Finding the best shower replacement kit can be a pain in the ‘you know what!’
There – I said it for you. It sounded like a simple project until you dug into the details. Then you started asking:
How do I know this shower replacement kit will give me the best value for my money and not break down in a couple of years?
How do I know I’m getting the best shower pan? I don’t want ANYTHING flimsy which can’t be easily cleaned…unlike my tile and fiberglass shower pan today. How can I make sure the shower pan won’t cause a fall?
How do I know what shower surround system to choose? There’s more options than you can ‘shake a stick at.’
How do I know which glass door is best?
How can I know which accessories are ‘must haves’ and which can be planned today, but installed at a later date?
And I wish I could tell you these are all the questions you need answers to – but as a guy whose been leading a company selling and installing shower replacement kits since Moses was a boy (OK, I’m exaggerating a bit here!), I know the list of questions can seem endless.
So, you may be wondering what’s the goal with this article? Well – it’s to show you in 5 steps how to buy the best shower replacement kit. Without further delay, lets dig in.
Step #1 – How to choose the best shower replacement kit for your budget
Did you ever buy what you thought was the ‘deal of a lifetime’ on an e-commerce site, then get the actual product and think, “Boy, was I snookered!” (and if you’re thinking like me, yes, snookered is an odd word!).
And if you thought you got a great ‘deal’ on an inexpensive shirt, pants, or blouse you may not be feeling too much pain when later you realize you made a bad Internet buy. However, the stakes (and money lost) are much higher if you buy a cheap shower replacement kit then find out (after you open the boxes … which can’t be returned), you’ve got a pile of junk on your hands.
The question becomes how can you make sure you’re NOT getting a bad value for the replacement shower kit you DO buy? Here’s what I’d recommend:
Look for a comparison or features chart to determine exactly what you’re getting. Compare the shower pan materials, the thicknesses of the wall panels and glass shower doors. Just like buying a car or SUV, you know they’re not all created equal.
Make sure everything is included! – I remember years ago reading a book called Nickled and Dimed in America. And there’s nothing more frustrating than finding out (after the fact) ‘batteries’ (or all the small things you need for your shower project) are NOT included. It’s a bad sign if you’re not even sure if you’re buying the right sealants to put the system together which could void your warranty. Make sure you’re getting all the ‘pieces-parts’ you need INCLUDED in your shower replacement kit.
Figure out if you’ll be ‘on your own’ (without technical support), or if you’re getting a warranty with more holes than Swiss cheese! – There’s usually a reason a product or service is priced cheaply. And it’s often because there’s minimal support (technical or customer service) which comes with it. Figure out who(m) you’ll call for support. Will you be ‘stuck’ trying to get answers from Mary P. your ‘Client Experience Representative’ who doesn’t know diddly about the products or how they’re installed? And see what ‘story’ the written warranty tells you. If there’s more loopholes in the warranty than there’s personal injury lawyers advertising, you’ll want to find another option! And oh, here’s a pic of my favorite personal injury lawyer in Cleveland (the king of advertising) whose gonna ‘make them pay!’
Step #2 – How to choose the best shower pan for your shower replacement kit.
And while shower pans – and the ‘exciting’ shower drains which come with them, usually don’t ‘knock your socks off’ with style, if a shower pan fails you’ll have one hellacious problem on your hands (water coming through the ceiling to the floor below IS NOT a good day!).
And if you want to choose the best shower pan for your shower replacement kit, how can you do it? Well – one way is to read How to Choose the Best Shower Pan. Another way to sift through your shower pan options is to focus on these 9 factors:
Factor #1 – Does the shower pan have grout joints or not? Tile and stone pans (with grout joints) can look uber-cool when they’re recently installed but can be the pain (which keeps on giving) to maintain. Plus, grouted pans fail more than ungrouted pans.
Factor #2 –Will the shower pan fit the space? If the shower pan is too wide or deep for the space, it can be impossible to make it work if it’s a pre-molded pan with flanges. However, if you buy a shower system which is component based, or buy a trimmable shower pan, you’ll (within limits) be able to make the pan fit the space.
Factor #3 –Will the pan be simple to clean? Mosaic tile shower pans are not fun to clean. With acrylic or solid surface pans your time to maintain them is dramatically reduced.
