Unidrain is known for products that make it easy to achieve a seamless, simple aesthetic – but we also often work with projects that require us to adapt to specific briefs. In this 10-question Q&A, Sales Manager René Risom shares insights into what customisation looks like in practice, what architects typically need, and how Unidrain supports projects right from day one.
In a 10-question Q&A, Sales Manager René Risom shares his perspective on customisation
René Risom: For us, customisation is many things. Opportunities to customise the desired look are built into our standard range, but when we’re talking projects, it’s very much about solving the brief without compromising safety, performance, or approvals. When architects want a certain length, finish, or safety option, it’s our job to make sure it can happen with minimum fuss – and that the end product remails reliable, tested, and easy to install and maintain.
René: Renovation and conversion projects are a big reason. In existing buildings, dimensions and constraints vary a lot, and standard products don’t always fit the reality on site. Also, clients increasingly want spaces to feel carefully considered – and ‘made to fit’ is part of that subtly luxurious feeling. On that note, it should be remembered that a Unidrain drain is not just a product you place into a finished floor – it is an integral part of the construction itself, making a crucial combination to the overall safety and reliability of the final solution. So it’s not just about aesthetics, but about technical benefits, precision and adaptability.
René: Extra-long drains are very popular and can be achieved in various ways: we can always help the client create a long, calm line in wetrooms on any scale! Finishes are another example: sometimes the brief demands a very specific look. And then there are projects with special requirements, like safety-focused solutions in places where tamper resistance is critical.
René: This is exactly where modular thinking helps. With our modular line concept, you can build up a longer drain from our tried-and-tested components and keep the visuals consistent. You don’t need to start from scratch; it’s all done by combining elements from a system that’s already proven. We’ve done it in many places, including at a lovely old spa resort in Denmark, where we supplied a very long, visually unbroken drain running the full length of the pool.
Read more about the Marienlyst spa hotel
René: Well, healthcare is a good example. In some settings, such as psychiatric wards, you need special solutions that reduce the risk of parts being removed or misused. For one hospital, we supplied 126 specially adapted drains for patient rooms. Those drains were designed to minimise risk factors – for example by making it possible to screw the drains directly into the floor. You can’t remove them without tools, which protects the patients and staff. It’s a good reminder that customisation isn’t always about aesthetics; sometimes it’s about care, safety and functional demands that standard products aren’t designed to meet.
You can read more about the Bispebjerg Hospital case here
Special holes allow the drains to be screwed directly into the floor to prevent removal.
René: Hotels are a classic case. They often have strong visual concepts, and a drain shouldn’t break the palette. So if the brief calls for a specific finish, such as a dark aesthetic across many rooms, then it can make sense to custom-manufacture in that finish to keep the design consistent. We’re happy to assist on such tasks; it’s great fun and a real pleasure to see the end results!
For an example about what René is talking about, take a look at this Norwegian hotel
ClassicLine drain in a special finish to support a cohesive hotel interior palette
René: That’s a very good question, and for us, the answer is ‘yes’. Performance and approvals come first. We work with tested systems and solutions that are approved according to applicable standards. When we adapt something, we always stay within a framework that remains reliable and documentable. Customisation should never mean uncertainty.
René: Bring us in early and share the key parameters: drawings, floor build-up, tile type and thickness, waterproofing approach, and any special requirements. A lot of issues in wetrooms come from making small assumptions that turn out not to be quite true. Establishing clarity early saves time later. And it usually makes the final result calmer, too.
René: Oh, yes! We have in fact developed a solution called FlexLine where instead of combining standard modules, you get a single, continuous unit made to your specified length – anywhere between 500 and 2000 mm, down to the last millimetre. The outlet position can be specified, along with other key dimensions, and the solution maintains a low built-in height despite its length. FlexLine has already been used in major projects, such as a major residential development project in London, St John’s Wood Square.
Flexline – a single, continuous units made to your specified length
