Shower Enclosure Ordering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Most problems with a glass enclosure start before the glass is made. This page belongs to our shower enclosure hub and lists the ordering decisions people get wrong, what each one costs you, and a checklist to run before you say yes.
Quick answer
The costliest ordering mistakes are timing and assumptions: ordering before tiles and fixtures are final, trusting that walls are straight and floors level, ignoring door swing and drain direction, choosing glass and hardware blindly, skipping a site check, and comparing quotes that do not cover the same items. Tempered glass cannot be altered after fabrication, so get these right first.
Why ordering mistakes are hard to undo
Ordinary materials forgive a mistake. A plank can be trimmed on site and a tile can be cut. Tempered glass cannot. It is heated and then cooled rapidly to gain its strength, and that process locks in the shape, the edges and every hole or notch. Once a panel is tempered it cannot be cut or drilled, which is why the dimensions and cut-outs have to be right before fabrication starts. Our page on tempered glass explains what that means in practice.
So the order you place is a one-way decision. A panel that is slightly too small leaves a gap, one that is slightly too large will not go in, and a hole in the wrong place cannot be moved. The mistakes below are not about careless people; they are the ordinary assumptions that look reasonable on paper and fail in a real bathroom.
The main mistakes at a glance
Here are the six that cause the most trouble, with the result you can expect and the simplest way around each one.
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering before tiles are final | Real dimensions differ from the plan; wall faces move | Wait until tiles, grout and fixtures are fully done |
| Assuming straight walls and level floor | Gaps at one side; door rubs or hangs unevenly | Check plumb and level, and tell us about any lean |
| Ignoring door swing | Door hits the toilet, vanity or bathroom door | Mark the swing on the floor before choosing |
| Choosing glass or hardware blindly | Privacy, cleaning or feel disappoints later | Ask what each option looks and behaves like |
| Forgetting the drain direction | Water runs toward the door side and escapes | Note where the drain sits and how the floor falls |
| Overlooking the delivery path | Large panels cannot reach the bathroom safely | Check lifts, stairs, corners and door widths |
The sections that follow take each one in turn, then deal with the quotation and site-check mistakes that sit alongside them.
Ordering before tiles and finishes are final
This is the most common timing error. People measure the bare walls, order the glass, and then the tiler arrives. Tile and adhesive add depth to the wall face; a niche, a raised border or a changed floor finish can alter the usable opening. A measurement taken before those layers go on describes a bathroom that no longer exists.
The same applies to the plumbing trim. Shower valves, rails and the head position all affect where glass can stand and where door clearance is needed. If the valve is moved after the order is placed, the door may land in the wrong place.
A simple decision rule: order only when the tiles are laid and grouted, the floor finish is complete, and the fixtures are fixed in their final positions. If the schedule forces an earlier order, say so openly and ask what could change. Our shower measurement guide shows how to take the numbers once the bathroom is ready, and we do not repeat it here.
Assuming the walls are straight and the floor is level
Very few bathroom walls are perfectly vertical, and very few floors are perfectly flat. A wall can lean slightly, a corner can be a little out of square, and a floor deliberately slopes toward the drain. A rigid sheet of glass cannot bend to follow any of that, so the difference appears as an uneven gap along one edge or a door that closes well at the top and not at the bottom.
The fix is information, not luck. Tell us what you can see: a visible lean, a wall that was re-plastered, a tile line that drifts, a floor that falls steeply to one side. With a clear description or a few photos sent on WhatsApp, the design can allow for it, for example by choosing where the adjustment room goes.
Hold a long straight object against each wall and look for daylight behind it.
Place a spirit level on the curb or floor edge and note which direction it falls.
Photograph each corner from the floor up, with a ruler or tape visible for scale.
Mention any wall that was repaired, re-tiled or built out later.
Ignoring door swing and what stands near it
A hinged door sweeps an arc, and that arc must be clear of everything it passes. The usual victims are the toilet, the vanity edge, a towel rail, the bathroom door itself and a shelf that sits at hip height. People often check the shower area and forget that the door travels outside it.
A paper tape on the floor is the easiest test. Mark the arc, then stand in the doorway and imagine opening it with wet hands and a towel. If the arc is tight, a sliding door removes the swing altogether, though it has its own limits such as the width of the opening and the overlap between panels. The trade-offs are laid out in the sliding vs hinged guide.
Door side matters too. Choosing hinges on the left or right decides which way the door opens relative to the shower valve and the drain. A door that opens toward the water control is awkward to reach into, and one that opens toward the drain side can send drips across the floor.
Choosing glass and hardware without seeing the options
Glass looks simple until you live with it. Clear glass shows everything and is the easiest to keep tidy only if you wipe it. Textured or frosted options change privacy and how marks appear. Tinted glass shifts the mood of the room. Our overview of shower glass privacy options walks through what each type does, and availability of specific finishes is confirmed when you contact us.
Hardware is the other blind spot. Handles, hinges, rollers and seals are what you touch every day, and they decide how smooth the door feels in a year. The shower hardware guide explains the parts and the questions worth asking. If the safety behaviour of the glass is the concern, the page on tempered vs laminated glass helps you understand how each breaks.
