Why it matters more in India than the brochures say
In a single-zone Indian bathroom, every shower wets the whole floor. The WC seat is damp, the vanity plinth stands in water twice a day, and anyone entering afterwards walks on a wet floor — the leading cause of falls in a home. Separating the zones fixes all three. It also keeps the dry side's finishes intact: you can use a timber-look tile, a painted wall or a fabric blind outside the wet zone, none of which survive in an all-wet room.
Costs, in a typical Mumbai bathroom
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mm toughened glass screen, fixed | ₹18,000–34,000 | Typical 900 × 2,000 mm panel |
| Sliding glass enclosure, two panels | ₹32,000–62,000 | Hardware rating matters |
| Additional floor drain and falls | ₹4,500–9,000 | Screed to fall 1:80 into the wet zone |
| Waterproofing to the wet zone | ₹110–220 / sq ft | Up the walls to 1,800 mm minimum |
| Shower niche, formed and tiled | ₹6,500–14,000 | Avoids a corner caddy |
Making it work in a small bathroom
- A wet zone of 900 × 900 mm is the practical minimum; 900 × 1,200 mm is comfortable.
- A fixed glass screen, without a door, is cheaper, easier to clean and works in bathrooms from about 35 sq ft.
- The floor inside the wet zone must fall to its own drain — 1:80 is enough, and it must be formed in screed, not faked with grout.
- 10 mm toughened glass with minimal hardware; avoid framed enclosures, whose frames corrode and hold scum.
- Use epoxy grout inside the wet zone.
Not the same as a shower cubicle
A prefabricated shower cubicle is a self-contained tray-and-enclosure product dropped into a bathroom. A wet and dry layout is a planning decision made in the tiling and the falls, with glass to define it. The cubicle is cheaper and looks like an addition; the wet and dry layout costs more and reads as part of the room. See bathroom renovation costs and the renovation guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much space does a wet and dry bathroom need?+
A wet zone of 900 × 900 mm minimum, so a bathroom of about 35 sq ft can take one with a fixed screen. Below that, a shower curtain and a good floor fall is the honest answer.
Does the glass need to be toughened?+
Yes — 8 mm or 10 mm toughened, ideally with a factory-applied anti-stain coating. Untoughened glass in a bathroom is a safety failure, and any fabricator supplying it should be refused.
How do I stop water escaping the wet zone?+
Floor falls of about 1:80 towards a drain inside the zone, a 10–12 mm threshold or a recessed channel at the glass line, and a full silicone seal at the glass foot. Glass alone does not hold water back; the falls do.
Is a shower cubicle cheaper than a glass partition?+
Usually, at ₹25,000–55,000 for a complete unit. It also reads as a product placed in a room rather than part of it, and the tray sits proud of the floor. For a renovation on a tight budget it is a reasonable compromise.