®Some customers walk in set on tiles. Others have never heard of wet-wall. Most are somewhere in between, and the right answer depends on budget, the look they want and the room itself.
Wet-wall panels
Large waterproof boards fixed to the wall, bought by the sheet. Types range from cost-effective PVC to more robust solid-backed panels.
In its favour
- Faster to fit, so usually less expensive to install than tiling.
- No grout to keep clean. For some customers that alone decides it.
- A finished, water-resistant surface that suits budget-conscious jobs well.
Against it
- Less choice of finish and pattern than tiles.
- Height. Panels usually come in standard heights (2.4 m is common). Above that, you need a plan, covered below.
- Trims matter: end caps, external corners and joints have to match the panel thickness, or you get a visible edge you can’t fix.
Tiles
In their favour
- Huge choice of size, colour, finish and pattern.
- A feature wall, herringbone or a contrasting grout can make the room.
Against them
- Slower and more skilled to fit, so usually dearer to install.
- Grout lines to keep clean.
- Cost rises with the layout: standard ceramic, then porcelain, then large format, then herringbone.
Compare like with like
When you put the two side by side for a customer, make sure both prices include the same preparation, such as re-sheeting the walls with plasterboard. Otherwise one looks cheaper only because the groundwork is missing from it.
A room taller than 2.4 m
Lots of traditional properties run to 2.7 m or more. Panels don’t stretch. The choices are:
- Plaster and paint above the panels, with an end cap finishing the top edge.
- Join a second piece on top, with a joining (H) trim, to carry the panel to the ceiling.
- Use taller panels where the range offers them.
- Lower the ceiling to the top of the panels with a suspended ceiling, which adds framework, labour and possibly lighting work.
Record the full ceiling height at survey. It takes ten seconds and decides which of these the job needs.
Show both
In KBB Go a wall can be finished in tile, wet-wall or a plain colour, so a customer can see both options on their own room before they choose.