How to Replace Your Bath with a Shower
Can I replace my bath with a shower? How easy is it to replace a bath with a shower? How much will it cost? Do I need a professional plumber? These are all questions you’re likely to ask when thinking of switching your bath for a shower.
In this article, we will cover the benefits and downsides of replacing your bath with a shower as well as how simple it is to complete and the design ideas you should consider.
Are there benefits to replacing your bath with a shower?
There can be many benefits to replacing your bath with a shower such as freeing up more space in your bathroom, saving water, or maybe you just prefer a shower to a bath.
With busy work and family lives a lot of us don’t have the time to enjoy a relaxing soak in the bath at the end of the day but do have time for a quick revitalising shower.
A short shower is also likely to use much less water than a bath making this bathroom switch great if you want to cut down on your water usage. A short shower is anything 5 minutes and under. Go over this time and you’re likely to use more water than you would for a bath.
The amount of water a shower uses will also depend on the type of shower. For example, there are now plenty of eco-friendly, water-saving showers on the market which limit water flow and energy usage without sacrificing shower pressure.
However, if this is going to be the only bathroom in your home, you might want to consider the effects of not having a bath in your home, especially if you have young children. Also, if you’re looking to sell your home in the near future, a house without a bath could drastically decrease the value of your home. Take a look to see our post on the difference a bathroom can make to your home’s value.
Measure the area and check plumbing
Before removing your bath make sure to measure up and check for plumbing. The last thing you want is to start fitting your new shower to find the plumbing is in the wrong place or the shower tray is the wrong size.
If you’re simply replacing your bath for a shower and not rearranging your bathroom then a rectangular shower tray is probably the best route to go down as this is likely to be the closest fit to your bath, making plumbing much easier.
Choosing your shower and enclosure
The best place to start when choosing a new shower and shower enclosure is by looking for inspiration on places such as Pinterest, Instagram, and interior magazines and websites.
Shower enclosures are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes so you should also consider any measurements you have made, to ensure you get the correct size for your space.
While that beautiful, large shower head may seem like a good idea at the time, if you have a smaller shower enclosure or bathroom then you should consider how wide the spray pattern of the shower is. The last thing you want is for everything in your bathroom to be sprayed with water when you’re showering. In some cases, a shower screen may prevent unwanted spray but this will depend on the height of the screen and the height the shower head is being fitted at.
Tiles or wall panels?
Keeping your bathroom waterproof is essential, especially in a shower enclosure. That’s why your next task is to decide on tiles or wall panels for the walls of your shower enclosure, but which is best for your space?
While tiles and shower walls both have their positives and negatives many people tend to lean towards tiles still. Well, why not? They have been around for many, many years. However, if you’re looking for a quick fix and something that is easy to clean then a shower wall panel might be the best option for you.
With one flat surface and no grouting, a shower wall panel can in most cases be installed over existing wall tiles as well as the flat surface making it easier for cleaning.
For more information on the positives and negatives of wall tiles and wall panels take a look at our Tiles or Bathroom Wall Panels – Which are Best? blog post for more information.
Find a reliable plumber
If you don’t already know a trusted plumber then checking sites such as Checkatrade can help to find a reliable plumber with trusted customer reviews.
This is a must if you want your renovation to go smoothly. Word of warning do your research well in advance of your renovations as the best plumbers tend to be booked up months and even years in advance for large projects.
If you found this useful you might be interested in the following posts - Wet Room and Walk-in Shower Enclosure Ideas - Shower Enclosures Buying Guide - How to Clean a Shower Enclosure.
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