CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

If you do not own a shower enclosure but have a shower/bath combination in your bathroom you have probably at some point bought a new shower curtain, taken it home to hang in the bathroom and realised you’ve forgotten to buy either shower hooks or rings.

While they are items most of us never give a thought to, the range and styles of these important little fixtures is amazing and may be the difference between a perfect bathroom and a merely functional one.

To begin with, decide whether you prefer a shower ring or a hook. Although your budget may not accommodate power-glide rings, these are the favoured choice of most interior designers. Usually made of stainless steel, these are generally attached to tiny rollers, which makes for optimum smoothness of use and are guaranteed not to rust, an important consideration if buying cheaper snap-on wire rings.

Again, it is not crucial to buy the most expensive shower hook, but the more money you spend, the greater the quality and range of design. Most good-quality hooks have a high level of decorative workmanship and therefore make it that much easier to match up with the rest of your bathroom accessories.

Another good tip is to avoid the snap-on plastic rings, which are priced at the lower end of the market. Although they may look sturdy enough when initially fitted, prolonged use often results in them breaking, often at the most inconvenient moment.

Be careful to check just how many rings and hooks come in a packet. The vast majority of shower curtains are fitted with twelve holes. This is by no means the case with packets of either shower rings or hooks.

Once your new shower curtain has been fitted you can be safe in the knowledge that your next power shower won’t leave water all over your bathroom floor.

Space is always a problem in a family home and nowhere more than in the bathroom. In particular, mornings can be a nightmare. Yet with a little careful planning there are simple ways to maximise the space in the bathroom and avoid full-scale family arguments.

Try dividing the room into clearly defined sectors. Separating the shower enclosure and bath into its own space and doubling the sink capacity is a useful aid to increase the number of people able to use the bathroom at any given time. Another idea is to create one long vanity unit, again with a double sink and installing a continuous mirror along the wall is another. Walling off the toilet is a good aid to privacy.

If you have small children, safety should be the watchword. Be sure to include a small step to enable them to get in and out of the bath safely. Non-slip bath mats should be included both inside and outside of the bath.

Be sure to fix safety catches on the toilet seat. If the children are slightly older and trusted to shower on their own, adjustable showerheads should be fitted as standard.

Perhaps the most important safety point is to place the medicine cabinet at as high a point as possible and always fit a childproof lock.

If these criteria are borne in mind, then sharing a bathroom may not be quite such a nightmare after all. More importantly, everyone will be safe.

Installing a shower enclosure in your bathroom is rarely going to come cheap, but if you do some shopping around and a little research into fitting shower cubicles you could save a substantial amount.

Of course, the most basic designs come recommended for anyone on a budget and, if you are able to provide the space for a standard size shower tray (usually measuring around 100cm¬2), this will also help reduce the cost. Square shower trays are easily the best option and will also be easier to fit, therefore also reducing labour costs.

Both square and rectangular shower trays can be fitted with a standard open-and-close door, whereas curved trays will come fitted with a curved frame and door which could add more to the cost. Square shower trays usually measure between 75cm2 and 120cm2, but if you are stuck for room in your bathroom, another option well worth considering is a pentangle shape, which is not only able to fit into a tight corner, but can also be fitted with a regular open-and-close door. This is easily the best option if you are trying to fit your shower enclosure between the toilet and bathroom sink, and will also add a touch of style to your suite.

Also recommended is to install your shower enclosure close to the existing pipe work, as there could be increased fitting costs if the job takes more time than usual. Power-showers and heads will also vary in price and a bit and shopping around is sure to help you stick to your budget.

There are many factors you will need to take into consideration when choosing the right shower cubicle for your bathroom suite. Of course, size is always the main issue, but fortunately there are many different options on the market and you are sure to find the right one to meet your needs.

Corner units are easily the more popular choice for people stuck for space. As well as taking up less floor area, another convenient feature of this type of shower cubicle is that its curved face will allow for sliding doors, leaving more room in your bathroom. However, if you are paying someone to install your shower, the extra work involved in installing these units will undoubtedly come at a cost.

The wide range of designs means there will always be an option to suit the rest of your bathroom fittings and furniture. Of course, you will find that the majority of choice will cater for more modern-style bathrooms, but there are more simple and authentic-looking designs that will be ideal for a traditional bathroom. The swinging-door shower cubicle is probably the most common and if you have the room, will be the most hassle-free solution. They can also be fitted to the wall or ceiling.

