For residential schools and universities, showers represent a continual expense due to their high maintenance and cleaning requirements. Estate Managers are faced with the dual challenges of maintaining high quality bathroom facilities for their students and keeping long-term costs under control. This can be a tricky proposition, especially on large university campuses with an extensive number of shower units to maintain.

There are three main problems:

1) Leaks
2) Ongoing cleaning/sanitisation
3) Renovation costs

Leaks are an inherent problem for showers because of their traditional tile and tray design. No matter how well constructed a tile and tray shower is, there are dozens of cracks, corners and gaps for water to escape. Every tile represents a potential leak hazard. Every tray is a maintenance issue waiting to happen.

Of course, when leaks do occur it can be difficult to trace the source, especially if the leak has been ongoing for some time before it is discovered. Symptoms of the leak may appear in the apartment below, or further along the plumbing system. Finding and then addressing a leak can be disruptive and expensive. Major leak damage can even involve relocating students until the issue is fixed – another source of inconvenience and expense.

Even with regular replacement of grout and seals, leaks are hard to prevent altogether. They are hard to predict and often happen without any warning. This brings us to the problem of shower cleaning. As residential shower cubicles are notoriously difficult to ventilate, your cleaning team will be faced with a continual battle against damp and mould. It doesn’t take long for grout to discolour and cracks to appear in tiles, even when following a rigorous cleaning schedule. Costs in time and cleaning materials mount up over time, increasing as your showers approach their end of life.

Both of these issues have the same underlying problem: they force you to be reactive – addressing problems as they arise, rather than on your own terms. This makes it hard to plan for your maintenance requirements or keep control of your budget.

Solutions To The Problem

There are short-term ways to approach this, such as using more durable tiles and longer lasting silicon seals. However, a more effective long-term solution is to phase out your current showers in favour of fibreglass shower pods.

Shower pods are prefabricated, sectional shower units with integrated trays, which can be custom made and then installed on site in a matter of hours. Installing a shower pod does not require extensive planning or tiling work, so it can be carried out by one contractor with minimal disruption to your students.

Initial Investment Vs Long Term Savings

Switching to shower pods does involve an initial capital investment. However, most of our university and school customers spread the cost by phasing in shower pods in stages during separate procurement cycles. Once installed, the savings become immediately apparent:

• The joints between the shower pod sections are fitted with gasket seals, with no mastic required. Furthermore, the tray is an integral part of the assembly rather than a separate unit. This renders each shower pod entirely leak proof.
• There are no cracked tiles to replace or grouting to repair.
• The durable, reinforced polymer structure is GRP finished in high gloss, meaning it won’t discolour or crack. Your shower pods will remain looking tough, crisp and clean for years with minimal ongoing cleaning requirements.

Exchanging all your conventional showers for shower pods will virtually eliminate your need for reactive bathroom maintenance. This represents a large long-term cost saving that far outweighs the initial investment. With a proven track record of reliability on university and school campuses across the UK, our shower pods offer a refreshing solution to the problem of long-term shower maintenance and repair costs.

Our Ultimate Guide To Maintenance-Free Shower Cubicles

Download our free Shower Pods Guide for more information about how to cut your long-term maintenance and repair costs by installing shower pods in your accommodation buildings. Universities, schools and other organisations throughout the country are discovering the advantages of shower pods as an alternative to tile and tray installations. Click here to claim your copy. To speak with one of our technical sales team, please call us on 01483 532 020.