Do concrete and wetrooms really not go?

[Natalya]

Hi All,

I know absolutely nothing about plumbing etc but I am in desperate need of some help.

I'm a 27 year old disabled lady and I just moved into a ground floor flat. It is a council flat and was advertised as having a wet room. Well, I have never seen a wetroom which requires the user to step up two steps to get in the shower! I have trouble bending my left leg so it is almost impossible for me to get into this shower...the next problem is that it is in the corner of the room so has a wall on 2 sides and nothing at all on the other sides, no handrails, no seat, nothing.

I called the medical housing officer who advised me that concrete floors can not have wetrooms 🙁 After a lot of persuasion I managed to get the medical officer to agree to come round and assess my so called 'wetroom' on Monday afternoon.

I am hoping that I will be able to get a grant for a new wetroom but I really need some advice from people who know about these things. My main questions are:

If I have a concrete floor is it really true that I can not have a wet floor shower??

What other options would I have if they could not install a wet floor shower?

Do any of you have links to places that specifically deal with wetrooms with disabled people in mind?

Many thanks for reading and I hope you'll be able to point me in the right direction.

- Natalya

 

[sWe]

Hi All,

I know absolutely nothing about plumbing etc but I am in desperate need of some help.

I'm a 27 year old disabled lady and I just moved into a ground floor flat. It is a council flat and was advertised as having a wet room. Well, I have never seen a wetroom which requires the user to step up two steps to get in the shower! I have trouble bending my left leg so it is almost impossible for me to get into this shower...the next problem is that it is in the corner of the room so has a wall on 2 sides and nothing at all on the other sides, no handrails, no seat, nothing.

I called the medical housing officer who advised me that concrete floors can not have wetrooms 🙁 After a lot of persuasion I managed to get the medical officer to agree to come round and assess my so called 'wetroom' on Monday afternoon.

I am hoping that I will be able to get a grant for a new wetroom but I really need some advice from people who know about these things. My main questions are:

If I have a concrete floor is it really true that I can not have a wet floor shower??

What other options would I have if they could not install a wet floor shower?

Do any of you have links to places that specifically deal with wetrooms with disabled people in mind?

Many thanks for reading and I hope you'll be able to point me in the right direction.

- Natalya

Complete ********. Of course you can waterproof concrete surfaces. There are many types of waterproofing, and if there is rising damp, which seems to be the only thing they could pull as an excuse to not install a proper wetroom, there are products which allow for that.

So stand your ground. They're clearly not knowledgable enough about this to make an informed decision, or they're simply penny pinching gits.

Good luck.

 

[GazTech]

Natalya, hi and welcome.
Firstly , yes there are ways to have wet rooms installed onto concrete, the drainage outlet needs adequate fall for the water to gulleys or drainage outside. If the fall cant be made, the floor may have to be screeded up a level, creating a slope up into the room, this would then allow for the showering area in the corner ( which needs grab rails etc ) to be high enough to create the fall. We have an expert on the forums, Wetdecs he may be able to give you more valuable information.....Gaz
http://www.wetdecs.co.uk/

 

[sWe]

Natalya, hi and welcome.
Firstly , yes there are ways to have wet rooms installed onto concrete, the drainage outlet needs adequate fall for the water to gulleys or drainage outside. If the fall cant be made, the floor may have to be screeded up a level, creating a slope up into the room, this would then allow for the showering area in the corner ( which needs grab rails etc ) to be high enough to create the fall. We have an expert on the forums, Wetdecs he may be able to give you more valuable information.....Gaz
http://www.wetdecs.co.uk/

A suitable fall towards the gully is 1-2cm per meter, ie 1-2%.
Over here, it's normally done with SLC mixed to a slightly thicker consistency, and it's always done, because standards demand it.

 

[Natalya]

Thanks guys...I knew you'd know the right answer! In most of the places i have stayed in on holidays and things the disabled room is on the ground floor and 9 times out of 10 they have wetrooms so I couldnt understand why he was telling me I couldnt have a proper one! I'll let you know how things go on Monday afternoon, fingers crossed now that I have a bit of 'backup' I'll be able to stand my ground!

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Natalya..

You probably already know this but if you contact Mobilty they will be able to tell you of any grants you will be entitled to and also they can provide you with any grab rails/seats etc you might need as well.......

 

[smurf21]

It sounds like the council dont want to do the work thats entailed in putting a ground level disabled shower tray in, i have worked in a lot of aid and adapts and all have had either resin trays at ground level or fully tiled ground level wetrooms and 90% of them have been on concrete floors. so stand your ground and dont be swayed with there technical jargon it can be done..

 

[wetdec]

Hi Natalia

All our wet room bases are cleared for ground floor concrete instalations and as per the council man is talking through his butt. If you require help then dont hesitate to contact me on both bases and carer access screens. No problem...........


tiler

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