Bathroom renovation in Spain: walk-in showers and waterproofing

Bathrooms in older Spanish homes often have a bath, small tiles and dated fittings. Many owners want a modern bathroom with a walk-in shower, large-format tiles and better storage. Here is what to plan.

Bath or walk-in shower?

Replacing a bath with a walk-in shower makes the bathroom feel larger and is easier for all ages. A combined bath and shower is an alternative if you want to keep a bath for children or guests.

Floor-level showers and drains

A level shower without a tray needs a floor with the right slope towards the drain. Linear drains along a wall let you use large tiles with a single slope. In existing buildings, the depth available under the floor decides what is possible.

Waterproofing comes first

Before tiles go on, the shower area and the floor need a continuous waterproofing system, including corners, joints and pipe penetrations. This is the part you cannot see later and the one that decides whether the bathroom lasts.

Tiles

Large-format porcelain tiles reduce grout lines and give a calm look. They require a very flat surface and careful installation. See examples such as our bathroom with 300 × 100 cm tiles and the bathrooms in our reference archive.

Ventilation

Humidity must leave the room. A window helps, but an extractor fan is often needed, especially in interior bathrooms.

Storage and fittings

Wall-hung vanities and toilets make cleaning easier. Niches in the shower wall, mirror cabinets and good lighting complete the bathroom.

Accessibility

A level shower, grab rails and a wider door make the bathroom work for the future as well.

Apartments

In apartments, drainage connects to shared stacks, which limits how far fittings can move. See our guide to renovating an apartment in Spain.

Plan your bathroom

See our bathroom service, or find bathroom projects in Mar de Cristal, Punta Prima and Santiago de la Ribera.