Level-access showers

With no tray, the floor itself does the work. It must fall towards the drain, and the picture shows it sloping to a corner. Look at the boundary where the shower floor meets the bathroom floor: there should be no lip, and water should not run past the panel.

One glass panel contains some spray, but a hand shower aimed the wrong way will still wet the room. Waterproofing under the tiles is what keeps the floor below dry, and it is a job for a competent fitter.

No. A low threshold still needs a lifted foot, and for some people even a small lip is the problem. This one also has rails on two sides, which give a hand somewhere to go whichever way you face.

The curtain is the weak spot: a wet curtain clings and is often grabbed by mistake. The idea of rails on two sides is worth noting, but their height and position depend on the person, so ask an occupational therapist rather than copying a picture.²

Small space, no seat, no rail: standing is the only choice. It shows how much of a shower is the floor. A mosaic floor with a drain fits the fall-to-drain idea, but the grout needs brushing and the surface is wet underfoot.

In a space like this, think about where a seat would go and where a person would hold. If no wall can take either, the design may need more room before it suits someone with limited balance. For the electrics near a shower, the NICEIC explains zones around the head and tray, and the work is notifiable.⁴

This is what a level-access shower replaces: a raised tray edge with a door track on top, which makes a step up and a ledge to catch a toe. Look at the track too; it collects soap and grime, and it is easy to trip on if the door is open.

If replacing it is under consideration, ask what happens to the floor around it. Removing a tray often means altering the floor and drain, not just swapping a unit. Check any grant first, because work started before approval might not be covered.³