CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskThe real-world cost difference, the infection control case for Altro, and when ceramic tile is the right answer.
Wet rooms and assisted bathrooms in care homes are high-use, high-infection-risk environments. The wall and floor specification directly affects infection control, maintenance cost, and resident safety. Getting the specification wrong has consequences that extend well beyond aesthetics.
Altro Whiterock and equivalent hygienic sheet wall cladding systems offer a seamless, grout-free surface that is significantly easier to deep-clean than ceramic tile. There are no grout joints to harbour bacteria, no risk of grout mould growth, and no risk of individual tile debonding. The upfront cost is higher -- typically 40-60% more per square metre installed -- but lifetime maintenance cost is typically lower.
Ceramic tile remains appropriate in some settings: lower-risk areas, where budget is the primary constraint, or where a specific aesthetic is required in a premium setting and grout maintenance can be resourced. If tile is specified, use large-format tiles, epoxy grout (mould-resistant), and anti-slip finish on floors -- specify minimum R11 slip resistance rating.
A typical 8m assisted bathroom wall area: Altro Whiterock installed at 85-110/m = 680-880. Quality ceramic tile with epoxy grout at 50-70/m = 400-560. Over a 10-year period, ceramic tile in a high-use care home bathroom typically requires grout repointing once and isolated tile replacement once (200-400 of maintenance). Altro Whiterock over the same period typically requires no maintenance beyond cleaning.
For wet room floors, Altro Aquarius or equivalent vinyl flooring with welded seamless finish is the equivalent recommendation -- grout-free, easily cleaned, available in slip-resistant grades. The specification must include welded seams and a coved skirting detail where floor meets wall -- a non-coved junction is a cleaning and infection control weakness.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.