We are renovating an upstairs bathroom that sits on a concrete slab

3 years ago

I would have loved to change the current layout of our upstairs en suite but plumbers have told me that the plumbing is inside the concrete so without drilling a hole in the floor, which is not practical, we need to keep everything in its current place. Worse still, the plumbing inside the shower may even require us to raise the floor of the shower, therefore requiring a hob - which I would prefer not to have - see image below. The house was built in 1987 in Perth. Is there any way around having to have a hob, and if I have to have one, how do I turn it into a feature? One side of the shower will be a glass wall and the walk in area will not have a door, so I can see us tripping over the hob when not being careful.

Here is the design I would prefer with no hob and keeping everything in its current place:

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks....Lena

Comments (11)

bigreader
3 years ago
There’s always a way around but it depends on budget. To have a walk in showers where there hasn’t been one before means a decent amount of work on floor levels to allow adequate fall. It’s hard to fight gravity to get a fall
In the shower you may need a higher floor else where leasing to a step up into the ensure. If you have the budget and the slab is suitable you may be able to grade a fall. Have another talk to your builder.
Kate
3 years ago
If it’s raised I would have a contrasting but beautiful shower floor.
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lenatamlin
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Kate, so you are suggesting we raise the floor of the shower to the height of the hob. Wouldn't we need a shower door if we did this?
lenatamlin
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Bigreader, thanks but I dont want any steps into the bathroom. If we need a step, it will have to be around the shower. We are not using a builder...
dreamer
3 years ago
You are on the second level of a home that is an existing home, with a concrete slab. If you choose not to have a hob at the shower entrance and the grading of the floor is not correct. You might find that you have water flooding in your bathroom.
You cannot regrade a concrete slab without digging down or lifting up. If this was on the ground floor bathroom, the work required would be different.
Did the existing shower have a hob? I would look at installing a hob again. If the plumber gave you advice, I would go with that advice or get another plumber in, to confirm.
C P
3 years ago
Given you're walking straight into shower and you don't want a door I don't see how you can keep existing layout without raising the floor of the whole bathroom.
lenatamlin thanked C P
Kate
3 years ago
What the picture has is a hob and then an infill timber grate to raise up to hob level creating a look of flat in the shower. Whilst we might the look of a flat floor in bathroom with no shower door it is not often practical without a very large space or due to floor constraints.
lenatamlin
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks CP, Kate and Dreamer, if choosing between raising the bathroom floor and having a hob, I would go with a hob. I might have to make a feature of the hob - use stone or same as benchtop. Any other good ideas?
pottsy99
3 years ago
Is the concrete slab the size of the whole bathroom , or just the new shower area , or just the old shower size ? And where is the drain , especially in relation to the shower head ? Or are you going to bore a new one ?

It is therefore maybe possible , depending on the existing floor , to lay a concrete overlay , or even a tileable tray , with a suitable 'fall' to the corner . A tray ensures no leaks , and is often easier to seal against the wall and the glass side wall too . It would probably be 25-30mm taller at the 'open' end , but I'd actually do a cedar or similar raised slat 'mat' area outside the shower to disguise the step or hob .
dreamer
3 years ago
As the home is a double storey home in Perth WA. the entire slab for upstairs is a concrete slab. It's how we build them over here....
pottsy99
3 years ago
That's easy then -- just jack up one side of the house by 400mm . . . . . . . . . . .

We are renovating an upstairs bathroom that sits on a concrete slab

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We are renovating an upstairs bathroom that sits on a concrete slab

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