Solving Biggest Bathroom Renovation Dilemmas Part 1: Bathtub vs. Shower

A renovated bathroom adds value to your home, modernizes its style, and makes it better adapted to your and your family’s needs. Bathroom renovations are undoubtedly the best time to include improvements that will serve you for years to come.

But, a bathroom renovation is far from a simple process. You want to add new functionalities, increase comfort, improve the aesthetics… and the list never ends. This is all okay if the money you plan to invest will bring you satisfaction, but sometimes, bathroom renovations can bring a headache too.

There are so many challenges along the way, where making rushed decisions can lead to wasted money, time, effort, and nerves. To help you avoid these problems, we’ve decided to write a series of texts where we’ll go into more details about the three most common dilemmas when it comes to bathroom renovation:

1. Bathtub vs. Shower
2. Single Sink vs. Double Sink
3. Shower Curtains vs. Shower Door

Today, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of Bathtub vs. Shower and what will be best to install in your bathroom, taking into consideration space, budget, maintenance, and other relevant variables.

Bathtub vs. Shower: Pros and Cons

One of the biggest dilemmas in any bathroom renovation process is whether to install a tub, a shower, or both. But sometimes, having both is not possible, usually because there’s not enough space in the room.

It will be ideal to have just the perfectly right space and budget to incorporate any wish or desire. But in the real-life, compromises should be made, and sometimes, you will have to decide what will suit you and your family best.

Many factors can determine your choice. Alongside the previously mentioned space and budget, there are also other variables to consider like energy costs, monthly maintenance bills, the needs of other people who will use it on a daily basis, etc.

Undoubtedly, both solutions have their pros and cons, and only by considering them all, you can make the right choice for your bathroom renovation to be successful. So, let’s get started.

Pros of Installing a Bathtub

1. Nothing is better than taking a long therapeutic and relaxing bath in your bathtub. Taking long baths helps tranquilize your nervous system, wash away all the daytime stress, and prepare yourself for a night of quality sleep.
2. Freestanding bathtubs are completely finished and ready to use products. They do not need special mounting procedures and can be placed anywhere. Not only they’re practical, but they’re also a beautiful piece of equipment that will significantly improve the aesthetics of your bathroom.
3. Bathtubs come in various sizes and shapes. Historically, the first models were only elliptic and freestanding. But now they come in all possible shapes and sizes. You can put them in almost any part of the bathroom and incorporate them with success in any modern or classic bathroom renovation design.
4. Having a bathtub means having an enjoyable time with your children or nephews. Kids love to play in the water, splashing around, laughing, and playing with their favorite bath toys. Instead of being stressful, daily bathing will be the happiest part of the day with a bathtub.
5. The bathtub is also perfect for pet owners since it offers a pleasant and comfortable environment, and your pet will surely enjoy its after-walk bath.
6. The bathtub raises the market value of your house. For an increased chance of selling your property for a higher price, real estate agents suggest at least one bathroom to be with a bathtub.

Cons of Installing a Bathtub

1. Taking a bath in the bathtub means spending a large amount of water. Half of the indoor water usage is made in the bathroom. That amount is between 150 and 250 liters for a single bath and depends on the bathtub size. We should never underestimate the water bills because they will undoubtedly rise in the years to come because of the lack of clean water supply worldwide.
2. The larger amount of used water implies that you will need more energy to heat it. That means that having a bathtub in your bathroom will increase your energy bills.
3. The comfortable bathtub takes more space in the bathroom. Аlthough there are smaller options on the market today, still, for a properly sized one, you will have to sacrifice a larger area in your bathroom renovation plan.
4. Bathtubs are typically more expensive than showers. Today you can find various types on the market with many different options and a wide range of additional functionalities. But still, for a typical freestanding version, you will have to spend some extra part of your bathroom renovation budget.
5. Older and disabled people may have a problem to enter into a bathtub. Climbing in and out can be an almost impossible task for them, restricting the bathtub’s access and use.

Now that we went through the pros and cons of installing a bathtub in your bathroom let’s take a look at the pros and cons of installing a shower.

