Summary: How much does it cost to fit a shower, average shower installation costs and average price of a shower.
There are two groups of shower system, those that generate hot water from an electrical source, or those that are supplied hot water from your central heating. An electric shower needs a designated supply direct from the mains whereas power showers provide much better pressure but they use a lot more water and require a more complicated installation.
A lot of plumbing jobs can be tackled by an enthusiastic DIY’er with the right skills and tools. But when plumbing also requires a degree of electrical knowledge, as with an electric shower, the rules dramatically change for the amateur home improver. You are required by law to have the relevant certification to carry out this type of work. Some minor electrical jobs are not included, but essentially anything involving electrical appliances in the bathroom or kitchen that have to be hard wired in is pretty much off limits for a DIY project.
Average Cost
| Job | Average Cost | Updated | Quote |
| Labour (Swap old for new) | £90 – £600 (Fit shower) | 2019 | n/a |
| Labour (Change plumbing) | £500 – £2000 (Fit shower) | 2019 | n/a |
| Labour and materials | £400 – £3000 (Fit shower) | 2019 | n/a |
| Labour (Elec)(Swap old for new) | £150 – £1000 (Fit shower) | 2019 | n/a |
| Labour (Elec)(Change plumbing) | £700 – £2500 (Fit shower) | 2019 | n/a |
| Labour and materials (Elec) | £500 – £3000 (Fit shower) | 2019 | n/a |
Factors to consider
Fitting a basic shower unit is a very easy job for a professional and since the new guidelines that stipulate certain types of electrical work must be carried out by a certified engineer and inspected on completion, you will more than likely be phoning round for some quotes.
If you are intending to install an electric shower be aware that it will fall into this category and although it’s a relatively quick and easy job even for an amateur, you should enlist the services of a qualified tradesman whether you have the skills or not.
A professional should be able to replace an existing similar electric shower with another of the same kW rating in an hour or so. It’s a simple enough job as the hard work has already been done. There will already be drainage, water and electricity feed and it’s really just a case of swapping everything over from the old unit to the new one.
When costing out the fitting of a new shower, it really depends on how much work you are intending to have done around the shower as well. This can range from an hour swap over to installing a top of the range wet room, shower system and matching décor that may take a couple of days.
If your project is on the large side, you can save a bit of money by purchasing the shower unit and enclosure yourself and just paying someone to fit it. If you don’t know what extras you’ll need, ask your fitter and they will be happy enough to write up a list of what you need to buy for them to do the job. Be prepared for some extra making good after fitting a new shower, especially if it’s on a tiled wall. You may decide it’s a good time to replace the bathroom tiles as well and give the whole room a face lift.
Costs to consider
As a rough guide to an average price, installation of a thermostatic power shower unit, cubicle, shower tray and tiling to two walls and two days labour will be in the region of £1000 to £1200 including appliances and materials. Separate shower cubicles need an appropriate waste water system and this can sometimes be problematic depending on the design and shape of your bathroom.
Your fitter will be able to box in the pipe work safely and discreetly, even constructing a false stud wall if necessary making sure the water waste pipe fall is 6mm for every 300mm of pipe length in order for it to drain away properly. This is all extra work beyond the actual shower installation but it needs to be considered when weighing up how much the whole project is going to cost.
Get a quote and make it clear that there may be drainage work as well or you could end up with an unexpected bill. A reputable shower fitter knows exactly what is involved and should give you an honest quote and agree a fixed price before they start working.
The cheapest shower option is an over bath electric shower and these can be bought for under £100. Expect to pay at least two hours labour for replacing or fitting any shower, at a rate of up to £50 an hour. A mid price thermostatic adjustable riser and shower package, without fitting costs is about £250. These are convenient kits that work straight out of the box and are fitted quickly and efficiently by a professional.