One modern bathroom trend is to tear out the tub/shower combination and replace it with a walk-in shower. This is fine for families whose house has two or more bathrooms with at least one of them containing a tub. For resale value, a home should have at least one bathtub.
Walk-in showers are convenient to use and give the bathroom an upscale, modern look. Older people have a harder time climbing into and out of bathtubs, but soaking tubs are a great way to unwind and relax tense muscles. The family preferences for bathing must be taken into consideration. The ideal setup would be a walk-in shower and a soaking tub, but not all bathrooms are large enough.
Deciding What Bathing Facilities to Use in a Bathroom Renovation
The first step in planning a bathroom renovation or modernization should be a few trips to a bathroom showroom to get ideas. The better bathroom remodeling companies have showrooms with bath vignettes showing different types of bathtubs and walk-in showers to give homeowners ideas for their own renovations. These showrooms often offer homeowners free design help. Simple Bath is one company that has this type of showroom in addition to websites with photographs of remodeled bathrooms.
Many factors need to be considered in the choice of bathroom amenities such as walk-in showers and soaking tubs. The bathroom size and the number of bathrooms in the home will help determine which bathing options will work. The ideal situation will be a bathroom large enough to have both a walk-in shower and a soaking tub.
3 Pros and Cons for Replacing a Bathtub With a Walk-In Shower
There are at least three pros and as many disadvantages or cons to replacing a tub with a walk-in shower.
Pros:
- Converting a tub to a walk-in shower makes a bathroom look more modern and can be a selling point for home buyers.
- A walk-in shower is easier to enter and leave so will be nice for older residents. A bench ads even more convenience.
- When an alcove tub is replaced with a walk-in shower, there is more room for users and the shower provides an attractive focal point for the bathroom.
Disadvantages:
- Replacing an alcove tub with a walk-in shower can be costly.
- If this is the only bathroom that has a tub and you remove it, it can hurt the resale value of a home.
- There are times when a bathtub is a good thing to have, such as when bathing young children and soaking tired muscles. Think about the bathing habits of the family before eliminating the only bathtub. If the bathroom to be renovated has room for both a walk-in shower and a soaking tub, everyone will be happy.
Small Bathroom solutions
If the bathroom is the minimum 5-foot by 8-foot space, there will not be room for both a walk-in shower and a tub. If the homeowner wants to upgrade from the alcove tub/shower combination to a more modern look, upgrading the plumbing and having a soaker tub with a shower is one choice. The walls and floor around the tub will need to be tiled to make them waterproof, and a shower curtain or sliding doors will be needed. If getting in and out of a tub is a problem, this solution will not work.
If the homeowner needs a walk-in shower for mobility reasons, it may be worth losing a bathtub for the convenience of a walk-in shower with a bench at one end. There are also new bathtubs that are walk-in to consider for small bathrooms.
Luciana joined our team as a mum blogger in 2020. A dedicated mum to a lively daughter and a dog, Luna, Luciana brings authenticity and passion to every post. Her expertise in parenting and lifestyle topics offers practical, relatable advice for real-life situations.
Great tips! Thank you for the idea of small bathroom solutions; this can really be helpful. Thanks again for sharing it!