I bumped into a customer the other day who I did a complete bathroom install for , she told me how good it was and how happy they were with it . That was over ten years ago I fitted that one and shockingly I made a profit doing it ..do it once do it right earn the bragging rights

I wouldn’t really call that a rant, I’d call it passionate instruction😁 as as ever fantastic video!!

Many great points here from an experienced bathroom fitter! Over 50% of bathrooms I renovate are riddled with leaks, water damage, flaws and poor preparation and unsuitable materials. Take note people.

Just about to fit shower tray and you’ve answered so many questions. Absolutely brilliant, thanks for great advice!

Last tray I fitted, I fretted for a few days on whether to use sand cement or go with “modern way” of tile adhesive or worse, ct1 et al. Stuck with tray recommendations (for guarantee) and went with sand cement and sbr. Not a plumber, so good to hear it’s still best way.

Need more trades men like you Rodger I appreciate your time and effort you put in these vids. Keep up the good work!

Love your vids, Professional at work. Spot on with all your subjects, you explain the pros and cons and with the benefit of years of experience whether or not you consider it a sound proposition or not. Never put me wrong yet! Keep up the really excellent work from a long time DIY enthusiast.

As an enthusiastic DIY'er, I'm so glad I've followed your guidance on my ensuite refit. Several times I've thought "this is overkill". But even though the refit has been very slow, following your belt and braces approach has definitely paid dividends, and as I near completion, I'm confident it's as good an installation as I would have got anywhere. Thanks for all this generous information Roger - much appreciated.

Brilliant. Not a rant, just a professional, passionate about what he does and wanting to do the very best job for the customer. Some really great tips. Nice one.

I've always been put off these shower trays. I'm a DIYer and I've always put in the shower tray forms made from tile backing boards and tiled on top. They look so much better and they're easy to do. If you need to lower the floor, use 22mm ply, cut out the tray area, fix ply between the joists using noggins, leaving just enough space and no more for the drain to go in. I'm also very pleased at your comments regarding backing boards as I've always thought they were a good idea. If there's any chance it getting wet, use a backing board. Seal and then tape the joins and any screws / washers you've used. The images at the 21 min mark are exactly how I've done it, including the HansGrohe ibox which is a great piece of engineering. I wasted my time in the past with cheaper taps and fittings and none have lasted anywhere near as long. So it's good to see a professional of your standing reassuring me that I'm doing it the right way. Will be doing another 3 on my new build house later this year. Looking forward to it.

Really good solid advice that has been taken on board as I will be refurbishing my bathroom and adding a shower cubicle in the future and when I do a job I want it right. Great video Rodger 👍

Sound advice from an experienced plumber/bathroom fitter. Learnt a few useful thinks from Roger's video. Totally agree with the sand/cement bed for shower tray and the backer boards on the walls. I'm fitting a Crosswater 1200 x 800 stone resin shower tray at the moment and so glad I watched the video before I started working on my long overdue bathroom renovation.

This guy is spot on. Massive portion of common sense and I have even learned something before I fit my son's 44kg resin flush base as I WAS going to use tile adhesive but not now! You just KNOW when someone really knows what they are talking about, a mix of technical knowledge, experience and common sense.

All very eminently valid points. I had my bathroom floor completely relayed with marine 18mm ply as the base. Backer board is definately the way to go for the area around the shower. As you say - a couple of hundred pounds is not a deal breaker. Rather a longer term solution to the problems of water / damp getting into the substrates.

Renovating my flat i’ve just bought which was only built in 2005 (flats built on the quick and cheap). Plasterboard in both bathrooms, chipboard floors with lino in both, tap outlets and screw holes in tiles for shower screen not sealed. completely rotten under bath, loads of mold under lino which spread beyond the bathroom. had to rip up all the floors in the flat. Thanks to your videos i’ve used proper backing-board, sealed it all up etc, videos have helped me so much thanks.

Again as always sound advice from a true professional. Thankfully I had watch your shower vids when I, was installing our new bathroom. Followed your hints and tips, and now have a wonderful new walk in shower. Many thanks Roger

Top notch advice again mate. Thanks for supporting British suppliers too!

Thanks so much for this, I'm in the middle of refitting our ensuite and have watched most/all of your stuff on shower trays/enclosures. So much more confident going into the job now and looking forward to getting it done.

This is great information. I'm installing a shower myself in an en suite and this has given me the confidence to do it, and to do it right first time.

Thanks at last a common sence approach to fitting trays. I'm an electrician but the number of times I've been on jobs and seen the Bodge it and Scarper crew doing things is unbelievable. Most never even pick up instructions let alone read them, they think they know better than the manufactures.

