April 2008

Carl Storey likes the Atlantis Tiled Shower system so much, that he orders them by the truckloads. As Project Manager for development company Lifecare Solutions, it is Carl’s job to know what to specify for every inch of a building project, inside and out.

"I draw up a risk management profile for every project, and showers are considered high risk,” explains Carl. Because tiled showers have a reputation for leaking, the risk of damage and the resultant costly repairs is high, especially in New Zealand’s predominantly timber-framed homes.

“I am mitigating that risk by choosing a shower system that comes with a 25 year guarantee and a good track record,” says Carl.

“Atlantis offers the best guarantee on the market currently, but more importantly it’s proven.”
Carl previously worked with large-scale projects in Auckland, handling commercial high rises including 18-storey apartment blocks. He has come to trust Atlantis showers for this environment, for the same reasons.

“The last thing you want is a leak on level 18 filtering down to the floors below,” points out Carl.
The Gracefield development in Nelson is heralded as a high spec ‘Lifestyle Village’ aimed at homebuyers over 55 who want to retain their standard of living without the demands of property upkeep as they head into retirement.

“We have used premium quality products throughout,” says Carl, “tiled showers, fibre optic cables to every house, solar hot water. The villas are designed like any quality home, with the same two bedroom, two bathroom, walk-in-wardrobe set up you’ll find anywhere.”

Like any new residential development, there are a range of different styles of villa available, including semi-detached and free standing options. There are six different models of Atlantis showers specified for the development, the majority of which are level entry, in a variety of shapes to suit the different villas.
Stage One includes the first set of villas ranging between 95 square metres and 200 square metres. A luxury apartment complex is planned for a later stage.

April 2008

Margaret Roil, principal of Wellington's specialist bathroom design company, Coriander Design, has total confidence in Atlantis shower systems - so much so she recently ordered two for her own home.

We had relocated to a home which needed a total upgrade of the bathroom facilities.
One bathroom was to be an ensuite to the master bedroom. I wanted the stylish luxurious appearance of a modern designer bathroom. To achieve this I wanted a tiled bathroom, but with a wooden floor and an older structure I was concerned about the waterproofing of the tiled shower. This is a situation I come across continuously when designing for my clients.

There is only one system that I am confident using. The Atlantis Easytile system. Because Atlantis provide a total system, a specially designed leak proof tray with a 25year guarantee, approved waterproofing materials and adhesives and a team of Atlantis trained and certified installers. It really is a total solution and it is BRANZ approved and readily accepted by Local Authorities making the building consent process and waterproofing requirements easy to comply with.

Our second bathroom was more of a “functional” facility combining bathroom facilities with a small laundry. In here we used an Atlantis Black Pearl shower, with an acrylic base and walls. The shower, a 1200 x 900 alcove fits easily across the width of the room. The option in the configurations of the frameless glass doors made it a perfect fit in our tight space. I also like the additional bracing element across the top of the glass giving extra support to the large expanse of glass. The low profile tray butting up to white floor tiles gives the appearance of a level entry shower.

The installation of both shower trays was carried out by our plumber then the waterproofing was carried out by the Atlantis Certified Installer. After the tiling was completed he returned and installed the glass for the Easytile shower and the Acrylic walls and glass doors of the Black Pearl at the same time. The product arrived on time with comprehensive install instructions.

I choose the curve fronted shower to give better circulation space in the ensuite bathroom while maximising the internal showering space.

I have been specifying Atlantis showers to my clients since they first came on the market. For me, they are the only way of creating a satisfactory tiled shower. The problems that occur when waterproof membranes fail on other methods of constructing tiled showers is certainly something I want to avoid, particularly on wooden floors and upper levels of the numerous older houses being renovated in Wellington.

I introduced my tiler to the Atlantis Easytile system, he is now an enthusiastic convert, and has created some stunning showers for my clients. The Certified installers in Wellington are great.

I totally recommend Atlantis showers to my clients as a product that has a wide range of shapes and sizes, is technically sound and gives a stunning finish to a bathroom. And manufactured by a passionate team that stands behind their product.