If it doesn't have weep holes, there's no place for the water that gets to the liner to make its way to the drain. When I did conventional showers with a PVC liner, I used the Oatey drain. Doesn't really matter as long as it's a clamping drain.

I'm curious to see how the liner work on a curved surface.

While the drain is certainly expensive, it's hard to beat. A surface-applied membrane or liquid waterproofing will allow the shower to dry out much faster than the standard shower with the liner.

The one he brought by (which I was able to identify/find from your above reference Kman - thanks!) is an Oatey Plastic Series 101

http://www.oatey.com/shower_drains/lit/OAT_Drain_Brochure.pdf

It's intended use is for pre-formed shower bases - which is not what I'm using. He showed me how to attach the pvl liner to the drain by sandwiching it between the bottom piece and the gasket while upside down, then flipping over and putting the drain in place. It all seemed pretty simple, but I'm still not understanding where the water that gets to the liner goes. And I'd prefer to use a drain made specifically for a dry-pack base and liner.

I'm still pondering how the liner will work - and I'm not convinced it will - it possibly depends on how much stretch there is in it.

Still open to any suggestions

Another question - this time about kerdi membrane -

If I opt for the kerdi drain and membrane - can I just use it for the shower base and curb - taking it up the wall approx. 12 inches or so (as I would if I were using a liner) - and use cbu on the walls, covering the kerdi (again, as I would if I were using a liner)? The reason I'm considering this is because I think it might be easier to cut/seal the kerdi around the curve of the curb than it would be to try to use a thicker pvc or other liner to cover the curb, but the cost of doing the entire shower in kerdi would kill my budget.

and,

does anyone know where/how to get the cheapest kerdi membrane? I live in Victoria, BC. - is it cheaper to buy on the internet? I'll check around at the tile places - but I'm wondering if there's a cost benefit to shopping online.

That drain will not work. It's for preformed acrylic shower bases.
The 130 series is the one you need.
Not to be rude, but your plumber has no idea how to build a conventional shower pan.

You may think the Kerdi drain is expensive, but it will give you a better and easier shower pan to build considering the complications of the curved curb.
This not going to be a cheap shower build. Your going to have to use a mix of different materials to make this work. IE: Kerdi drain, Kerdi and a liquid waterproofing.

Again, not to be rude, you are in way over your head on this one.

You haven't even got to the most difficult part, setting tile on the curve and covering the top of the curb.

Save yourself a lot of aggravation and just buy the matching acrylic curved base.

lol

you're probably right RC - but that won't deter me. I'll just keep plugging along with each step of the process, making sure that once I choose a method, I understand it fully before continuing. This isn't rocket science, and if I can teach myself how to wire a 4 room addition that passed inspection by the electrical engineer, then I'm sure I can figure out how to build a shower that doesn't leak.

I understand that the kerdi drain and membrane is the preferred method by most of the professionals, I'm just trying to find an alternative that isn't so expensive. If I can't find one then I'll relent and fork out the money - it'll definitely make the entire process an easier one.

(and yes, I already determined that my plumber should stick to plumbing and forget giving advice on building conventional shower pans).

Thanks again for all your patience and advice.

cheers,

I'm posting a follow up - for anyone interested in how I'm doing with my project. I have photos, which I'll post later.

After trying to find a less expensive alternative, I decided to go with the kerdi system - it really does appear to be the best system for the weekend warrior determined to diy. After much searching and shopping around, I picked up the drain kit at Home Depot ($99.99) and the kerdi membrane at Tiles for Less for $1.98 sq.ft. - by far the best price I could find.

Weekend One: we finished building the shower frame, cubby and curb and put up 5/8" drywall.

Weekend Two: I put up the kerdi on the walls. I admit it was more difficult than I expected it would be to get it smooth and even. The first batch of thinset I mixed was too dry and difficult to manipulate and my seams were a little bulkier than I would have liked, but in the end I managed to get good adhesion. Not a pretty sight though - I give it to you professionals who are able to spread thinset without getting it all over everything. By the time I finished that part of the project, I'd learned the importance of having a bucket of water and a damp sponge nearby.

Weekend Three: Day One - following the instructions on this site and with my dh mixing the mortar a small batch at a time, I was able to build a dry mortar shower base, with pretty close to perfect slope and as smooth and even as I think possible. Next I tackled the curb - using a 'bridge patch' mortar that was recommended to my husband by the sales person at National Concrete. It has a fibre in it that makes it extremely strong. My dh cut a plywood top slightly larger than the curb, which was used as a guide to mud the sides of the curb. It worked perfectly and was much easier than I'd expected it would be. (I'll post photos later). After finishing the curb, I put down cardboard to protect the base and stepping gingerly, I marked the walls for tile placement.

Day Two - after the base and curb cured overnight, I applied the kerdi - and just to be extra certain that I'd have a watertight seal, applied kerdi fix over the joints along the curb top and inside corners. After the kerdi fix and thinset had cured, I plugged the drain and filled with water and left it. 18 hours later the water had not budged from the original marking - time to start tiling.

more to come (with photos)

Way to go Julie. I have no vested interest in your shower, obviously. I just want you to finish it properly, and prove Randall wrong.

To be perfectly honest, I don't blame RC for jumping to the conclusion that I was in over my head - reading back over the thread, it would appear that I'm pretty clueless indeed - but that is how I learn - by asking too many questions and making my mistakes 'on paper'. I don't just want to be told to do something, I want to know 'why'. Just the way my mind works. I want to learn as much about why not to do something as I do about how best to accomplish it.

I've yet to start a project that I haven't completed - and this is one that I'm already pretty proud of myself for.

I'll post photos, once I get time to figure out how - but that'll have to wait - I'm halfway through tiling and though it's taking me a lot longer than I anticipated it would, I'm determined to get each tile on the wall square, plumb and aligned with the adjoining tiles, with perfect 1/16" spacing. So far, so good.

Right now, I'm going to make a template for the tiles that will cover the top of the curve, in preparation for my next tiling day on Friday.

cheers

Looking forward to seeing the photos.

I have a question about cutting the tiles for the top of the curve -

which of these options would look more 'professional', is there a preferred method, or is it a case of 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other?

1. Equal-sized tiles, probably 2" on the inside corner and close to 3" on the outside edge, aligned with the same width sized tiles on the outside of the curb - there would be 12 or so of these

or

2. Using a mini-grinder, hand cutting the curve using as few tiles as possible for the top (possibly 2 or 3 tiles); the outside of the curve would still have to be smaller equal-sized tiles.

Thanks