Refurbishing the shower and bath facilities in student accommodation is an essential part of enhancing comfort and cleanliness for residents, while also improving the overall living standards in your university.
However, bathroom refits and maintenance typically consume a large proportion of a university’s facilities management budget, at a time when many estate management strategies are under pressure to adapt their estate to meet demanding environmental targets, and to improve accessibility to meet health and safety and fire safety regulations.
More than this, getting your university bathrooms in order before next year’s intake takes time. From fixing leaks and associated repairs to cleaning and routine maintenance, it’s worth planning the maintenance budget and schedule well in advance to avoid a last-minute rush – and that’s without accounting for any shower cubicles that need completely replacing.
In this context, is there a way for university estates to save money and time on bathroom maintenance while at the same time improving the quality and accessibility of their campus facilities for students?
In Many Cases, The Answer Is ‘Yes’, With The Solution Being A Staggered Upgrade Of Existing Tile And Tray Shower Facilities To Modular Shower Pods.
Shower pods and traditional tile and tray shower cubicles have distinct differences in their design, installation, and lifetime maintenance requirements, which make pods a perfect fit for many university residential campuses.
Shower pods are self-contained wash units that combine the shower tray, modular walls, and door within a single three-piece structure. Each pod is designed to be compact and easy to install, with all their internal surfaces sealed and waterproofed. This design eliminates the need for separate grouting, making them more resistant to leaks and easier to clean, while also extending their service life compared to classic tile and tray shower cubicles.
From a maintenance and refit perspective, this represents a significant saving in time and money for university estates. As tile and tray showers need to be constructed with individual tiles applied to a tray and wall backer board, which then needs to be grouted and sealed, each replacement tile and tray shower cubicle accrues higher labour and material costs than a shower pod, which can often be fitted by a single tradesperson within a few hours. Moreover, tile and tray showers are more prone to leaks if not properly sealed and require regular re-grouting and maintenance between academic years in order to minimise the risk of damp and mould forming.
Refitting your estate wash facilities always requires careful planning and budgeting, so why not call Advanced Showers this term and arrange a site visit so that we can show you what you can do with your estate bathrooms. We can help you evaluate the ways in which you can save time and money by transferring to shower pods across your estate, so that you can put your proposals in for next year in time for the new budget.
Over the last few years, we have had the pleasure of working with numerous universities, residential colleges, and boarding schools across the UK, installing modern, low maintenance shower pods as an alternative to conventional tile and tray showers.
To find out more, please look through our case studies, or call one of our team directly on 01483 532020.
Image source: Canva