Whether you’re doing a full bathroom remodel or ‘just’ renovating your shower, if you’ve been researching (or have done a bath remodel in the past) you know this project is not only more involved than you thought – but it’s also uber-easy to make mistakes you’re forced to live with for years to come.
The question becomes how can you minimize F.O.S.U.? And if you don’t know what F.O.S.U. is, it’s the Fear Of Screwing Up. This fear can paralyze the best of us into inaction and is especially painful (and worrisome) if you’re spending A LOT OF MONEY on a major project.
Well – one way to minimize mistakes is to learn from other’s screw-ups. And since looking at the entire bathroom is such a big topic, I’m focusing on showers only. I’ll be sharing the most common shower renovation mistakes we’ve seen (and we work with customers who have big – and small – bathrooms) so you can make sure they don’t happen to you.
I’ve outlined 15 mistakes and broken them into 5 categories to make it simpler to zero-in on the part of your remodeled shower which worries you the most. The 5 categories are
Shower floor or shower pans.
Shower wall surrounds
Glass enclosures or glass walls.
Shower hardware.
Shower accessories.
So, let’s dig into category 1 – the shower floor or shower pan.
Category #1 – Shower pan or shower floor renovation mistakes you don’t want to make.
Mistake #1– Not thinking about the long-run. Consider a low profile shower pan, or zero entry shower floor.
Most people are not investing in a new shower so they can ‘fix and flip’ their home. No, they’re looking to stay for the ‘long run.’ They want their shower to work flawlessly 10, 20, or even 30 years down the road.
And unfortunately, since our bodies are a bunch of ‘wear parts’ (they don’t age like fine wine) mobility – and easy access WILL become more important as years roll on (and no, a roll in shower pun wasn’t intended here!).
Its for this reason you’ll be smart to steer clear from a shower pan with high curbs (A.K.A. thresholds). However, it’s nice to know if you go with a low profile shower base (or even one with a ramp kit) it can not only have a modern look (since lower shower curbs are in style) – but it’ll have ‘your back’ (or should I say feet… and ability to get in) for the long run.
Because who wants to be forced out of their home and into an expensive assisted living facility which drains their life savings because their home (and shower) doesn’t ‘work’ for them any longer?
Mistake #2– Thinking you’ll love a tile shower floor. Consider using a grout free shower pan if you’re not I.A.R. (In A Relationship) with your scrub brush, or you’ve been the victim of a leaking tile shower.
What’s wonderful about tile shower floors is there’s a ton of color and pattern options.
However, what’s evil about tile shower floors (especially those with mosaic tiles) is they have tons of grout joints. And each joint is another place you ‘get to’ (sarcasm intended) clean – and is a possible source for leaks.
And because many showers (and the bathrooms they’re included in) are small, and linear drain shower pans which use big tiles to minimize joints are expensive, most tile showers with a ‘point drain’ system (where the shower pan is sloped in 4 directions towards the drain) use mosaic tiles. And these pans are a frankly a P.I.T.A.
So, if you want to get rid of these problems but don’t want a cheap, boring, white, plastic shower pan, you may be wondering what options you have.
One is a low profile stone shower pan with decorative designs. They’ve got 2 tons of weight capacity, modern square (color-matching) drains, and are trimmable (which can be a big savings for odd-sized showers, or if your shower ends up NOT being the standard size you thought it was).
Mistake #3– You, or your contractor, doesn’t pay attention to the location of the shower drain. Measure the drain location twice, order once!
While there are projects where drain locations are ‘standard’ – and you can get an off-the-shelf shower pan (like for a tub to shower conversion where you can count on the drain being 8” to 9” off the side for a 60” x 30” or 60” x 32” shower pan) – this is often NOT the case if you’re replacing a custom tile shower.
And if you’re replacing a custom shower – and that shower is sitting on a concrete slab, the costs (and dust and disruption) to move the drain should not be underestimated. It’s a ‘caveat emptor’ (that’s Greek for ‘let the buyer beware) situation.
It’s for this reason you need to pay careful attention to the drain location before buying a shower pan. Failure to do this could result in YOU eating a restock fee for a standard pan (and that’s assuming it’s even possible to return the shower pan).
Category #2 – Shower wall surround mistakes you don’t want to make.
Mistake #4– You tile your wall surrounds (and use light colored grout) because you assumed grout free wall panels look cheap. Thoroughly check out wall surround options before committing to tile.
You knew the tile shower surround was going to be expensive – but you didn’t realize it was going to be THAT EXPENSIVE! Highly skilled tile setters (and the installation labor they provide) are becoming harder and harder to find. And they know that and are increasing their prices accordingly. And tile material costs aren’t cheap either.
So, just because you get a stylish tile shower doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to take care of (especially if you use light colored joints or have hard water) or that it’ll be warrantied beyond a blink of an eyelash. But if you’ve been uninspired by the plastic shower wall panels you’ve seen in home centers or offered by ‘bath-in-a-day’ companies you’re not alone. So, the question is are there better, stylish, AND easy to clean grout free options on the market?
