My plumber friend said to skip the shower niche, but I'm glad I didn't listen
When I redid my main bathroom last fall, a buddy who works in plumbing told me not to bother with a built-in shower niche. He said they always leak and are a pain to tile. He pushed for a corner shelf instead. I thought about it, but really wanted that clean, built-in look. I found a good pre-formed niche online for about $45 and decided to give it a shot. I spent extra time on the waterproofing, using a full sheet membrane behind it and sealing every edge twice. It's been eight months now with daily use, and it's bone dry. The tile work around it was tricky, but having all my shampoo bottles tucked away looks so much better than a shelf. Has anyone else had a plumber or contractor tell them to avoid something that you ended up doing successfully?