Roger, great video Sir! Recently purchased a shower tray like this at auction. Never realised it was concrete! Good clear instructions that I will follow, thank you for sharing.

I saw one of these resin trays fitted in Italy. Over there it's all concrete floors, even upstairs so it was a dry screed first over the pipework, gone off, then they fixed the tray with a type of heavy duty silicone straight to the screed. It's a major job redoing a bathroom when everything has to be kangoed out.

As always great videos, love the passion and enthusiasm in your teachings. I am learning so much from this. Thank you skilled builder!

Nicobond rapid flex, mapei tanking kit, Mccalpine shower waste never had any problems great vid Rodger 👍🏻

Great advice. Thanks for taking the time to explain properly 👍🏻

Cheers. Opened my eyes to the process of putting in a shower tray. Doing my mother's in the next month or so. Keep the videos coming.

You are a game changer for my Dutch barge renovation thanks mate I'll get around it watching some more of your videos

This was unbelievable useful. I've got a few questions to ask my bathroom fitter tomorrow x

Brilliant video, Roger...invaluable tips, delivered in such an engaging manner. Thank you. 👍

Excellent video. Did not detect a "rant" more free "experience" to many installers and DIY'ers. Thank you.

I’ve been a Bricky for years and I’ve only noticed this week a plumber with a tub of gobbo to bed the shower tray down with. Once again, your knowledge and how you put it out is proper good.

excellent video! Every British builder, handy man who thinks he can build a bathroom etc needs to watch this. I have had no end off problems with showers that had been build onto wooden floors wrongly. I am very very weary of doing that now. I also think that normal life around a shower tray (ie footsteps etc) causes vibrations on the floorboards, etc that so often are not dampened properly around showertrays and over time affect the seals around the shower tray. Or and even more importantly, people standing in shower trays. have you ever checked how the tray flexes when a heavy person use a shower tray. sigh ..

Thank you Roger. I appreciate the in depth and detailed instruction.

Great video as always Roger very enlightening 👌🏼🧱👍🏼

My resin shower tray had massive air bubbles at the mating surface where the trap was supposed to seal against. I used a massive length of plumbers mait to fill the gaps before fitting the trap. Also I fretted over getting the sand and cement base support even across the whole tray. Only to discover later that if you bought the shower tray raiser kit it stood on four feet one in each corner so total even support was not actually necessary just support to each corner!

Thanks Roger, for your great presentation, well done!. I would add a couple of hints that may be of use. Before setting the tray, coat all the bearing timber surfaces (all the edges, top and underside, including any existing floor cuts.) with a coat of thin bitumen or ‘black Jack’ or similar water proofing that won’t affect the tray adhesion, ‘just to prevent safety’! It’s an easy quick thing to do and ensures any potential leak won’t destroy the subfloor. “Silicon” make absolutely sure you use ‘marine’ grade silicon! Agree, the grate rubber seal is best fitted without additional silicon. It can ‘thin and wear, that potentially leaves a slight gap and a pig to remove for any reason. I’d never tile again. Shower panelling with a pvc quarter bead in vertical corner(s). PVC finished sheets can be adhered direct to 11mm Sterling board, if it’s stud wall. But the more expensive sub panels If it’s a brick wall but if your tight for cash, a double coat of quality mixed cement would be as good. Get it flat and true. It Takes a time to dry! If using a timber panel substrate this is protected with my favourite, ‘aqua panel’. Again, paint say 300mm of the base of the timber sub panel with thin bitumen. ‘Black Jack, again to ‘prevent safety’ Capillaration through any weak joint, especial at the base will destroy any wooden backing panel. But if coated with black jack a foot up or so will stop that from happening. I’d caution any enthusiast, this job isn’t for the careless, or the sloppy. Your sins will find you out and may need to be redone, such is the damage water can do.

Great video, just the way I do it except I put silicone under tray as it's flexible and doesn't affect tray, never had a problem. Also I always use a classy seal around the tray and epoxy swimming pool grout in the shower area.

Amazing when trades say they never have problems with their work. That is because the customer calls someone else in to fix your rubbish work! Anyway, I am going to do my own shower room using Rogers videos as a how to, as it had leaked and rotted out the plasterboard and the MDF box work around the pipes. Previous owner did the cheapest job possible and it shows.

This was an excellent video! Thank u so much for the detailed explanations and easy to understand drawing

Excellent video Roger. Had i seen this 12 years ago, I would have installed our en-suite much differently. I will certainly be following your tips when it comes to redoing it.

Very informative instruction. How to do it right! All good and essential info. I’m installing on a slab and still really glad I found this.