Factor #4 –Does the pan include a seat which eats up too much space? If you’re doing a bathtub to shower conversion, you know the space is already small. And installing a shower pan with a built in seat – which sounds like a good idea – will suck up A LOT of room.
Factor #5 – Is the shower pan sturdy? The material a shower pan is made from – and the structure of the pan beneath the surface will tell a quality shower pan from the cheap one. And a pan which is thin, and flimsy will be more prone to crack.
Factor #6 –Is the drain in the right location? Drain locations are boring ….at least that’s UNTIL before you get the bill from the plumber to move pipes to make the standard pan you bought work. Don’t overlook the drain location.
Factor #7 –Will the shower pan be time-effective to install? Premade shower pans are far more time-effective to install than site built tile shower pans. So, when comparing the cost of your shower replacement kit, make sure you take into effect labor costs (or your time invested doing the job if it’s a DIY remodel).
Factor #8 –Is the shower pan and drain ugly? A shower pan made from an old mold with a round drain may be cost-effective, but it can also be downright UG-LY! A shower pan with color, design, or even a ‘hidden’ square drain cover, can add to the look of your bathroom!
Factor #9 –Will the height of the curb of the shower pan be safe for your family? Tripping over a shower pan curb can be a big problem if it causes a lengthy hospital stay. Do you know how tall the curb is for the pan included in the shower replacement kit?
Step #3 – How to choose the best shower wall surrounds for your shower replacement kit.
So, now it’s time to have some fun! While step 2 about shower pans focuses primarily on function, when you select your shower surrounds this is the place to show your style. And if you’re struggling to choose the best shower surrounds, here’s 5 questions to ask:
Question #1 –Will the wall surrounds be grouted or grout free? How important are price and maintenance to you? There’s no denying the design options for tile shower walls are unlimited. However, there’s also no denying tile walls are expensive and a pain to maintain. However, it’s nice to know if you don’t want expensive tile walls, or conversely cheap plasticky wall surrounds, there are mid-priced options like laminate wall panels or solid surface wall surrounds which can give you the best of both worlds (which are style and simple to maintain).
Question #2 –Will the wall surround system be simple to install? Will they be heavy and difficult to get into the bathroom? Time consuming wall surrounds (tile is one example) will cost you a pretty (as opposed to an ugly) penny. And even when you’re looking at grout free wall panels, they don’t all install with the same level of efficiency. If you’re doing your own installation, ask how long it takes to install the panels. And will these panels be a P.I.A. to move into the bathroom and set on the walls.
Question #3 –Will (or should) the wall surrounds reach the ceiling? In an 8’ ceiling it’s best for the wall panels to reach the ceiling to minimize maintenance. However, with a 9’ ceiling, running your tiles or wall panels to the ceiling can look out of scale (or add a lot of cost). If you’re buying wall surround panels ask about the standard heights they’re stocked in to keep costs down.
Question #4 –Will the wall panels look cheap, plasticky, or molded? The biggest gripe with wall panels is well they look like…. WALL PANELS. They look molded. They look plasticky. They look cheap. So, if you’re considering wall surrounds make sure to see, touch, and feel the materials (and get free samples) before you ASS-UME they’re all the same! There ARE stylish and sturdy wall panels, but they’ll cost more than the cheap ones.
Question #5 –Can they be cut to fit for your space? In a perfect world your shower would be a standard size and you could buy a wonderful shower replacement kit at a low price because it was a ‘common’ size. In the real world, this IS NOT what everyone is lucky enough to have. And while you can make any size shower with tile, this isn’t true for all lines of shower wall panels. Make sure if you need a custom shower surround, your choice of panels will work with your odd-size and will still look nice.
Step #4 – How to choose the best glass shower door for your shower replacement kit.
If you’ve ever had the ‘pleasure’ (sarcasm intended) of living with a thin, wobbly, framed bypass glass shower door with tracks at the bottom which trap dirt, you know the pain a cheap glass shower door can cause.
And when you invest in a new shower replacement kit you’ll want to make sure you choose a glass shower door which puts the aggravation of your old ‘builders-grade’ system in your rear-view mirror. But how can you dot your I’s and cross your T’s with this all-important choice and know you’re making a better choice than your old rickety ‘system?’ Pay attention to the 5 glass shower door tips below:
Glass shower door tip #1 –Know the thickness of the glass door. The cheaper the door, the thinner it is. If you want a higher end glass shower door choose 3/8” or ½” thick. For a mid-quality door, 5/16” thickness will work.
