What does a new shower cost in Berkshire?
Our guide range in Berkshire is £500–£3,900 including VAT. Prices in Berkshire run at about 12% above the UK guide, based on South East England labour rates.
Shower swap
- Like-for-like mixer or electric shower
New shower over bath
- Bath screen
New shower with enclosure
- Tiling to the enclosure
Guide prices for Berkshire including VAT. Your itemised written quote after the free survey is the price that counts.
Which towns do we cover in Berkshire?
Most of Berkshire has hard water. If your supply in Reading is the same, limescale on shower glass and heads is a real issue: easy-clean glass, rub-clean nozzles and a squeegee make a big difference. Hardness varies street by street, so check the figure for your postcode with your water supplier. For Reading homes with a cold tank in the loft, we check the system before fitting anything, because a pump is only allowed on a gravity supply.
What the job includes
- Tiling or re-tiling around the shower, with tanking behind new tiles in the wet area
- New pipework and isolation valves, plus a pump only where the system is gravity-fed from a cold tank
- A bath screen, tray or enclosure where the shower is new
- For an electric shower, a check of the consumer unit and whether a new dedicated circuit is needed
- Electrical connection by a qualified electrician, tested and certified
- Removal of the old shower, a full-flow test and a handover on isolating and descaling it
Decisions to make first
Head and handset
A handset on a riser rail is versatile and easy for rinsing; a fixed overhead head feels generous but needs strong flow behind it.
Thermostatic mixer
Blends hot and cold from your system and holds the temperature steady when someone runs a tap. The usual choice with a combi or an unvented cylinder.
Power shower
A mixer with a built-in pump, for tank-fed systems only. It lifts a weak gravity shower but must never be connected to the mains.
Digital shower
A wall panel sets the exact temperature and flow, while the mixing valve sits out of sight. It needs a power supply and suits a clean, concealed look.
Rules that apply in England
The water fittings regulations in each nation do not allow a pump to be connected directly to the mains supply; shower pumps are for gravity systems with a cold tank only. The shower must also be protected against water flowing back into the supply. Electrics must meet BS 7671, with 30 mA RCD protection and at least IPX4 fittings in zone 1, or IPX5 where water jets are used.
In England, an electric shower usually needs its own dedicated circuit, often 40 to 45 amps for an 8.5 to 10.5 kW unit, and a new circuit is notifiable under Part P. The Part G limit of 48 °C applies to a new bath in a new dwelling or one created by change of use, not to a shower, but a thermostatic valve gives similar protection. An unvented cylinder fitted to improve the shower must be installed by a G3-qualified installer.