Are you thinking about remodeling your bathroom? There are a lot of things you can do to make your bathroom more functional. One of the most common bathtub remodeling jobs is a tub to shower conversion. Maybe your kids are long past the bathtub stage and you think a walk-in shower would be nice. Perhaps you’re tired of that shower head that hangs a little too low, or your porcelain tub is chipped and dull-looking.
It might be that you’re just tired of the same old look. As with any home remodel, there is a lot to consider. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of tub to shower conversions to help you make the right decision for your bathroom.
Pro: You Boost the Value of Your Home
If you own your home and think you might want to sell at some point in the future, then a tub to shower conversion could add some value to your home. This could be part of the reason why pulling out the old bathtub and installing a shower instead is one of the most popular bathroom remodels.
Remodeling projects can be very expensive but don’t have the same return on investment. Some projects don’t ever allow you to earn the money you have spent on your remodel back when you sell your home. This change to your bathroom, in most cases, should repay you more than the investment that you made to make the upgrade.
Con: Your Home Might Be Less Appealing When You Sell
This might not be true or a problem for you if there is a bathtub elsewhere in the house. If you’re selling your home, not having a bath at all could cause a problem. If your home is a ‘family’ home, then your buyer is likely to be a family. Families who have young children might be put off buying your house, as they need a bath to bathe their kids and don’t want the extra expense of putting one in. Think carefully before removing your bath if you don’t have another bathroom with a bath in, and want to sell your home at some point.
Pro: Showers Take up Less Square Footage
Another reason many homeowners are making the change is that since tubs are often entirely unused, they end up hogging valuable space, whereas walk-in showers are a much more effective use of square footage. Even looking beyond their smaller footprint, walk-in showers often increase a visual feel of spaciousness because their doors are glass, which continues lines of sight to produce an open effect.
Cons: Changing Bathroom Layout
A luxurious shower can take up more room than a bath/shower combo. This could mean having to change the entire layout of the room to make it fit or look appropriate. If the homeowner is attempting to stay under a certain budget with their bathroom remodeling, this is an important consideration.
If your bathroom space is limited and cannot accommodate door swings for shower doors, or if your objective is to renovate economically, one of your best options may be a shower with sliding glass doors. People complain about cleaning and maintenance with this type of shower door due to the overlap of the doors and the tracks. They also find that the doors can come off the tracks.
Pro: Improve the Safety of Your Home
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States think you are making a smart decision. The bathroom is often the most dangerous room in a home. The CDC says more than 20 million people over the age of 18 sustain a bathroom injury every year, and that’s just in the US.
It is easier to slip in a bathtub than in a shower. You have to step up and over the side of the tub, and that can prove a problem as well. A tub to shower conversion can make your home, and especially your bathroom, a safer place.
Cons: Showers Installations are Expensive
A tub will cost anywhere from $400 to $8,000, installed, whereas a shower ranges from $450 to $10,000. Standard bathtubs and shower stalls are at the low end, while whirlpool tubs and walk-in showers are pricier. You can have a whirlpool tub installed for an average of $4,500, less than three-fourths of what you’d pay for a walk-in shower, priced at $6,000 on average.