Frosted glass is also a familiar sight with the latest modern cubicles and can add a touch of class to your new bathroom suite. Of course choosing the style that is most in-demand is not going to come cheap and the higher-end of shower cubicles on offer can reach prices of up to £1000.

Kudos Showers and Matki Showers are two of the big names in the world of walk-in showers; shower enclosures, shower doors, bath screens, shower mixers and shower trays.

Regardless of the brand you choose, when installing a walk-in shower the considerations are the same. There should be easy accessibility to the water supply, for instance.

Before the installation of the walk-in shower can begin, all the old decorations on the walls should be cleared off and the wall returned to good condition, even if it means plastering or rendering it. You should also ensure that the floor has the strength to handle the extra weight. If needs be the floor should be reinforced. Additionally all electrical wiring in the floor or the wall should be removed before the installation starts.

The next step involves actually installing the walk-in shower. For the job to be effectively done, more than one pairs of hands are required.  If you can afford it always use an experienced installer as the finished job will look that much better.

It is important to read the manufacturers instructions that come with the walk-in shower before you have removed the shower cubicle from its packaging. The instructions should be easy to follow and implement.

After having installed the walk-in shower, bear in mind that water will not spare any porous material it comes into contact with. If there is a hole somewhere water will enlarge it gradually. The same water can lead to the formation of mildew and mould in the area of the shower.  It is essential that the plumbing and drainage work is completed to a high standard.

From steam showers to bath shower combinations, there are plenty of different options today that will add the convenience of a shower to your bathroom.  As you look around at the various options you will notice that the price tags on these showers can get very expensive.  In some cases it makes sense to spend the extra money for a fancier shower but it is not always necessary.

One of the more convenient options available is the bath shower combination.  This is a particularly good option if you have young children that require the use of a bath while still providing you with a shower as well.  Installing a bath shower combination does require that you have a bit of extra space in your bathroom.

If you simply want to add a shower to your bathroom, an enclosure with a shower tray is also sufficient.  This option is great for small spaces and is frequently less expensive than a bath shower combination.  For many, the versatility of a shower enclosure makes this a very popular option.

A notable feature that can be a downfall to the shower enclosure is that they do not have back walls.  This means you will need to prepare your wall with something like tile before installing the shower enclosure.  A way around this is to buy a shower cabin.  This provides you with everything you need including the shower itself and back walls.  The price tag is obviously higher but if you are not sure how to prepare your bathroom walls for a shower enclosure, this is a great option.

Adding a shower to your bathroom is almost essential these days.  Regardless of how many baths you might have in your home, having at least one shower among these can be useful.  If you are considering adding a shower to your bathroom, there are a number of things to consider before attempting this do-it-yourself project.

One of the most important steps for any DIY project is planning.  When planning for the installation of a shower, size should be one of the first things that you consider.  Not only does the size of the bathroom need to be taken into consideration but the size of the shower itself is also important.  If you have a small bathroom it might be difficult to install a bath shower combination but a compact shower enclosure might be just right. 

Once you have determined the size of the shower you want to install, the next step will be to find one that has the appropriate style to match the design of your bathroom.  Some shower enclosures include a walk-in area that is great for drying off.  This contributes to the overall size of the enclosure but it is a great option if the space is available. 

Another thing to keep in mind when preparing for this DIY project is usability.  Some showers might look particularly appealing but they might also be the least functional options as well.  If you know you store a number of items in the shower, pick an enclosure that offers a variety of shelving options for convenience.

Matki Showers offer very high standards with all of their products and are keen to show the fact with a 10 year guarantee against parts and failure on shower enclosures and trays. With their first 2 years also including labour cost. Matki don’t just do your standard Quadrant Shower enclosures they also design modern and stylish D Shape, Pentagon and Walk in. Matki Glass Guard is the latest aid in combating lime scale and hard water deposits. The shower enclose glass is pre treated with Glass Guard and is guaranteed for two years but should last you for many years. Should your Glass Guard falter you can buy the dressing product from Ritec.co.uk If you’re looking for a low profile shower tray then Matki produce one which is only 60mm and is in the Fineline range.  The Fineline range is manufactured from Synthastone which is even tougher than stone cast and up to 20% stronger. Matki have many ranges to choose from including Classica, Radiance and Illusion. Some of the most contemporary designs are in the Eauzone range. A great place to see a wide selection of Matki Shower Enclosures is at ukbathrooms.com