If you need additional plumbing done to make your bathroom suitable for a certain type of shower, this will be an extra cost.
You can consider installing a new shower yourself as a way of keeping labour costs down, but it requires plumbing knowledge and confidence in the installation process. Installing a shower is a job that involves water and electricity and, to be safe, we would recommend you hire a professional to complete the job to avoid any potential accidents.
It is worth paying the initial installation labour costs for a shower that will be installed correctly and won’t need repairing shortly down the line.
Some showers, such as the digital shower, do come with additional accessories such as remote controls, that can be used to improve the quality of the shower experience. Whilst these accessories are nice to have, particularly if you’re a tech fiend, they aren’t essential and can be left off your purchasing list until your budget can accommodate them if need be.
Click To Get QuotesWhat’s the Best Type of Shower?
There isn’t one right answer to this question as all homeowners have a difference in opinion on what constitutes the greatest shower experience! To answer this question, you need to think about what you value in a shower and what will make you happy to have a new one installed.
The table below examines the advantages and disadvantages of the most common types of showers in the UK to give you some guidance on what showers work best and in what ways.
| Type of Shower | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Mixer | -Mixer showers can be more powerful than other types of showers -A mixer shower can save money on your water bill as it doesn’t heat any water itself -Mixer showers can be concealed in the wall if this a type of design you like | -It’s easy to use up all of the hot water from your boiler with a mixer shower -As the mixer shower depends on the boiler, if the boiler fails the shower won’t work -Requires a good and reliable water pressure in the home to work well |
| Electric | -You will have no fear of running out of hot water with an electric shower -Electric showers are typically very easy to instal so are less time-consuming for the contractor -If your boiler fails you will still be able to have a hot shower | -Electric showers do rely on your existing water pressure. If the pressure is low, you will get a low-pressure shower -If you encounter a power cut then the shower will not work |
| Power | -A much more powerful shower than other shower types -Very quick and easy to instal which could potentially save you money on labour costs -Even if you have low water pressure, you will still have a quick and powerful shower | -Does use more water than other shower types -Needs a hot and cold water supply to run correctly -Is a more expensive shower option |
| Thermostatic | -Regulated water temperature stops harmful incidents with boiling water -Is a great option for family homes or the homes of elderly residents -Creates the ideal shower experience with temperature control | -Needs a hot and cold water supply to run correctly -May not allow for extremely hot or cold showers if that was your desire -Could initially be more expensive as the valves are expensive to purchase |
| Digital | -Is a highly technologically advanced shower -Can change temperature of water to your exact specifications -Can control the water pressure with the panel | -The most expensive shower option -If you do not feel comfortable or fluent in technology it could be confusing to operate |
Thermostatic showers are usually a great option for homeowners with young children who are concerned about the possibility of a safety incident with the temperature of the shower water. They are also a great fit for homes owned by elderly residents who require the shower temperature to be consistent at all times.
Digital and power showers are good features for modern homes and provide a typically great shower experience due to the specificity in temperature control and the high pressure of the shower.
Mixer showers and electric showers are great for homeowners on a lower budget and have added benefits of running on the boiler and electricity respectively, meaning you can assess the plumbing situation in your home and figure out which option would work best with your current set-up.
To decide on the best shower for you, take a look at your current shower situation and think of what you would like improved. Do you require better water pressure? A stable water temperature? A shower that doesn’t depend on the boiler?
Once you have an idea of what constitutes a good shower in your eyes, then you can begin to pair up your wants and needs with the shower options available to you and make an informed decision.
For an easy online search, HouseholdQuotes can typically save you up to 40% on your project quote, allowing you to quickly compare contractors and their offers with one simple search.
Click To Get QuotesWhat’s Involved in Installing or Replacing a Shower?
To remove a shower, the electricity should be turned off and the contractor will make sure that no electricity can flow to the shower. The water supply will then also be turned off.
The shower unit will be removed from the wall – if it is visibly on the wall – or removed from behind the wall.
All connectors will be removed from the shower, and the old shower unit will be taken away. It can seem incredibly easy to remove an old shower, particularly if it is a power shower, but you should still be prepared to speak to a qualified professional if you feel unsure of the process instead of risking further damage to your bathroom or plumping.
