How Much Does a Frameless Glass Shower Screen Cost? [2024]

Frameless shower screens not only give your bathroom a sleek, uncluttered look, they can also help you create an on-trend wet room.

But what are the practicalities of installing this in your home? Do you have an existing shower cubicle or framed shower that you would like replaced? Do you need other work to be done before you can install a new shower? And most importantly, what is all this going to cost?

This article will help you figure out:

• what to look for when hiring an installer
• what they may charge for installation
• how much frameless screens cost

© Brilliant SA

Types of Frameless Shower Screens

There's a frameless shower screen for almost every size and shape of bathroom, including:

• Wall-to-wall screens with one or two fixed panels and one sliding or swinging door
• Corner shower screens with left or right hand swinging doors
• Curved glass corner shower screens are available from some suppliers.
• Rectangular frameless shower screens
• Bath shower screens
• Single shower panels
• Custom panels

Frameless Shower Screen Safety + Specifications

Frameless shower screens need to be manufactured from safety glass, otherwise known as toughened or tempered glass, and this is a requirement by law. The Building Code of Australia has standards for shower screens and shower doors, namely: AS 1288:1994, Glass buildings-Selection and installation; and AS/NZS 2208:1996, Safety glazing materials in buildings.

Take a close look at the specifications before choosing the cheapest glass shower screens. Door thickness, for example, can be either 8mm or 10mm. While toughened safety glass is used for all glass shower screen panels, 10mm glass gives an extra measure of security and may be worth paying more for.

Besides the glass panels, the other main components of a frameless set up are the hardware, including:

Floor and wall brackets: these are the primary supports for the glass panels, and are typically chrome plated brass or stainless steel.

Door hinges: these stainless steel or chrome elements are either glass, wall or floor mounted, depending on the configuration of your shower.

#hiptip: All frameless shower screen glass needs to comply with Australian Standard AS/NZS 2208:1996

© Bathrooms & Kitchens by Urban

Do I Need a Licensed Tradie or Installer?

It depends where you live.

In NSW this type of work is covered by the Minor Trade Work licence class, which includes shower screen enclosure installation. The Building Commission NSW describes this work as, ‘works involving new, repair or replacement work which cannot be readily ascribed to an individual specific trade area’. In Queensland, the licence: Glass, Glazing and Aluminium covers this type of work.

Your installer may also have a glaziers licence or be covered by a bathroom renovation or a builders licence. Best to ask before you hire them.

Read more: How to Create a Wet Room

Hiring a Frameless Shower Installer

When it comes time to hiring a shower installer, take time to make sure they are right for your job. Make sure you ask them questions like:

• Are you licensed or qualified?
• Are you insured to work in my home?
• How long will my job take?
• Can you provide a written quote?
• Do you have references I can follow up?
• Can I see examples of your work?

#hiptip: Get at least three quotes before you commit to hiring anyone, so you can compare price and level of service

© The Design Mill

How Much Does a Frameless Glass Shower Screen Cost?

In order to be safe for use, frameless glass shower screens need to be made from thicker glass than framed shower screens. The thicker glass makes them more expensive than their framed counterparts. Custom sizes will cost more and because the glass panels are very heavy, they should be professionally installed.

Expect to pay in the region of:

• $360 for a 2100mm x 900mm frameless glass walk-in shower panel including aluminium channel
• $410 for a 850mm x 2000mm two panel frameless shower screen (+ $195 installation)
• $550 for a 800mm x 600mm rectangular frameless glass shower screen
• $690 for a 1740mm x 1785mm x 2000mm three panel sliding door frameless shower screen (+ $400 for installation)

The prices above do not include delivery or installation. In most cases installation costs will be between $200 and $400. If you are having an existing shower removed, this will typically be included in the overall cost or will be detailed as a separate cost - and is something you need to clarify with your installer upfront.

The best way of finding out the cost of your job is to get quotes from local shower installers. This will give you a sense of what market rates currently are.

* All the costs and prices quoted were sourced at the time this article was written. They are indicative, may vary locally, are subject to market forces and should only be used as a guide.