The bathroom floors and shower wall will also have tile. Sorry!

Be sure to hire knowledgeable people that will do the proper steps and use the correct materials. Tiled areas, shower floor and main floors don't leak "easily" if done correctly; most can outlast the house.

I am installing a Kohler shower base in my new build. I was SUPER impressed with the rigidity and quality of this unit - not like some of the springy el cheapo tub / shower combos or other bases that I have seen. Finish is exceptional and it's HUGE! Highly recommended if a cleaner aesthetic is your thing and you don't want the decorative aspect of a tiled floor that coordinates with the walls, etc.

https://www.us.kohler.com/us/ballast-66-x-36-shower-base-with-center-drain/productDetail/shower-bases/429199.htm?skuId=415819&brandId=914773

I also highly recommend the Kohler shower base. We added a huge one in our master bath and we love it! No dirty grout to clean and it always looks spotless. We had the plumber add a 5 gallon bucket of compound underneath for added support.

Many times you do not have a choice: non standard area and / or curbless.

I would select a preformed shower base and not add any tile to the floor. Why make problems for yourself.?

https://www.us.kohler.com/us/browse/bathroom-showering-shower-bases/_/N-2d8rZ1z141vg?Nr=AND%28product.language%3AEnglish%2CP_market%3AKPNASite%29

We installed the Kohler Purist cast iron shower base. We love it. Clean up is easy and I don't worry so much about a leaky tiled shower floor. We used marble on our bathroom floor and I read a few too many posts about marble discoloration and standing water when used in the shower (many probably don't have this problem, but our tile person wasn't "all that" and I didn't trust that he would do the job correctly). In the end, I'm so glad we chose the cast iron base. If you don't mind it not matching your floor tile, it's a great option. https://www.us.kohler.com/us/purist-48-x-36-single-threshold-center-drain-shower-base/productDetail/shower-bases/421222.htm?skuId=372746&brandId=1163712

We just had a bathroom with shower redone and are going to do another where we will be removing the tub and putting in a shower instead. I'm curious about how this shower floor insert can be safer than a standard tiled shower. After our shower pan was built and the membrane put down, it had to sit for days with water in it before the tile could be installed. If you have someone who knows what he is doing building the base and tiling, is there really a greater risk of leakage with a tiled shower floor?

And, IMO, aesthetics come into play too since there are many more design options with the tile.

Julieste,

i am not sure. if you have a tiled walls inside of shower, adding tile to floor would look the best, there’s no comparison. I have looked at fiberglass bases but they just do not fit well into a completely tiled bathroom.

However, I do believe the insert is the safer option in regards to leakage. However, if not properly installed and sealed will run risk of leakage as well.

I have a walk in shower on the first floor of my current home now. it has a tiled base inside. However, it is on the first floor with concrete underneath. it is a raised ranch so no basement.

My new build will be a two story with a basement. I just do not want to run into problems with it leaking downstairs into the ceiling. However, I do want a modern bathroom as everything else will be modern.

The fiberglass insert is basically like comparing a tub with tile vs tub with plastic insert. There’s no question that tile looks way better.

No one is recommending a fiberglass base.....................your home is not an RV camper.

The bases that are offered now are cast material and quite heavy. Tile on the floor is no safer than a cast base with texture. More grout lines more cleaning no exceptions. This issue is simply that there are few tile installers who can still properly install a mud base shower and not have it eventually leak.

If you are doing modern- you definitely want a purchased base then, IMO.

My father in law was a kitchen and bath designer. He would only use Schluter system shower base applications..hence its all we use, then tile over it. So far and MANY bathrooms later..no issues at all :)

missymayl suggestion is very appropriate for your installation.

"This issue is simply that there are few tile installers who can still properly install a mud base shower and not have it eventually leak." I completely agree with this comment of Beverly's.

When we discovered that our tile installer didn't have the ability to do a good job on a custom made mud shower floor, we ended up having to get rid of him and hire someone else who had the skills.

There are many choices in shower pans and fiberglass is on the bottom of the list. Be aware that showers leak from poor waterproofing and tiling and can leak from places other than the pan too.

There are so many options... From Schluter Shower System, arc1st, Wedi, foams, home built, etc.

You can be on a really cheap side with use of the liners that 100% work and never leak. A liner can be had for next to nothing and you can install double liner if you wanted to.

We tiled our own shower and did own shower pan. Nothing hard there other than bringing the mortar. You can cut your own slope guides out of plywood, etc.

In today's world it is laziness and sloppiness that causes these showers to leak. Yes I have seen builders not installing them correctly because they did not wanted to spend extra $20 per house.

>tile installer didn't have the ability to do a good job

Sorry. There should be no excuse for this.