The answer is yes there is. Here’s 3 options most people have never heard of:
Laminate wall panels – These 3/8” thick click-lock modular panels are not only time-effective to install but look so much like the real thing (‘er tile and stone) you can keep it as ‘your little secret’ that they’re not tile. They’re like the “I Can’t Believe It’s NOT Butter” but as a tile alternative.
High gloss acrylic wall panels – If a contemporary aesthetic is your ‘jam’ these panels are simple to clean – yet stylish to look at. They pop.
Sculptured stone walls – These panels remind me of the sculptured brick walls I saw in Dallas years ago, except they can be used in showers. They’ll add drama to your bathroom- but in a good way (not like a teenager).
Mistake #5– You spend a LOT of money on a floor-to-ceiling tiled steam shower, and shortly thereafter the steam shower and grout joints look YUCKY!
Investing in a steam shower is a big investment. So, my first recommendation before going down this road is to make sure you’ll use it a lot – because there’s a lot of details you’ll need to pin down, so it’ll look ‘reasonably nice’ as the years go on.
And one key area to get right is to choose the right type of shower wall (and ceiling) materials. And if you choose tile (which is the most popular option since there’s not a lot of grout free wall surrounds approved for steam showers) DO NOT skimp on the grout! Buy epoxy or urethane grout, not sanded grout.
Then waterproof the living daylights out of everything … the walls, the ceiling, the bench seat). The most popular tile waterproofing systems are made by Kerdi or Wedi and should be used behind your tiles.
Mistake #6– Make sure you can access the shower handles built into your wall surrounds WITHOUT getting a ‘cold shoulder!’
Who wants ‘cold water torture treatment’ – and getting blasted with freezing cold water when turning their shower on? ‘Err that’d be nobody.
It’s for this reason you’ll want to pay attention to how you’ll reach the shower handle to turn the water on (and hint you won’t want your shower handle behind a fixed glass enclosure!).
One option is to use sliding bypass shower doors (where both doors move). Bypass doors are smart in tub to shower conversion remodeling jobs because you can usually reach your arm around to the handle to turn it on (even if the shower head is behind a toilet) – then enter on the opposite side.
Or another strategy is to put the shower valve/handle close to the entry of the shower – and away from the shower head if it’s behind a fixed glass (or glass block) wall.
Category #3 – Glass enclosure or glass wall renovation mistakes you don’t want to make.
Mistake #7– You install a walk in shower with a fixed glass panel and water escapes and/or your butt hangs out!
Have you ever stayed at a fancy hotel (which had someone else in charge of cleaning the bathroom floor, than you very much) and loved the openness of the walk in shower with the fixed glass panel.
And although you were happy to learn how cost-effective fixed glass shower panels are, you also learned many people aren’t please how much water they let out- or how half their butt is ‘hanging out’ into the shower opening (if they don’t have a wide shower).
And if you’re wondering how can you get an open walk in shower (even if your shower is not humongous)– yet keep the water (and your rear) inside, here’s two product options you’ll want to research
A glass shower screen. A shower screen has a fixed glass panel with a pivoting door on the end. This pivoting door can be angled in to keep water inside the shower – and give you more ‘glass’ to keep your butt warmer (and less ‘exposed’) as well.
A curved glass block shower wall. Curved glass blocks walls add style, do an excellent job keeping the water in, and are far less expensive than curved and bent glass.
Mistake #8– You desperately want more privacy than your clear glass shower doors are giving you!
The cheapest glass shower doors (and the ones which allow you to show off your fancy shower wall surrounds) are clear glass shower doors. And although I personally love seeing into the shower – I know for one my wife hated it – especially when the kids were younger and they’d barge into our bathroom for her to ‘solve’ another sibling ‘dilemma!’
So – if you want privacy – but aren’t seeing it in most ‘standard shower doors’ what can you do?
First, consider frosted or obscure glass shower doors. They’re growing in popularity (especially fluted and frosted glass) – yet still let light in!
Second, go with the ‘old-standby,’ shower curtains. Personally, I hate them. They get dirty and scummy. However, you can certainly find many high privacy shower curtain patterns and they’re cheap. Finally, they can be swapped out to your hearts content.
Or lastly research a glass block shower wall. You can even get glass block walls with fun patterns which provide an eclectic stained glass look. And it’s nice to know they’re back in style.
Mistake #9– You need to either (a) become a character in ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ or (b) learn to duck to get into your too-short glass shower door system
If you’re one of ‘those people’ who others annoyingly say, “How’s the weather up there?” you know being tall has it’s pluses and minuses. And when it comes to using a glass shower door – being tall isn’t usually one of those positive times because you’ve taken a whack on your noggin’ a time or two.
So, if you want to stop ducking to get into your sliding glass shower door and/or getting wacked in the head while you’re half-asleep getting ready to take your morning shower, what can you do? Here’s 2 ideas:
Idea #1 – Select (if there’s room to swing the door outwards) a pivoting glass shower door. Pivoting doors are ‘open’ at the top – so your bathroom ceiling will be your only ‘vertical challenge.’
