Leading manufacturer of tile installation products, Schlüter-Systems has published a striking new brochure aimed at guiding bathroom showrooms and their customers through the often-challenging process of fitting out a bathroom.

As revealed in the foreword to the publication, following some images of a luxurious looking bathroom, “the fact is that the products you can’t see in this bathroom are just as important as the ones you can. Much like the backstage crew to a world-famous pop singer, the behind-the-scenes aspects put the show on the road or, in this case, they ensure the bathroom is functional and protected.”

And therein lies the crux of the company’s 24-page full-colour brochure, in that it is designed to explain how each product will ensure a bathroom failure does not occur if all the ‘backstage’ considerations are taken into account: these extending from effective floor and wall waterproofing to effective shower drainage, pipework connections and sealing systems.

The luxury aspects are also considered with the company’s Schlüter-DITRA-HEAT electric floor and wall heating system.  While its modern LED technology Schlüter-LIPROTEC promises to create lighting effects ranging from restful ones for relaxing spaces to bright, colourful lighting for a busy family bathroom. Schlüter-SHELF, meanwhile, offers a stylish storage solution with a choice of patterns, including the FLORAL, CURVE, PURE, SQUARE and WAVE variants. The same patterns can be found in the drain grate options of Schlüter-KERDI-DRAIN and KERDI-LINE the point and linear drainage solutions, so a coordinated design can be achieved.  There are also multiple finishes to choose from, including brushed stainless steel and powder-coated aluminium.

Other products covered in the brochure include the Schlüter-KERDI-200 waterproof membrane, as well as the Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD – a waterproof tile  backerboard board that provides a flat and even substrate to reduce the number of installation processes needed to create a waterproof assembly, saving time on-site. These are complimented with a wide variety of pre-formed niches which, if desired, come with the option of integral LED lighting.

Lastly, the tile trims finish off the installation and protect the edges of the tiles from damage – with Schlüter again supplying a wide choice of shape, textures and finishes, to complete any wetroom in style.

Featuring high-quality colour photography throughout, this brochure concludes by conveying Schlüter’s comprehensive technical expertise through CAD drawings, project support and a sample service, with its products even available on Virtual Worlds. From start to finish, the specialist’s publication has covered every aspect required to create a beautiful bathroom.

For further information, call 01530 813396 or visit https://www.schluter.co.uk/ to download the bathroom brochure here.

UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says that the plan for a mandatory label announced by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), on Friday 29 September will create confusion and unnecessary expense.

The comments were made following the publication of the response to the consultation which took place earlier this year.

Yvonne said, “The decision by Defra to progress a mandatory label will create confusion, as under their proposals there will be a UK only label, creating extra administration and expense for many manufacturers that operate across Europe and the UK.

In addition the cost of re-inventing the wheel by developing new technical criteria, testing products and setting up a whole new scheme, when this already exists via the Unified Water Label, is not only expensive for the industry but a waste of public money.

“Government is extremely misguided in spending time and money developing a label when there is a recognised and existing scheme developed by the industry, that they could utilise, at much less cost and more effectively.

“The document also omits any mention of a campaign to influence consumer behaviour, which is essential for any scheme to succeed, and something that the UWLA has been addressing since the scheme’s inception.

“The UWLA is fully committed to helping government address the issue of water efficiency but believes that it could work with, and listen to industry more.

“The Unified Water Label Association has responded directly to Defra and will be stepping up its campaign to lobby government for a reversal of this direction, with a view to adopting the existing Unified Water Label.”

Houzz Inc., a home renovation and design platform, has introduced new Schedule upgrades in Houzz Pro, the all-in-one software for residential construction and design professionals.

The Houzz Pro Schedule tool helps pros map out a project timeline, track progress and visually communicate the plan to everyone involved to ensure that equipment, materials and personnel are on-site at the right time. Now, pros can use the schedule overview to see all of their projects on a single calendar view to better manage subcontractor schedules and identify opportunities to book new business. 

Custom templates can now be created and saved in the Houzz Pro Schedule tool for each project type such as ‘bathroom renovation’ or ‘kitchen renovation’, to help pros get future projects moving more quickly. Pros simply add a new start date into the tool, then phases, items and tasks populate a schedule that can easily be updated to address the individual needs of each project.

Other project management tools in Houzz Pro include Daily Logs, Tasks and Project Dashboards, which can all be accessed on the go from the Houzz Pro mobile app. The Houzz Pro project management tools are available for pros with a “Pro” or “Ultimate” level subscription to Houzz Pro. 

Houzz Pro helps residential construction and design professionals run an efficient, profitable business and makes it easy for them to reach new customers, all while delivering a standout client experience. The software, priced to fit any budget or team, also includes time tracking, online invoicing and payments and other design and business tools. 

The Houzz community includes more than 65 million homeowner and home design enthusiasts and over 3 million home renovation and design professionals around the world in more than 100 categories, including builders, architects, interior designers and landscape professionals.

Learn more about the Houzz Pro Schedule tool here.