To instal a new shower, much like removing an old one, firstly, your home’s fuse box will be turned off to prevent injury and the shower from turning on. The water should also be disconnected at this point.
The placement of the new shower, both in the room and location within the room, should be already decided at this point. The heater will then be outlined on the correct wall, with the contractor noting the position of all holes and any cables or points.
The contractor will then ensure that there are no cables or wiring behind the wall. They will then ensure that the water heater’s cables are either vertical or horizontal in the centre of the unit.
The holes will then be drilled into the wall for the cables, pipes, and shower rail. They will run the cold tap until the water is finished and will then connect the copper pipe.
Valves will be added to the copper pipe once it has been fitted and the cold-water supply will be reconnected, with a hosepipe at the end of the copper pipe.
The pipe will then be flushed out and checked for any potential leaks. The stop valve will be shut off and the copper pipe will be linked up to the bottom of the unit.
The system will once more be checked for leaks and if all has been fitted correctly, the job will be complete.
If you’re hoping to take on the job of installing a new shower yourself, you should be aware that it is a job that does require some previous plumbing knowledge and can be difficult if you’re not completely sure of the process.
For peace of mind and ease of process, consider hiring a professional to instal your new shower and help renovate your bathroom exactly how you wish.
How Do I Find and Hire a Professional Bathroom Fitter?
It’s a good idea to seek recommendations from family, friends, and neighbours. Find out if they’ve recently had a shower installed and if they were happy with the way the project turned out.
This way you can source good recommendations from people you trust.
HouseholdQuotes can save you up to 40% on your project quote, giving you the ability to quickly see contractor quotes.
Click To Get QuotesEnsuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
It’s good to make sure you’ve got the right questions ready to ask that will verify the tradesperson’s abilities. We recommend you ask them:
- For a written quote. Any contractor worth their salt will be happy to provide you with a written quote.
- For their experience. It’s best to go with a tradesperson who has experience in this field.
- For their references. If they can provide you with references you can be sure of their ability and may even be able to see some of their previous work.
- For any photos of their previous jobs. This will offer you the opportunity to see the quality of their work and could also provide you with some good references for your own project designs.
- If they and their tools are insured. This can protect you from lawsuits if they or your property is damaged when they come to your home.
Final Checklist
Use this checklist to make sure you have got everything you need before you get your bathroom tiled:
- Consider what kind of shower you want installed. Do some research into styles that grab your attention and figure out what specifically it is that attracts you to it.
- Source a range of quotes from HouseholdQuotes and easily compare them with a simple quick!
Click To Get QuotesFrequently Asked Questions:
What Are the Differences Between an Electric Shower, a Power Shower, and a Thermostatic Shower?
An electric shower heats the water as it comes from the mains or cold water storage tank. An electric shower uses electricity to heat the water up and then runs it through the shower.
A power shower is installed with a pump that increases the flow of water coming into the shower, increasing the shower pressure. A power shower also has a thermostat to control the water temperature.
A thermostatic shower has valves in the system to detect and control the temperature of the water, meaning that you will never be splashed with cold or scalding water.
How Does a Digital Shower Work?
Digital showers have an external control panel that you use to control both the temperature of the water and the pressure.
They are connected to both the hot and cold-water supply and once the temperature has been set, the integrated thermostat blends the hot and cold water to create the perfect showering experience for you.
How Much Water Do Different Types of Showers Use?
Electric showers typically use between three and ten litres of water per minute, though this depends on the kW rating of the shower and what temperature has been selected.
Mixer showers will use between five and 30 litres per minute, but this is dependent on the water pressure of the shower.
Power showers will use between 10 and 16 litres of water per minute.
Do I Need Planning Permission for a Bathroom Renovation?
If you know your property is a listed building, make sure to consult your local planning authority before you begin any renovations.
If you’re hoping to turn a different room in your property into a bathroom, you’ll need building regulations approval before you get started on any work. Always seek out their approval and advice before booking in with any professional individual or company and first make sure it is permissible for your property.