Glass shower door tip #2 –Know not only to the height of the door, but also for the ‘actual space’ available to walk in. When you’re looking at a door, even if it’s ‘marketed’ as a 72” or 75” door, this doesn’t necessarily mean a 6’ tall person can walk in without bumping their head. No, if you’re purchasing a sliding or bypass glass shower door – the ‘available distance’ is the amount of room left UNDER the rail of the glass shower door. This often is 4” LOWER than the glass door itself. And making sure the door is tall enough will save the tall ‘boys and girls’ of your family from getting a few head-bumps to ‘greet’ them when taking their morning shower.
Glass shower door tip #3 – Ask, ‘will this door be easy to clean?’ If you have hard water and have dirt embedded in your existing glass door you can’t clean, you know while most people THINK glass can ‘swat away’ dirt like you do a fly, you know this simply isn’t true. Glass can absorb mineral deposits, which become impossible to get out of a glass shower door. To eliminate this problem, look for a glass shower door with a glass surface protective coating.
Glass shower door tip #4 – Consider what type of shower door is best – Although I’m stating the obvious, I’ll tell you all types of glass shower doors ARE NOT created equal. The most popular door styles are sliding or pivoting. And if you struggle to figure out which is best for you, read How to Compare Sliding vs. Pivoting Glass Shower Doors.
Glass shower door tip #5 – Make sure you understand the advantages and disadvantages of framed vs. frameless glass shower doors – While – in general – the better quality glass shower doors are thicker – and made without frames – this doesn’t mean they’re always the best solution. To wrap your arms around what thickness is best, read The Advantages and Disadvantages of Thicker Frameless Glass Shower Doors.
Step #5 – How to choose the best accessories for your shower replacement kit
You know the old saying, “When you fail to plan, then plan to fail.” And a BIG place where people buying shower replacement kits fail is they don’t give adequate thought (or any thought) to the best accessories for their shower (for now AND for the future).
Shower accessory #1 – Include shower shelves or niches to hold your (AND YOUR SPOUSE’S) stuff – As my wife likes to say, “The time from wake-up to pretty takes longer and longer each year.” And what this practically means is the number of beauty products in our shower she has goes FAR beyond the bottle of shampoo and bar of soap I use (because I’ve already accepted my U.M.D. health condition…which stands for Ugly Man Disease)! Ask yourself, am I including adequate shelving for my partner’s beauty products? And if you’ve got a smaller stand up shower – could you create more shelving (with products like recessed niches) which won’t impact the (already) limited space?
Shower accessory #2 –Include seating – Whether you’d like a place to sit while shaving your legs or NEED seating for a family member with mobility challenges, this feature can make a smaller shower live far better (especially when you use a fold down seat to save space).
Shower accessory #3 –Include (or plan for) grab bars or grab shelves – Let’s face it, you (and I – unfortunately) are NOT getting any younger (and I’ll be right now you’re thinking…. the guy writing this really IS a rocket scientist!). And because our bodies are a bunch of ‘wear parts,’ the chance of our mobility being ‘what it used to be’ as Father Time gets his evil grasp on us, are high. So, even if you don’t ‘need’ a grab bar today DOES NOT mean you won’t need a grab bar tomorrow. So, even if you’re not installing this safety feature today, you’ll want to put wood blocking behind the walls now to make it simple to add this feature if it’s needed ‘tomorrow.’
So, are you now more comfortable choosing the best shower replacement kit? Can our team assist with questions, or wholesale pricing for these systems?
Even though I’ve tried to be as thorough as possible, I wish I could tell you I’ve covered every detail in choosing the best shower replacement kit. This list can be a bottomless pit.
In this article my goal was to cover the ‘big issues’ in this project.
However, if I’m a ‘betting man’ (which I’m not), I’ll bet you still want to learn more (for example, you may want to know what’s the wholesale (or installed) cost of a tub to shower conversion with a shower replacement kit?).
Thanks for reading and learning about shower replacement kits and how to choose the best one for your job. There’s more to this subject than meets the eye, and I hope my article has shed light how to figure out the best one for you.
President of Innovate Building Solutions a nationwide supplier and regional (Cleveland and Columbus) remodeling contractors. Some of our product lines include glass counters, floors, backsplashes, glass blocks and grout free shower and tub wall panels