Idea #2 – Use an extra tall sliding glass shower door. The cheaper the doors, the shorter (and thinner) they are. So, before you buy, ask for the ‘clear distance’ under the railing of the door. And don’t only pay attention to the height of the glass – because it’s usually taller than the distance under the rail for sliding doors.
Category #4 – Shower hardware mistakes you don’t want to make.
Mistake #10– You don’t consider the possible challenges of choosing a trendy hardware finish like matte brass or matte black.
I’ve got to admit I love the look of matte brass and matte black shower doors and shower fixtures. But there are challenges to them many people don’t consider.
First, when it comes to matte brass getting all your selections to ‘match’ (between your shower head, shower door, and vanity) – can be an impossible dream. As a matter of fact, with some manufacturers you’ll even find their matte brass hardware doesn’t match from product to product within their own line!
And with matte black (which is growing by leaps and bounds) – the bold black colors don’t ‘live well’ if you have hard water and are prone to white deposits.
The ‘safe’ choice with glass door or enclosure hardware finishes is brushed nickel. It matches well, doesn’t show stains, and doesn’t show spots.
Mistake #11– You only have a rain head.
Your selection of shower heads, valves, and sprays can have a huge impact on how useful your shower is for you and your family.
And while rain heads are growing in popularity, if you only have a rain head – it’s rough to shower if you want to get in without getting your hair wet (although you could use one of those ‘fancy-schmancy’ rain caps or cut your hair and opt for the ‘bulbed’ look (as my son used to call being bald when he was little) – ha! ha!).
Also, when thinking of your shower fixtures, consider if it would be useful to have a handheld shower. They’re essential if you have someone who needs to shower while seated, or if you want to wash the dog in your shower.
Category #5 – Shower accessory mistakes you don’t want to make.
Mistake #12– Forgetting about shower accessories altogether, until AFTER the walls are up.
Shower accessories are often the ‘red-haired-stepchild’ of the shower (and I apologize for all red-haired-stepchildren reading this article). They’re often forgotten until it’s too late.
And while it’s not a problem if you’re looking to add accessories like corner shelves or robe hooks which can be installed at any time – it can be a big problem if you want to add a recessed niche (which must be done during the wall surround installation process) or a fold down seat (which needs proper backing … more about this in mistake #13).
Mistake #13– You don’t install backer board behind the wall.
If you want your shower to work safely for years, you’ll not only need to think about mistake #1 (and having a lower shower curb, or a curbless shower) – but you’ll need to pay attention to what’s being installed behind the wall.
You see if at a later date someone needs to shower in a seated position (and you want to add a fold down shower seat), or you want to add a decorative grab bar (at the entry) or grab shelf (for safety and more storage) to reduce the risk of falls– you’ll need sturdy backer boards to safely mount them.
And this is where you’ll be ‘high-fiving’ yourself (if that’s possible) for the minimal investment you made when you insisted the contractor put backer boards in during the installation (years ago). With sturdy backer board you can hang any type of accessory you desire when (or if) it’s needed.
Mistake #14– You cover a shower window because you want privacy.
Most of us are not looking to ‘put on a show’ for the neighbors by ‘exhibiting’ our ‘ass-ets’ when showering! However, the problem may be you have a window right in the middle of your shower which is in a god-awful location.
And while you may be tempted to cover this window and eliminate the privacy problem, I would avoid this at all costs. It’ll make the shower darker. It’ll make the bathroom depressing. It’ll make the bathroom stuffier (and more prone to mold without the ability to use the window). It’ll make the shower less safe (and could cause a loved one to fall while getting in or out).
So, what can you do about this window to keep the sunlight, safety, and air flow it provides, while maintaining your privacy – short of putting blinds over it or framing over the window?
A third idea is an operable acrylic block window. It’ll have the same looks as the glass block window and is available in casement and single hung styles.
And lastly a decorative glass window can eliminate the no-privacy window dilemma.
Mistake #15– There’s no easy way to shave your legs.
If your balance IS NOT going to give your daughter (or granddaughter’s) ballet class a lesson in dexterity, and shaving your legs has become a stressful experience, this is one shower feature you don’t want to ignore. And that feature is installing a shower accessory to make shaving simpler and safer.
Here’s 3 options.
Install a corner leg ledge (lower on the wall) to prop your leg up for shaving.
Install a fixed bench seat in the back or side of the shower. This will be the most expensive option. And before you go down this road make sure it’s not eating up too much room in the shower.
Install a fold down shower seat. The fold down seat is nice because it gives you the benefit of seating – and a place to shave your legs – without taking up shower space when it’s not in use.
So, which of these shower mistakes are you living with today? And which mistakes are you going to make darn sure WILL NOT be a problem in your next shower? Can we help with design, selections, pricing, or finding a contractor?
The unfortunate, harsh, cruel reality is if you don’t take the time to plan your shower remodel, you’ll likely get saddled with at least a few of the mistakes discussed above.
And if you look at your shower today – which of the 15 shower mistakes (or others I haven’t mentioned) are DRIVING YOU NUTS? Comment below…but don’t include those 4-letter words you’re tempted to add for emphasis!
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