We often fit for a local supplier who like to sell a few 'add-ons' - a leg pack kit. We never use them. Five legs supporting a 900 quadrant? It's 99.9% hollow underneath. If we can't secure flat to the floor, we build a timber base for 100% secure contact.

Love this. I'm a pro bathroom fitter and still plenty to learn from Roger.

Here here Roger! TANKING and PLY & NOGGINS... I've done too many bathrooms that I know have the Vertical Lambada going on and never had a problem!

We had ours installed 13 years ago when KZfaq wasn't around and the guy stuck 2 blocks of wood on a tiled floor which is on a chipboard and no concrete or anything so it's just balanced on these blocks and sometimes I feel a bit of movement but so far it hasn't collapsed I'm glad people like yourself are putting these tutorials on KZfaq because there is so many cowboys out there

Fantastic video, well delivered and sketches on the white board to explain everything 👍🏼👍🏼

Absolutely invaluable information. I can now start the project the right way. Thankyou 👍

great video, thanks for the sound advice

Top quality vidio bro we've had nothing but agro with our shower leaking through the bow stairs ceiling and now we know why. Thanks so much for your help

Another absolutely brilliant review and advice.

Good to know love the videos 💯👍🏻

Thanks so much I'm a competent DIYer ready to do a shower tray and tiled walls. You've guided me no end with this video. I'm actually going to install on a vinyl tiled concrete floor any additional advice greatly appreciated. Many Thanks

As a DIYer I made up my own method which has been fine for 20years. I levelled the tray with four blocks of wood screwed to the floor meaning I had as much time as I needed using trial and error to get it perfectly level. Then I laid many dobs of sand and cement to allow it to squish out until the tray sat on the wood blocks. This may not be the right way but it worked fine for me.

hello Roger been following your vids for years so glad a watched your vid about fitting a shower tray I bought a large tub of tile adhesive to or so I thought stick the tray to the ply I did`nt realize to put a polythene sheet between tray and adhesive.

As a customer its not easy to know if fitter is good and decent. The supposed schemes of trusted traders don't seem to be trustable. If you show any level of interest like asking if elements board will be used they might say yes but come installation its plaster board or marine ply and they will claim its better and been used for years - once the job is started are you going to tell them to down tools and leave it, not likely.

Great video. I am a Brit who does this work in Canada & the same applies here, funny that, it seems water is the same everywhere... Don't underestimate the value of the smallest technical details in building a tiled shower or tub back splash. The most destructive thing in a home after fire is water, you must control were it goes & keep it contained where it belongs.DON'T go cheap on the sub surface materials...

This is very good and very helpful. Thankyou Roger.

Thank you Roger for the uploads. Very educational.

Brilliant vid Roger..........i come across ALL these problems time after time...........Cheers mate.

Very good advice! Will definitely add the membrane between the backer and the pad. Thanks?

Thank you Roger for your wealth of information. Experience is priceless and thank you for sharing with us all how a job should be done.

Great video! Out of all the channels I follow, this is the one I couldn’t unsubscribe from as it’s too useful. 😁👏

Morning Pal ..... you're spot on great tip with the poly ( Thanks for that ) I fit loads of these ..Always backer board and tank ..ya gotta do it folks ..... the amount of leks I've seen from lack of tanking even is unbelievable .... Once again Pal thanks for all the tips .. Loving all these Vids 38 years on site and still learning

Sbr. Mapei Flexible tile adhesive. Mapei tanking kit. Mcalpine waste. Dow 785 silicone. Winning. 👌🏼

Excellent video and explanation, well presented

Thank you for this information, love listening to you on many DIY job and getting it right, ur a top man cheers

Great stuff. An hour watching you and I'm confident.... Enough to watch a few more hours before I start!

Brilliantly explained! Don’t be too hard on yourself regarding your art work. It highlighted the pro’s & cons spot on. I am about to fit a new shower tray and tiles. I know which method I will be using thanks to you.

100% on the tile backer board ! Thanks to your channel I have a list of materials and components that I want my bathroom renovation to have, the difficult part will be finding someone to do the job right ( I’ve done bits of plumbing and tiling, they have turned out pretty decent but nothing is ever going to be perfect when it’s someone’s first attempt at it )

Super advice explained with passion ! Thanks a million 😃

Hi Roger, just about to fit my own Shower and this tutorial has been absolutely first class. Many thanks. Do you have a video on the fitting of Tile backer board?

Hi Roger great effort on this video, keep up the explanations and insight

Absolutely spot on I couldn't agree more. I always use the hardi board. 👍

very nice description. We live in a new build and the shower tray makes an aweful lot of cracking noise to the joists under. There's also some metal cracking noise which I have no idea where that is coming from. The builders wanted to fill the space under the shower tray with expanding foam. It seems like very poor quality building in my opinion, but I have no experience.

