The thing is, it can be really hard to estimate how much something is going to cost when the internet is packed with conflicting information.
It’s good to have a rough idea of how much its going to cost to install an electric shower, so that you can put it aside in advance.
To make life a little easier for you, we decided to put together this ultimate guide to shower installation pricing, where to find the person for the job, and the few cases where you might not need anyone at all. You can finally be financially prepared for your upcoming shower installation.
How to Find a Reliable Electric Shower Installer
This is an important question, and a common one when people are searching for a professional to install their electric shower. The best option is to find someone who is a member of one of the self-certification schemes that we have listed below:
- BRE Certification
- British Standards Institution
- ELECSA
- NAPIT Certification
- NICEIC Certification Services
You can find skilled and competent workers that meet these standards from your local council’s building control.
Additionally, before they undertake any work, it is essential that they agree to ensure that the installation complies with building regulations and that they take full responsibility for this.
They must also provide you with the BS7671 certificate. This will need to be produced should you want to sell your home so that you can prove that any and all electrical work was carried out safely.
Otherwise, you will need someone to come and check over the work for an additional fee, and you will be liable for any changes that need to be made.
Why Go with a Professional?
The reason you go with a professional is that they are qualified and certified to install the electrical part of the shower. This is a legal requirement, and if you decide to forgo the electrician part, you at least need the local building authorities to come and inspect it.
This tends to have a set fee (this really depends on your local council), and you will need to have any repairs fixed by a certified professional or checked again. If it goes right, you have saved a little cash, but if it goes wrong it could end up being way more expensive.
Your chosen professional will also be Part P certified, and this is a particular qualification that can be held by both plumbers and electricians - hence you can get someone who is able to perform both parts of the job.
Without this certification, they cannot install an electric shower. There are some cases where the Part P is not required, which we go into detail about later.
Replacement vs New Fitting
There is a pretty big difference between these two installations. If you are just replacing an old shower, all the cables, electrics, and piping are already in place. Therefore, the job is much simpler and tends to involve removing the old unit and then installing the new one.
If you are looking for an entirely new fitting, you can expect higher costs because it will not have any existing wiring or cabling, and this needs to be installed by a professional.
Therefore, the material costs will be higher alongside the labour costs because the work will take longer. The next section shows a good approximate breakdown of what to expect.
A Breakdown of What to Expect
We forget that the installers are often multi-skilled as both plumbers and electricians for this particular job (otherwise, it would certainly cost you more).
While the price can vary according to who you decide to work with, this is a good breakdown of the kind of price you can expect to pay, depending on the work that has been done.
Job Description | Labour Costs | Material Costs |
|---|---|---|
Replacing the existing shower with a similar unit with no need for a cable upgrade. | £175 | £85+ |
Same as above, but with the need for a cable upgrade (the cost next is in addition to the above). | £125 | £50 |
Installing a new electric shower with no existing wiring or cabling. | £250 | £150+ |
Replacing a pumped electric shower. | £300 | £85+ |
What about power showers? I know this guide is all about the electric shower process, but as power showers are up there as one of the most popular types, it is good to have the rough price breakdown here. It’s good for comparison, and also helps you decide which one you want.
Job Description | Labour Costs | Material Costs |
|---|---|---|
Installation of a new power shower. | £350 | £150+ |
Replacing an existing power shower. | £120 | £150+ |
Generally speaking, you will find that a power shower costs double the price of a top rated electric shower to run. For example, an electric shower would cost around 20p for ten minutes, and a power shower would come in at double that - 40p. There are pros and cons to each, but that’s for a different guide and another day.
Ok, I hear you, but why are the materials so expensive? If you buy the new shower yourself, you will be taking money off your bill. Materials usually refer to the new unit being purchased, and sometimes they may also need to add new cabling and piping.
Picking up your own unit means you have the opportunity to price match and find something that suits you.
Additionally, a new shower unit can cost anywhere between £50 (not recommended to spend this little) and upwards of £300.
It really depends on what your budget is like and how much you are willing to spend on your new unit. If you aren’t too bothered about price matching, just get it added to your bill.
Do You Need an Electrician for a Replacement Shower?
This is an interesting one. As mentioned already, you need an electrician (or a plumber that is Part P certified) to install and check any new cables or spurs.
However, if you are switching your old electric shower for one that is the same in terms of power level and does not need new cables, you don’t actually need a plumber or an electrician to come and do the work.
The important thing to remember here is that the new shower must have the same power level as the old one, and nothing can be done to the existing cables.
If any cable work is required, or the shower is more powerful, you will need to call a certified professional out. When you’re swapping for like though, you could save money by just doing it yourself.
