Most Common Tub to Shower Conversion Mistakes
December 27 2022
Converting a tub to a shower can be a smart move that enhances bathroom accessibility for everyone in the house. It is also a way to add value to your home. However, without proper planning, many common mistakes can pop up in the process of a tub to shower conversion.
9 Tub to Shower Conversion Missteps
Lack of planning has the potential to turn your conversion into a disaster. Fortunately, outlining a plan is easy. Avoid these nine common mistakes when you adapt your tub into a shower.
1. Not Understanding Why You Are Doing the Conversion
First things first: Tub to shower conversions do not magically happen by themselves. Before you set out to do one, you should have a clear understanding of what you hope to accomplish with the conversion. That helps you take the right approach.
For example, if you are doing the conversion because you’re aging in place, you would approach it differently than if you are doing it primarily to modernize the look of your bathroom. Common reasons for converting a bathtub include:
- Redoing the bathroom to have the shower as a focal point
- Adding functionality for seniors aging in place or others who need more accessibility
- Making a smaller bathroom more spacious
- Modernizing an older bathroom
- Adding value so you can sell the home
- Adapting the property for rental income/Airbnb-type renting
- Making more space for other family members or roommates
- Lowering utility bills by encouraging showering over baths
You can have just one reason or a combination of several. If you have multiple reasons, prioritize them in order of importance. Then determine whether the conversion you have in mind will actually be the solution you're looking for.
2. Not Planning Enough
Planning a tub to shower conversion involves many factors, such as shower size, timeline, budget, materials, ideal bathroom decor, accessories, the contractors you are going to work with, the disruption the conversion means for your everyday life, and buy-in from others in the home. Build in cushions everywhere you can. For example, expect the unexpected to happen both with time and finances and add more to your budget and timeline than you think you really need. If it happens that you finish under budget in a shorter time, then great!
When you plan, think about who is going to use the shower and why. That helps you decide on accessories and aesthetics. Showers for aging in place, for example, ideally involve curbless accessibility (or low curbs), grab bars, a seat or bench, and space for a caregiver to assist in the shower should that be necessary.
3. Converting Your Only Bathtub Into a Shower
This is not necessarily an error, but enough people have discovered it to be a mistake to merit mentioning. Think twice about a tub to shower conversion if it means you’re turning the sole tub in the house into a shower. If you have babies or young children, you may find it easier to bathe them in a tub rather than a shower (even a portable tub in a shower). Homes also tend to have better resale value if they have one bathtub. That said, if your neighborhood does not really attract people with young children, this could be a nonissue.
4. Moving the Shower to a New Location
It is much easier to keep the new shower in the same spot as the bathtub. While you could technically relocate the shower, it is a hassle and usually not worth doing. It adds tremendous time, effort, and expense. You are better off using the current water supplies and drain lines.
If the show absolutely must be moved, know this in advance so you can plan for it as best as possible. Have a good understanding of which other bathroom components you must take apart to make relocation happen.
5. Not Checking the State of Your Plumbing and Floors
Conversions are a great time to ensure your plumbing is in tip-top shape. Take this opportunity of easy access to fix leaks and pipes. Let a plumber handle the work, though, unless you have extensive experience in the field. Similarly, repair your floors if they have water damage or other types of damage. Weaker floors mean a bathroom that is at risk in the long run.
6. Reducing Bathroom Lighting
Depending on the location of the new shower, a tub to shower conversion could reduce the natural light in your bathroom. In your planning stage, think about the locations of the windows. Consider your artificial lighting as well. You don't want any lighting fixtures to be in your way as you shower or for there to not be enough room in the bathroom for proper artificial lighting.
7. Opting for Cheap Materials
It's always tempting to save money, but tub to shower conversions are situations where it is worth paying for better materials. In the big picture, you save money by paying more upfront. Showers are used regularly, and you don't want to contend with leaks or a shower replacement in just a few months or years.
8. Doing the Tub to Shower Conversion Yourself
Unless you have significant bathroom DIY experience, it is usually a mistake to attempt to convert a tub to a shower yourself. Hire a professional to get top-quality results. You’ll have access to better materials, efficiency, and resources, and enjoy a better shower from it.
9. Buying the Wrong-Size Shower
Yes, this really happens! Purchasing the wrong size of shower derails your conversion for several reasons, most obviously the shower not working in the space you designated. Reselling a shower is tricky, and you will still need to buy a properly sized shower. One benefit of a professional conversion is that you don’t need to worry about the correct measurements. Experienced folks take care of that for you.
Thinking About a Tub to Shower Conversion?
You can save both time and money and get excellent results by hiring a professional to perform your tub to shower conversion. Try out Bathroom Design Quotes today.
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