Pros of Installing a Shower

1. The shower requires less space to be functional. It can be made in corners or everywhere else across the bathroom, and it can have all possible shapes depending on the available area. Practically, a shower can be with custom-made dimensions and shapes. That makes it a flexible solution perfect for small bathroom areas.
2. A bathroom with a shower looks more spacious, giving an additional depth of the space. Especially if you decide to install a  walk-in shower with a linear outflow – having a contemporary look, they can be perfectly integrated into modern bathroom renovation designs.
3. Having a shower means that you can quickly take a shower without any prior preparation – which is not the case with a bathtub. It’s the perfect time-saving solution in today’s vibrant life.
4. The shower spends less water compared with a bathtub. Your water bills will be smaller, and you will reduce the waste of water worldwide, staying environmentally-friendly.
5. The smaller amount of used water implies that you will need less energy to heat it. That means that a shower in your bathroom will decrease your energy bills.
6. Showers are a much friendly solution for older and disabled persons, allowing for greater accessibility and movement. Stepping into the shower is much easier, especially if you install a Walk-in shower. Also, all the movements inside are easier, and they are suitable for mounting a chair. Some unique shower designs can even enable a wheelchair’s movement.

Cons of Installing a Shower

1. Families with children may have a hard time to bath them in a shower. They enjoy the comfort of taking a bath, having the ability to splash the water, or play with the bubbles. The use of specials additions like baby bathtubs and seats is also not convenient because of the shower’s dimensions and construction.
2. If you are a pet owner, it will be tricky to use the shower for cleaning your pet. Accidents can easily happen in the glass-rounded and closed shower cabin. Having to clean a bigger pet in a shower can be almost a mission impossible.
3. The shower is not suitable for long relaxation. Taking a shower is a standing process, and you waste less time doing it. The shower is not designed for soaking in hot water that can last for hours but for a quick morning energizing shower before work or refreshment after jogging in the evening.
4. If you only have a bathroom with a shower, it can decrease your home’s value on the market if you ever decide to sell. Аlthough this approach has significantly changed over the years, and showers have become more and more popular, the real estate agents suggest that at least one bathroom in the house should have a bathtub.
5. The possible leaks at the shower surface are hard to fix. Usually, you will need to remove a part from it, re-apply the insolation coat, glue it properly, and wait some time to dry off. You can be without a functional shower for a long time while the repair process lasts.

A Mixture of Bathtub and Shower

If your bathroom area has enough space, the perfect solution can be to install both shower and a bathtub, reaping the benefits of both options into one solution. This might be an unexpected idea, but it’s a solid one and a growing trend in bathroom renovation processes.

But what does having both a bathtub and shower mean from a practical standpoint? Well, for one, kids and grown-ups can splash all they want, without having to worry about the damage or the mess the water can cause. And two, the right bathtub model can double as a shower bench where, for example, you can put your legs while shaving.

A problem may arise with this solution when it comes to hiding the pipes and controls to preserve great aesthetics. But, by hiring the right contractor, this can be easily solved.

Which One Should You Choose

Well, the decision is entirely up to you and depends on many variables, as we’ve previously mentioned. This is no one-solution-fits-all option – all people are different, with unique personalities, needs, and unique taste of style.

So, to make the right decision, it is best to carefully review the 3 most important criteria before starting your bathroom renovation:

1. The size and shape of your bathroom,
2. Your lifestyle and daily routines, and
3. The individual preferences of other family members

Knowing these things, you’ll surely make the right choice and get the bathroom you’ve always wanted.

The dilemma of whether to choose a bathtub, shower or both, was the first part of the three-part series for bathroom renovation. In the second part, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of having a Single vs. Double Sink. So, stay tuned!

If you need any advice or help with your bathroom renovation, we’ll be more than happy to help. With over a hundred successful bathroom renovation projects, we know how to find the perfect balance between comfort, aesthetics, and functionality. A bathroom renovation – as it should be!

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your bathroom renovation project.