Ask for a plain description of what you are choosing, and ask which material is used for the metal parts. Do not settle for a vague label, and do not choose only from a photo.
Missing the drain direction and the delivery path
Drain direction decides where water wants to go. The glass and the door side should be planned so that any water running off them lands on a surface that falls back toward the drain. If the drain sits at the door end, the opening needs extra attention; if it sits at the far wall, the door side is easier. Tell us where the drain is and how the floor falls before the layout is fixed.
Delivery is the practical blind spot. A large panel is awkward and heavy, and every corner, stair and door it must pass is a risk. Think about the whole route from the street to the bathroom: the entrance, the lift or stairwell, the corridor corners, the width of the bathroom door and anything that might be in the way, such as freshly painted walls or protruding furniture. A panel that cannot be carried in safely may need to be made in smaller sections, which changes the design.
Can two people carry a long flat panel through the main entrance?
Is the lift big enough for a tall panel standing upright, or must it use the stairs?
Are there sharp corners or narrow landings between the entrance and the bathroom?
Is the bathroom door wide enough, or does the door frame need to be removed temporarily?
Is the access route clear of furniture, plants and wet paint on the day?
Skipping the site check and comparing unequal quotes
A measurement sent from a phone photo is useful, but it cannot replace someone checking the opening on site where that is available. Availability of a site check is confirmed when you contact us. Whoever does it should be able to see the lean of the walls, the floor fall and the real access path, which are the things you cannot judge from a sketch.
Quotes are the second trap. Two prices for an enclosure can look similar while covering different products. A lower figure may leave out hardware, edge work, installation or the sealing trim. That is why the table below lists the items to line up before comparing; a figure means nothing until the contents match. Price factors differ from job to job, so we never quote without the details.
| Item to match | Why it changes the quote | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Glass type and finish | Clear, textured and tinted glass are different products | Which type exactly, and what does it look like? |
| Hardware and material | Hinges, handles and rollers vary in build | Which material is each part made of? |
| Layout and panel count | More panels and cut-outs mean more fabrication | How many panels and which are fixed? |
| Installation | Some quotes cover supply only | Is installation included, and who does it? |
| Seals and finishing | Strips and silicone are easy to leave out | Which seals and sealing work are included? |
| Old unit removal | Removing an existing enclosure is extra work | Is removal and disposal covered? |
Pre-order checklist
Run through this list the day before you confirm. If you cannot answer an item, that is the item to ask about first.
Tiles, grout and floor finish are complete and no further changes are planned.
The shower valve, head and rails are in their final positions.
You know which way the walls lean and which way the floor falls, and you have told us.
The door swing arc has been marked on the floor and is clear of the toilet, vanity and bathroom door.
The door side (left or right) has been chosen with the valve and drain in mind.
You understand what the glass type and finish look like, not just their names.
You have asked which material each metal part is made of.
The route from the entrance to the bathroom has been checked for width, corners and lifts.
Every quote you are comparing includes the same items.
You know the next step after ordering, which is covered in our shower enclosure ordering steps.
The one rule that saves most orders
If anything in the bathroom might still change, such as tiles, the valve, the drain or the door, wait or tell us before the order. Changing a plan costs less than changing tempered glass.
What to do if you have already ordered
Do not panic, but act quickly. If the bathroom changed after you ordered, tell us before fabrication begins; whether a change is still possible depends on how far the order has progressed, and we confirm that when you contact us. Once the glass has been tempered it cannot be reshaped, so there is little room left.
If the glass is installed and something feels wrong, such as a rubbing door, a visible gap or water escaping, note exactly what you see and when it happens. Often the cause is a seal, an adjustment or the shower head angle, not the glass itself. Our guide to keeping shower glass clean also helps you rule out build-up that makes a door stick or a strip lift.
Whatever stage you are at, you can send the measurements, photos and questions on WhatsApp through the contact page, and we will tell you honestly what looks workable.
Frequently asked questions
Should I order the shower glass before the tiles are finished?
It is safer to wait. Tiles, adhesive and fixtures change the real size of the opening. If the timetable forces an early order, tell us which details are still open so the risks can be discussed before fabrication.
Can tempered glass be trimmed on site if it does not fit?
No. Tempered glass cannot be cut, drilled or reshaped after it has been tempered. That is why accurate dimensions, cut-outs and layout must be confirmed before the panels are made.
What if my walls are not straight?
That is common and manageable if you tell us. Describe or photograph any lean or out-of-square corner, and the design can allow for it. Hiding it only leads to uneven gaps or a door that rubs.
Why do two quotes for the same shower look so different?
They often cover different things: glass finish, hardware material, number of panels, installation, seals or removal of an old unit. Line up the contents before comparing any figures.
Do I need a site check before ordering?
It is strongly recommended. Someone seeing the walls, floor fall and access route catches problems a phone photo cannot. Whether a site check is possible is confirmed when you contact us.
How do I know a large panel can be delivered to my bathroom?
Trace the route from the entrance: lift size, stairs, corridor corners, bathroom door width and obstacles. If a large panel cannot pass safely, the design may need smaller sections, so raise it before ordering.
Want us to measure and advise?
Send the bathroom measurements or a photo of the space on WhatsApp, or call us to arrange a measurement and a quotation.