Very helpful advice and honestly presented.

This is an unbelievably high quality instructional video. You are the man.

Fantastic! Very helpful, thanks👍🏽

Excellent advice. Thank you!

what he says about joists and noise transmission is true - mine and my neighbours joists run into each other and we can hear everything. Good thing we like each other!

Fantastic information, thanks so much

Loved your openness and honesty plus you are really considering the risk across water damage...can you fit mine.

dot and dab tile adhesive worked for me on 18mm good quality ply, fully screwed down, been in for months and no problems. I followed plumber parts video.

This is very helpful, I wish other trade professionals would work like you.

As a Bathroom/Wetroom fitter surprised you even mention Plasterboard of any sorts in a wet area Roger ! Started using Wediboard 20 years ago with all the sundries and never had a problem. The amount of Plasterboard / Plywood failed showers I've removed with a coating of " Waterproofer " is no joke ! Spend the extra money 💰 its more than worth it !

fitted a few resin trays in my time over here on reno jobs in france and have often siliconed the trays to well nogged plywood floors - as yet no cracked trays - a thin bed of lean mortar sounds like it may disintegrate over time with movement? - always enjoy your videos

We had our small bathroom converted into a wet room some years ago. Took them three attempts. They made near every mistake here and some. Water puddled in various areas instead of down the waste pipe (what’s a spirit level?),. Wall tiles were spaced using bits of cardboard (dirt cheap reusable spacers not an option?). The floor tiles around the toilet broke because undersurface wasn’t flat (bare floorboards are perfect for a wet room?). They seem to have done it right in the end and gave a partial refund, but watching this and taking a good look, I see early signs didn’t they tank the shower area properly. Glad I noticed it now, thank you very much.

Great video, very informative! Thanks for the uncoupling tip with the tile adhesive. Looks like it’s better to use sand and cement and it’s cheaper!

Damn Roger you are a great teacher mate. A natural at explaining things to be super clear. Glad I got to see this before the shower base install.

Great video Roger. Well done.

Great vid and advice thanks

A bit slow to get to the information I was seeking but what a detailed and excellent explanation and I learned a lot. Thank you!

Really informative video roger

Hi Roger, great video as always. I've fitted a good few shower trays. I just followed the instructions they said sand and cement. It's cheap. It works. But there's never any explanation why... Wouldn't the manufacturer be benefiting from informing the installer why to use sand and cement.. to be honest I've primed the floor and the underside of the tray to try and improve the bond.. and I've often wondered if I'd be doing a better job using more expensive tile adhesive. I understand the limitations of sand and cement as well. Laid thin over a suspended floor it probably will dry out and break up eventually. What it sounds like it wants is an isolating membrane. In which case perhaps the flexible, cementitious tile adhesive and (maybe something better than) polythene sheet would be the best way as the tile adhesive should hold up better on the subfloor. I've also used Hardie backer, aqua panel, Wedi boards.. once you've tried the foam sandwich boards, I guarantee you won't want to go back cement or aqua panel. It's lighter, cuts easier, performs better. It's well worth it. That's my view on it anyway..

Great vid. Had to battle with my builder to do sand and cement and to tank. About to start a 2nd job and will ensure from the get go the stages are agreed. Also McAlpine trap - thanks for that.

Thanks so much for these videos Roger. They make you realise how closely you need to watch some builders even if they appear to be professional. Having a recent shower leak into downstairs flat, we discovered the shower tray was not even bedded in at all!!!! This caused movement in the drain and consequent water flow into our neighbours flat. Miraculously, this lasted well enough for four years, but now we have to try and retro fill from underneath with gracious permission from owners downstairs. Do you have any recommendations on how we could do this.

a quality rant, very informative!

RIGHT ON !!! GREAT JOB DESCRIBING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s right what u said about the tray being very close to flush with the finished floor level makes for a more easily accessible shower cubicle but for fitting and maintenance purposes it’s a problem raising the tray up on 4 *2 s keeping the trap to the front and having an access panel makes it just so much more install and user friendly for future with the bonus of a greater flow fall and not having to worry about the joist direction it ticks a lot of box’s that way but heh I do know that aphetically it not as sleek to look at and a lot of clients do want the tray as close to the floor as possible

Good video, keep it up Rodger.

Thanks for this Roger. After watching this and a couple of your directly associated videos I now realise there is one fundamental question to ask - and that is ‘Is a shower tray the only solution for this particular bathroom? If the answer is No - then do not fit a shower tray - go tiled!