A good number of the floors here are let rather than lived in by the owner, and that changes what a shower enclosure needs to be. It will be used by people who did not choose it and will not be careful with it, and it needs to survive tenants changing. That is a specification question, not a cheaper job.
What actually gets broken in a let property
In our experience the glass almost never breaks. What goes is the handle, the bottom seal and the hinge adjustment.
All three are consequences of a door being pushed rather than pulled, or dragged when it starts to catch.
So for a let floor we fit a handle that is bolted through rather than glued, a seal that can be replaced without removing the door, and hinges with enough adjustment to take up wear. It costs a little more and it is what stops you being called out between tenancies.
Choosing a layout that survives being used carelessly
A frameless enclosure is the most vulnerable to careless use, because everything depends on the hinges and the fixings staying exactly where they were set.
A framed enclosure is more forgiving. The frame carries the load, takes the knocks and holds its shape even when the door is treated badly.
So in a property being let we would generally recommend framed or semi-frameless, and say honestly that it is the less elegant option. In an owner-occupied bathroom the same argument does not apply nearly as strongly.
Making a replacement easy in five years
Anything in a let property will need replacing sooner than in a home, so it is worth making that replacement simple.
A standard-sized enclosure with common hardware can be repaired with parts anybody can get. A bespoke panel with proprietary fittings means the whole thing when one part fails.
So unless the bathroom genuinely requires a made-to-size panel, we would fit to a standard size here. It is the opposite of the advice we would give for a house somebody is going to live in for twenty years.
How the job works
- Tell us about the jobSend a few photos, rough sizes and what you need. Use WhatsApp or the form. For a repair, a short video of the door moving helps a lot.
- We call you back in about 2 minutesWe confirm what you need and a time to visit. Where we can, we give you a rough price on the call.
- We come and measureWe measure the opening and check the walls, floor and ceiling around it. Anything made to size is made to these measurements, so they must be right.
- You get a written priceIt lists each item, with GST as its own line. If anything about the job changes, we tell you before we go ahead.
- We fit itYou approve the price and pay the advance. Our own team fits the work, checks that every door and window opens and closes properly, and clears up. Most jobs are done in 3 to 4 days.
