Shower Remodel
Shower design is one of the easiest and most significant remodeling projects you can undertake. It’s also one of the most daunting makeovers since you need to choose between different styles, materials, and accessories unless you’re familiar with some shower remodeling essentials, shower design options, and how to select the best one for your bathroom.
In the following lines, we’ll give you straightforward tips to help you make the most of your time, money, and sanity as you tackle this fun project. And if you’re interested in other bathroom remodels, check out our articles on bathtub remodeling, tub-to-shower conversion, tips for bathroom renovation, and others.
Essential Tips for Your Shower Remodel
Before discussing how to start your shower remodel, let’s first go through some essential remodeling tips.
The Cost of Your Shower Remodel
Budgeting is the first step when it comes to shower remodels, and renovating any part of your bathroom generally costs more per square meter than any other part of your home. This is in part due to the price of running the plumbing, waterproofing, ventilating, lighting, and other factors that go into a renovation.
Even if you’re just rebuilding the shower, this can set you back anywhere between $3,000 and $10,000, depending on what materials you use, how much your contractor charges you, and the price of the fixtures and other shower essentials. Because of all this, it’s best to set up a budget before you start renovating and have an additional 10% extra in case of unforeseen problems.
Consider the Maintenance
Not many people enjoy scrubbing their showers, so it’s important to consider how much maintenance your new shower would need before designing it. Opt for low-maintenance surfaces, such as subway tiles, design grout-free shower walls or use urethane or epoxy grout, use large format tiles with smaller joint sizes, and use glass surfaces that you can easily clean with a squeegee.
Carefully Choose the Team Working on Your Project
When doing any type of renovation or remodeling in your home, the team you choose will make a huge difference in how well the job will be done. Before hiring the first contractor you meet, research the prices, check their previous experience, discuss the materials you plan on using, and most important of all - discuss the timeline of the project and what happens if they’re late. Double-check the contractors that people recommend because finding great contractors is becoming more and more difficult as fewer people go into the trades.
Have a Firm Stand When Discussing With Contractors
Discussing the remodel with your contractors can feel a bit intimidating, especially because they’re the ones who know how the whole process should go in detail. However, that means that they can easily choose the path of least resistance to finish a job which doesn’t always equal a client’s desired outcome. That’s why having a firm stand and discussing the main decisions while they’re remodeling your shower will go a long way to getting you your ideal result.
Plan First, Purchase Later
During a project such as this, mistakes can be made when it comes to measurements, so you can end up ordering a shower door that doesn’t fit. To prevent this from happening, give the drawing of your bathroom to the supplier so they can order the right size. Measuring twice is better than going through the hassle of returning everything later.
Leave It to the Professionals if You Are Not Good at DIYs
There’s nothing worse than starting a project you aren’t able to finish due to not being knowledgeable and experienced enough, and the same goes for shower remodels. In the end, you’ll spend more time and money if you have to hire someone to redo the work you weren’t able to finish. Be real with yourself and figure out what you can do yourself if you want to lower your budget, and leave all the rest to the professionals to save time and nerves.
The Importance of Your Shower Base
The shower base is a crucial element when it comes to shower remodels. If done properly, it will be the foundation for the shower of your dreams, but it can also cause the biggest problems if it’s done incorrectly and it ends up leaking. This is one area in your shower budget where you’d want to spend a bit more money and get a shower base of good quality.
Plumbing System
As already mentioned, replacing the plumbing and changing where your shower drain goes can take away a large part of your budget. Therefore, if you aren’t experiencing problems with the plumbing system, it’s best to keep the plumbing pipes and the drain where they are and replace the tiles. But before you start renovating, check all the pipes to ensure that they meet your local water-usage code and that they’re working properly.
All About Shower Doors
Apart from the tiles, the other main feature of your shower is the shower doors, which come in different shapes, sizes, and materials. These are the most popular shower doors in the bathroom scene:
- Open and shut (the standard shower doors are made of a fixed sheet of glass and one sheet of glass that you can swing open)
- Spray screen (a spray screen made of glass can be the perfect addition to your minimal shower area in you don’t splash around when you shower )
- Folding door (a great solution when you don’t have enough room to accommodate a door swing)
- Barndoor (a combination between the fixed panel and a slider door that makes a small space look huge)
- No shower door (a ceiling-high glass wall can give you both the prevention of splashing as you shower, but also bring a lot of light into your shower area while making the most out of a small space)
Tiles, Tiles, Tiles
Choosing the tiles for your shower can feel just as overwhelming as choosing the shower doors, if not more. You’d ideally choose tiles that are easily maintained and will last you for years to come. If you’re only remodeling the shower area and not your whole bathroom, consult your designer about which tiles would work best with the old and the new part of your bathroom. And a final tip when choosing the tiles would be to opt for tiles that have more grip, as this will decrease the chances of unwanted accidents in the shower. You can also add a slip-resistant mat to prevent unwanted shower slips.
Shower Fittings
Shower fittings add the final touch to your shower area, so it’s best to go with quality pieces instead of going with cheap plastic fittings that you’ll need to replace often. Choose a showerhead that’s easy to clean, but also has adjustable spray options to give you the shower of your dreams. And if you aren’t a fan of showerheads, a hand shower is the perfect option since it allows you to have a targeted spray that’s especially useful when you’re cleaning the shower, but also while showering.
Ventilation
Good ventilation is necessary to ensure the longevity of your bathroom, so you’ll need to do research when choosing your bath vent fan. Installing a fan inside your shower will suck out the moisture that would have otherwise condensed on your walls, ceilings, and mirrors and may eventually lead to mold growth. It’s a good idea to choose a fan that isn’t very loud, so you’ll even forget that it’s running in the background and just enjoy your shower.
Lighting
The final part of your shower remodel should be adequate lighting. Adding lighting fixtures in your shower area is a great idea, but you should ensure they are suitable for wet locations. The best option is low-profile LED fixtures that give out enough light and will last you for years. And you can even add a dimmer switch that will help you create different atmospheres, depending on the time of day.
Final Thoughts
A simple, budget-friendly shower remodeling project will make your bathroom look brand new if you work with a reliable team, take enough time to plan the whole process, and choose quality materials. But researching the process and getting familiar with all the nitty gritty details is the most crucial step that will help you tremendously as you discuss the remodel with the contractors and as you’re overseeing the project.
Good luck with your remodeling project!