People mix these up constantly. They're not the same thing.

A walk-in shower is a normal shower with the cubicle door taken off — usually a low-profile shower tray and a single fixed glass screen. The water stays inside the tray and goes down a drain in the corner.

A wet room has no tray. The whole bathroom floor is the shower. The whole floor is tanked (waterproofed under the tiles), and the floor itself slopes — usually 1:50 — down to a drain.

Both look modern. Both are easier to clean than a traditional cubicle. They suit different houses, different budgets, and different people.

Walk-in shower: pros and cons

Cost: Cheaper. £2,500–£4,500 for a typical install in an existing bathroom, including a low-profile tray, frameless glass, new shower valve and tiling.

Build: Easier to fit. Most existing bathrooms can take a walk-in shower without much structural change. The waterproofing risk is lower because the tray contains the water.

Look: Clean, modern, recognisable. The fixed glass screen with no door is the look most people are after when they say "walk-in shower."

Downside: You've still got a tray. The lip is small (some are 25mm, some are flush) but it's there. And if you want a really wide opening, the screen has to be smaller, which means more spray escaping.

Wet room: pros and cons

Cost: More expensive. £4,500–£8,000+ depending on size and waterproofing complexity. The tanking, the floor build-up to create the fall, and the drain all add cost.

Build: More involved. The floor often needs lifting and rebuilt with a fall to drain. Upstairs wet rooms need extra-careful waterproofing because a leak goes straight through to the ceiling below.

Look: Most luxurious option. With large-format tiles continuous across floor and walls, no tray, no door, it looks like the bathrooms in a nice hotel.

Best for: Larger bathrooms (small wet rooms feel cramped), accessibility (no step at all), and properties where you're willing to invest in a really good finish.

Which should you pick?

If your existing bathroom is an average UK 2x2m or 2x3m space and you just want to upgrade from a tired shower cubicle, walk-in shower is the right call. Quicker, cheaper, less risk.

If you've got a bigger bathroom (say 2.5x3m or larger), or you're future-proofing for accessibility, or you just love the look — wet room is worth the extra. But pay for proper waterproofing. The cheapest way to ruin a wet room is to skip the tanking, and the cheapest way to ruin a downstairs ceiling is to put a wet room above it without proper tanking.

What we'd say

Honestly? About 80% of the bathroom installs we do are walk-in showers, not wet rooms. They suit most British bathrooms better. Wet rooms are gorgeous when they work but they're not for every space, and the badly-done ones are a nightmare to put right.

Either way, we do both. If you'd like an honest opinion on which suits your specific space, give us a ring on 07516 555 377 or drop us a message. We'll come and have a look at what you've got.