Shower installation

Replacing a shower or adding a new one

Replacing a shower in the same spot is usually the simpler job, because the drain and water lines are already there. Adding a shower somewhere new means bringing in hot and cold water, a drain and a vent, and the route for that drain often decides what is possible.

Taking out a tub to put in a shower is its own project, with its own questions. See tub-to-shower conversions.

What we check before anything is opened

• The drain. Where it is, what size it is and whether it can move if the layout changes.
• The floor. Joists can limit where a drain goes, and a concrete floor has to be opened to reach one.
• The valve. Whether the old one should stay, or be replaced while the wall is open.
• The water lines. Old or failing pipe is easiest to replace before new tile goes up.
• Shut-offs. Whether you can turn off this bathroom without shutting off the whole house.

Kit or tile?

Tell us which you have in mind before we start, and who is doing the tile if there is any. A kit or a one-piece base has a fixed drain location, so the drain has to meet it. A tiled floor needs a base that slopes to the drain, and that work has to be done right before any tile goes on. Choosing early saves moving a drain twice.

Showers in condos

In a condo, your building will usually have rules about shut-offs, elevators and working hours, and sometimes about moving a drain. Check with management early. See condo plumbing.

If your shower just needs a repair

Only hot or only cold water, a dripping head or a stiff handle often comes down to the valve or the cartridge, not a new shower. See shower and tub faucet repair. If the whole room is changing, see bathroom renovation plumbing.

Financing through Financeit

Financing is available through Financeit for eligible residential projects. Ask Waterworks about the options for your job. Financing is subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply.