To install a Niche/ insert or not

3 years ago

Hi, can I ask please if anyone who has done a bathroom renovation has put in a 'niche' or 'insert' into their bathroom. I really want one but the contractors doing the job say it will take away from the clean look of the tiles and they are hard to clean, water gets lodged in them. Any advice on whether I should go for them or not? A shower organiser seems so cumbersome in comparison. Thanks in advance 🚿🤗

Featured Answer

Misha M

3 years ago

Hi Sonya...get one...or three!

They are smart and useful and prevent the need for other, more cumbersome storage.

Sometimes, depending on your tiles, builders find them fiddly to do so but so worth it...

What we did...

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Comments (16)

PRO
The Kitchen Lady UK
3 years ago
I agree with Misha, they are much neater for storage if the tiles are done prettily. Ask the tiler to continue the lines of the tiles as he goes in and around the recess. This will take a little more time but looks really neat.
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User
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi, thanks Misha and covey kitchens. I really wanted them so it's good to know as I don't know why he was trying to put me off.
Sonia
3 years ago
I wish I had a niche in my shower! I’ve got a hanging storage basket thingy in mine and it is cumbersome and messy, hate the bloody thing! Because the wall has to be built out to incorporate the niche I think some builders can’t be bothered. If it’s what you want then you should have it. My brother has a sort of mantra - always give the customer what they want (he is a builder).......😉
Ellie
3 years ago
No niche, keep it tidy. Had one in my old house and we always left several bottles on each one, well it is storage, but I hated the look of the clutter. It encourages you to leave out bottles. If you are happy to have bottles there go for it. Now, I take bottles in, put on floor, take bottles out.
minnie101
3 years ago
Mine is built on a very slight slope (not noticeable) so any water drains out. I think (?) that’s how they should be built!
Frankie Hayes
3 years ago
@Misha M Hello - do you ever get water on the floor and how wide is your glass please?
Frankie Hayes
3 years ago
@User I am in the same boat at the moment - I really want a couple of niches - Our builder said that tiler would do the niches and tiler now says that the builder should build them first - this is after the whole enclosure has been plastered nice and smooth (it's a stud wal)l - So we don't know whether to find a new tiler who does niches or get our joiner and plasterer to build them but then they probably won't line up with the grout lines neatly. Also the tiler said that we shouldn't have a niche near the shower flow in case it leaks through in the future- which is where you want one really. I don't fancy loads of wire racks.
Sonia
3 years ago
Frankie as I understand it niches are created by bringing the wall out to create a niche, your can’t dig into the wall to create a niche. This is something either a plasterer or a builder would create. The tiler then comes afterwards to tile the structure.
Frankie Hayes
3 years ago
@Sonia - no our shower enclosure is 1 brick wall and 2 hollow new walls in which we can have the niches anywhere except where pipes and electrics hidden - we took photos before it was plastered so we know where they are.
minipie
3 years ago
If you will have a stud wall on one side of your shower anyway, then yes definitely have a niche. If all the walls are brick I wouldn’t bother as you’d need to build out a false wall to have a niche and then you lose space.

The way to stop water accumulating is to lay the tiles with a slight fall towards the front of the niche rather than completely flat. Also make sure the niche is fully waterproofed. They are fiddly to tile so I’m not surprised he isn’t keen :) but they are great.

Think carefully about how you want the tiles laid out. Unless using mosaic tiles, it may be impossible to avoid cut tile edges showing somewhere around the niche edge. If so do you want to leave these cut edges showing (won’t look good if the middle of the tile is a different colour) or cover them up with a tile trim.
Misha M
3 years ago
Hi Frankie Hayes

No we don't get water on the floor.

The glass is just over 3foot wide.

Hope that helps.
Frankie Hayes
3 years ago
@Misha M thank you!
Frankie Hayes
3 years ago
I'm getting my niche built tomorrow! - Anyone know if the back tiles are put in first before the side lining tiles please? Eg will the back surface tiles end up a bit smaller surface area?
Misha M
3 years ago
Good luck Frankie!

Don't know personally, can't say I paid that much attention when our builder did it, but a bit of You Tubing and all the videos show that the back gets done first, which I suppose makes sense because otherwise, you'd have to cut the back tile/s very precisely to get them to fit exactly.

Would love to see some pics when all done!

Misha
Debra Richards
3 years ago
I created a small niche when I tiled my shower. I tiled the sides first. Two things to bear in mind is setting out the tiles to avoid slither cuts, and to check the height for the tallest shampoo/ shower gel bottle, and make allowance fir the thickness of the shelf and top of the niche. Lessons learnt!!

To install a Niche/ insert or not

Misha M

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The Kitchen Lady UK

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To install a Niche/ insert or not

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