Wet areas

Wet areas are rooms and zones with water supply and drainage: bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, the sink zone. This is the most "loaded" part of an apartment: water, steam and temperature changes work here every day, and mistakes cost most because neighbours see the consequences of a leak. That is why wet areas are designed separately and with particular care.

What can and cannot be moved. The general principle in practice: bathrooms and kitchens are not placed above neighbours' living rooms, because a leak would damage someone else's bedroom. Wet areas can be extended or moved primarily over similar or non-habitable spaces. Specific rules depend on the building and the city, and redevelopment in Kazakhstan is formalised officially, so check the conditions with your akimat's architecture department, the public service centre (CON) and a design organisation. Risers and wet areas must not be moved without approval.

Waterproofing. Wet areas need continuous floor waterproofing that runs up the walls. Waterproofing system manufacturers usually specify a minimum upturn of around 15 cm from the junction, but the design may specify a different value. In a shower zone the waterproofing is taken higher; the height is set by the design and the system instructions. Joints, corners and pipe penetrations are sealed with tapes and collars, and drains are connected as per the manufacturer's scheme.

Falls and floors. A wet-area floor is laid to fall towards the drain so that water does not stand. This matters most for a walk-in shower. The bathroom floor is often a level lower than the rooms or separated by a threshold so that water does not go into adjacent spaces. Check floor requirements in the codes, and the design provides exactly the solution that suits your building: screed, waterproofing, underfloor heating and tile.

Access to services. Taps, manifolds, filters and meters must be accessible. For this we provide access hatches, removable panels or hidden niche cabinets. Do not wall in demountable pipe joints without access. Ventilation matters too: humid air must leave, otherwise mould and condensation appear.

Typical mistakes: saving on waterproofing; wrong falls; walling in fittings without hatches; placing melamine-board furniture without edge protection near water; forgetting ventilation; deciding to move a wet zone without approval. We include the plumbing fixtures plan, wet-area elevations and the finishes schedule in the working project, so the contractor knows where and what waterproofing is needed. On ground floors and in private houses there is more freedom: in country house projects we can place laundries and bathrooms where it suits the way of life.