When you’re looking at redesigning your bathroom or planning a new build, a contentious issue can crop up in the family – the shower over bath debate! This may be surprising to you for the very reason that it is so divisive; people feel very strongly about their preference and cannot imagine why anyone would want it a different way.
There are good reasons for both preferences, and no matter what you feel it’s important to sit back and think about the pros and cons before making a serious structural decision.
If you’re not sure, or you feel strongly against a shower over bath but are short on space, think about talking to an expert in bathroom planning before making your choice. Bathroom renovators have the experience to know some creative options and products on the market that might suit your situation.
SPACE
The first consideration is space. With a large spacious bathroom it would be no problem at all to accommodate both a comfortably sized shower and bath, but unfortunately that is not the case for many of us. If you have a small bathroom, including a separate shower and bath can take all the available space and make your room cramped and uncomfortable. The shower will be tight and the bath just not as long and deep as you need it, without even mentioning the lack of space left over for general bathroom use.
A shower unit by itself is the most compact option for a small bathroom, as no matter what you do, a bath by necessity will take up a greater spatial area. A SOB will still therefore take up more space than a shower alone, even though drastically reducing that taken up by separate units. Although a single shower unit is the best space saver, BEFORE you go ahead and decide on a single shower unit you need to consider:
RESALE VALUE
Baths can be a deal breaker when it comes to selling your house. Even if it doesn’t always get a lot of use, most people will choose a house with a bath first. A family with children or a couple planning children in the future will almost certainly not consider your home because a bath is essential from a practical perspective for little kids. In addition in our busy lives people like having the options to relax and rewind in a bath or have a romantic soak (even if it doesn’t actually eventuate that often.) If you have two small bathrooms and are against the idea of a SOB, think about having a shower in one and a tub in the other. A bath-less house can take a tumble in sales price.
ACCESSIBILITY
A SOB by design is more awkward to use than a simple shower unit. For the elderly, people with disabilities, those with injuries or people who are simply accident prone, climbing in and out of a high bath can be a safety risk. This is doubled by the fact that you are dealing with wet surfaces and, depending on design, wet shower curtains. If you are in the older stage of life and are planning to live in your existing home for the foreseeable future, keep in mind that if you only include a SOB you may have to redo your bathroom all over again in 10-20 years.
WATER SPILLAGE
One of the common arguments against SOB’s is a higher rate of water spilling onto the floor. Single shower units are sealed and properly enclosed, therefore avoiding this annoying problem. That being said, a well designed SOB with a sufficiently deep tub and a properly installed shower curtain or panel should eliminate this problem. Similarly, a properly designed SOB should elevate the shower head and place it so it is not at risk of spraying outside of the enclosed bath area and the user can fit under it comfortably. Make sure that you have your SOB installed by a proper bathroom expert as they will ensure that your bath is fitted properly to the wall and your SOB is designed for proper water containment.
CLEANING
When choosing between a SOB or a separate shower and bath, it goes without saying that with a SOB your cleaning job is halved. Cleaning tiles and screens in the bathroom is a very tedious exercise, so if you want both a shower and bath in your house than from a cleaning perspective the 2 in 1 nature of a SOB makes sense. If you have a SOB with a shower curtain however you may face the challenge of mildew and mould, which can be tricky to treat with a cumbersome curtain.
COST
If you’re remodelling your bathroom, combining your shower and bath into one will likely save you money as you will not need to pay for a separate screen and drain.
Neither choice is wrong and is simply a matter of personal preference. As a bit of a clutz myself, while recognising the practicality of a shower over bath I prefer a shower unit in isolation. Talking to a qualified bathroom specialist will ensure that you have made the best planning and design choice for your needs now and in the future.
-Em from the Look Local WA team
