The two options we have for waterproofing would be a concrete poured shower pan or a prefabricated one. Both of them have their pros and cons of course. This will mainly depend on the kind of shower design you are going with as well as how good your shower installer is (are). Tile showers have intricate patterns on the floor which will generally require a poured pan, the reason being is simple, your shower may be of custom size and a prefabricated pan may not be readily available (often you can get them custom ordered as with anything else but delivery may take longer than ordering the tile themselves). A poured pan is either a quick concrete mix or a custom formula using portland cement and river rock. I know, it’s a lot of detailed that may be useless but could also be beneficial if someone is selling you something and they don’t know what they are talking about.

Prefabricated pans on the other hand will be a simpler solution in many cases. This does not mean simpler is always the way to go. Prefabricated pans will need a simple hook up from a plumber and you are ready to install your porcelain shower panels or tile right on top of it. No drying time and no detailed designs on the floor.  However, there are prefabricated shower panels on the market that allow you the ability to install tile on them as well. They have a slop and so will your poured shower pan, it may be that much easier for your installer to adhere the tile to a perfectly slopped floor than a custom built one.

However you make the decision from one or another, consider your design and highly consider the integrity of your installer. One small mistake can give you a major headache and a huge insurance claim. I don’t think anyone want to deal with that while their main goal is to have a luxury shower that they can enjoy!