Thanks Hugh. It can look amazing. Since posting I came across someone quite locally who specialises in it (quite odd as I’d also found a local polished plasterer last year which I wasn’t expecting either!). If the prices I’ve seen online are to be believed it’s a lot cheaper than fired earth tiles for example! I will give him a ring but always nice to hear from someone who has it

Thanks Emily. Does that just go in the shower head? Has it made a big difference?

Sorry can I ask another question. How much space is normally needed to conceal the pipe work for a shower? The room is 1m or so wide where the basin and WC are but the shower is just a 760.

Its hard to tell what’s what without knocking holes as the ensuite is situated where they used to be a few steps up and a passageway to our bedroom

Ah ok, so it’s a proper one! I think I need to get a plumber up in the attic to take a look. The ensuite ceiling is only 7’5 (although the shower part is taller as you currently step down a foot!) and I’m not sure there’s any roof space over it although we can’t actually work out what the roof is like over this room! How often does the Salt need refilling out of interest? (The rest of our ceilings are really high and the loft hatch is over a galleried landing, my husband went up there to store stuff a couple of weeks ago for the first time and I nearly died holding the ladder and passing things up, I’m not sure I could cope with that on a regular basis!!). The softener does sound as if it’s worth it though :)

Thanks kikiamack. We installed an aqualisa shower in our old house on our plumbers recommendation, they’re fantastic showers. I will get the plumber in, the house is early Victorian with a maze of pipe work including numerous bits that aren’t used, lots of boxing in in the shower plus 2 internal stop cocks for some reason which we only discovered when removing a sink from one room! I will ask the plumber to see where else a softener can go as I definitely couldn’t face refilling the salt each fortnight!

Minnie, sorry to ask a question across your thread, but can I ask Emily if you would mind sharing which brand/model of water softener you went with? Our plumber has allowed for fitting one in our new heating and hot water set up, but I'm struggling to find many reviews on the different makes. Harveys and Kinetico are very expensive, my plumber says a standard one from a plumbers merchant will do the same job, but I'm struggling to find much information. Thanks in advance, and sorry again for jumping in.

Thanks Emily, that's really helpful, my Mum recently had the Harveys one fitted, which was about £1500 :-O ... I was hoping to find something a little less expensive, so it is good to hear yours was a bit more reasonable. Like you, my Mum does swear by hers though, she says showers and taps etc are an absolute doddle to keep clean now. We live in a really hard water area, and having just renovated and fitted new bathrooms and kitchen etc. I think now is the time to fit one, to keep everything shiny new in the easiest way possible....who wants to be in the shower scrubbing limescale away all the time ... ;-)

Hi Minnie, I’m now in exactly the same situation as you were when you posted this and looking to find anyone who has actually got Tadelakt and can talk about maintenance. One company I’ve talked to do both micro cement and Tadelakt but said the latter ends up looking rough if you’re not super careful. Did you go for it in the end?

Hi Lucy. Yes, you can see my comments on the other post you commented on ( am having huge Houzz issues atm!) I haven’t done it yet ( long story) but one of my walls needed redoing after 3 months.. it seems like a long process. Mine is sealed with 3 types of wax rather than olive soap so it’s apply with a cloth, dry 12 hours and then buff with a polisher ( car one with a wool “bonnet”) and so on for each wax. Therefore not great if it’s your only shower! I’m not sure how long it takes to apply the olive soap though, may be much easier!
What do they mean by rough? When applied or after a period of time?