Embracing a digital shift in bathroom and drainage specification

Neelam Bala, Technical & Specification Manager at Geberit, explores the potential of digital platforms to enhance design coordination, reduce installation errors and raise standards.

The bathroom industry is undergoing a significant digital shift, with advanced software platforms now integral to design and specification. 

Whether it’s behind or in front of the wall, tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), 2D/3D modelling and prefabricated design are giving those throughout the specification chain the power to achieve greater accuracy, with enhanced efficiency. For specifiers, bathroom designers and M&E contractors, the days of paper drawings and manual calculations are gone. Instead, a shift towards digital technology is driving progress, delivering benefits for everybody involved in the specification, installation and maintenance of bathroom, supply and drainage solutions. 

Advanced design software is now embedded at the very heart of project planning. From BIM to 2D/3D modelling platforms, and from prefabricated design to virtual specification tools, the industry is unlocking new levels of accuracy, efficiency and collaboration.

Crucially, this transformation is not just about technology for technology’s sake. It represents a fundamental change in how complex bathroom, piping and drainage systems are designed, assembled and installed on site. 

Digital tools are enabling specifiers and contractors to plan, specify and build more accurately, reduce the risk of costly installation errors and ensure that systems function as designed – unlocking benefits for all. 

Enhanced support, greater collaboration

The continued development of such tools is changing the relationship between manufacturers, specifiers and contractors. 

Geberit, for example, has built a dedicated Technical Pre-Sales team that works closely with customers, offering added value services that go well beyond simply providing products. Collaboration across the sector is key, perhaps more than ever before, as manufacturers continue to evolve their services. 

The benefits are evident both behind the wall – for drainage, supply, concealed cisterns and installation systems – and in front of the wall, supporting the enhanced design of bathroom spaces. Geberit’s services cover the development of digital specifications, take-offs, creating bills of materials and producing detailed CAD models that support every stage of a project, all with BIM integration. This support spans a range of technical elements including piping, drainage, siphonic roof drainage such as the Geberit Pluvia system and prefabricated systems.

Embedding digital tools

The introduction of digital tools has revolutionised how systems are planned. Instead of relying solely on manual calculations, specifiers and contractors can now work from highly detailed virtual models. Drainage layouts, pipework take-offs and roof drainage systems can all be tested virtually in advance, eliminating clashes and reducing risk before materials ever reach site.

In practice, this means fewer surprises during the installation process and the reduced risk of costly redesigns. Projects can run on tighter schedules with improved confidence that technical requirements have been met. 

For specifiers, digital modelling also improves collaboration across the supply chain, since architects, engineers, contractors and manufacturers can all work from the same information-rich platform.

Raising industry standards

As a leading manufacturer, we believe we have a key role to play in driving this digital rollout. We know our products and systems better than everyone, and it is inevitable that we lead on the design and installation of such systems. 

We can act as technical experts, using digital tools to provide detail to a level that architects and contractors may not be comfortable with. Even internally we have a responsibility to make sure that our sales and training teams are familiar with the advanced software available to us, because they are the ones responsible for driving projects through to completion with enhanced efficiency. 

The benefits of this digital transformation, however, extend well beyond efficiency. Accuracy in specification is directly linked to performance, safety and compliance. Miscalculations in drainage design, for example, can lead to water damage, health risks or costly remediation works. Detailed BIM models and proven 3D concepts help to eliminate such risks upfront.

The use of digital tools is also about creating transparency. Engineers can visualise and interrogate systems in advance, while contractors gain clarity on what is required before arriving on site. This shift is gradually raising the bar for technical competence across the industry.  

The Next steps in digital support

The digitalisation of the bathroom industry is far from complete. Many small contractors and installers still rely on traditional methods, and the pace of adoption varies widely between sectors. However, the trajectory is clear. With growing emphasis on sustainability, cost control and quality assurance, digital platforms are no longer a nice-to-do, but increasingly important to add competitive advantage.

This shift is not about replacing human expertise but enhancing it. The combination of skilled professionals and powerful digital tools offers the industry its best opportunity yet to deliver complex bathroom and drainage systems that meet the highest technical standards – on time, on budget, and with confidence.

www.geberit.co.uk