15 Things You’ll Regret about Your New Shower if You Aren’t Careful

My company wholesales and installs showers in new homes and remodeling projects so you might wonder why the heck I’d talk about things YOU’LL REGRET in a new shower.

Well, it’s because I’ve heard sad stories from homeowners about Shower Remodeling Jobs Gone Wild (or bad).

I’ve heard about leaking showers when the job wasn’t even a year old.

Or about contractors who ripped off an owner with crazy-high prices or walked off a (poorly) and half-completed project.

I’ve heard about newly installed showers which a short time later couldn’t be used because of health and/or mobility conditions.

I’ve heard about elderly parents getting injured – then forced into expensive assisted living facilities because of a fall which might have been prevented with a better shower design.

These horror stories could go on and on. However, with proper planning, smart material selections, and competent (and fairly priced) contractors they DO NOT have to be YOUR HORROR STORIES!

Below I’ll list 15 shower regrets I’ve heard far too often in my 40 years in and around the bathroom remodeling industry (and I keep asking myself, “I can’t be that old….am I?”). And in this article I’m determined to make sure you don’t end up joining those unlucky owners who experienced these regrets (or should I say ‘ragrats’ like the character in this funny skit from We’re The Millers below).

Let’s dig in.

Shower regret #1 – Paying too much

Nobody likes to get taken advantage of. Nobody likes to pay too much. But how do you prevent this problem? Here’s 3 ways:

• Get competitive pricing. Don’t allow the first contractor who comes in to convince you, you MUST sign tonight, or their ‘sale’ (sarcasm intended) is off. High-pressure tactics are used by companies with high prices. They know their chance of selling the job ‘after the fact’ go down dramatically if they don’t push for your deposit tonight.
• Read articles about bathroom remodeling pricing. For example, if you’re doing a bathtub to shower conversion, you could read A Comprehensive Guide to the Cost of an Installed Tub to Shower Conversion.

• And finally, read How to Get a Quote on a Shower Remodeling Project and Make Sure You DO NOT get Ripped Off! This article puts the hammer (yes, bad construction pun intended) to this regret head on.

Shower regret #2 – Not putting enough money into the ‘foundation’ of your shower…. your shower base

Yes I know shower bases are not the sexiest part of your shower, but if your shower base leaks or cracks you’ll have HUGE problems because then you’ll ALSO be re-installing or replacing materials above the shower pan (as well as paying for a new pan) to fix the problem.

So, if you’re tempted to buy a cheap (and flimsy) fiberglass shower pan on sale for $300 at your local home center (so you can get a nicer shower wall surround or shower door), think twice before you do it. While you don’t need the most expensive base, you do need one which is sturdy, has the right curb height, and is not slippery (more about that later).

Shower regret #3 – Not focusing on the waterproofing at (and below) the surface of your shower pan, shower wall surrounds, and glass shower door

Showers which leak can cause deterioration or mold in your subfloor or backer board systems.

Using an ‘old style’ mud set shower pan which isn’t properly waterproofed or sloped can cause a leak in the floor below.

Putting tiles directly over standard drywall is an accident waiting to happen.

Using a grouted floor or wall surround with the wrong grout will be expensive to fix (and that’s ASSUMING you can fix it after the fact).

It’s for these reasons grout free shower surrounds and premade shower pans are becoming so popular. Or if you’re set on a tile shower, then buy a better quality tile waterproofing system like Wedi and Schluter which are popular with quality-conscious contractors.

Discussing the waterproofing system isn’t fun, but it IS essential, if you don’t want a ‘Fram Oil Filter’ moment to ‘pay me now, or pay me later’ like was expressed in the old 1970’s commercial below.

Shower regret #4 – Buying this shower like you’re a healthy 25 year old (and ignoring future accessibility needs), can become a big problem

If you or a family member can no longer step over the 4” high shower curb you installed in your shower because of a health problem, this can be an expensive design flaw. Although I know designing with accessibility in mind (and worrying you’ll get stuck with an institutional looking shower) is NOT how you want to spend your bathroom remodeling budget, I’m here to happily inform you – fortunately – safe DOES NOT need to equal ugly!

With today’s age in place showers (or accessible showers) you can get products like stylish, yet sturdy, low profile shower pans. Or you can buy good looking fold down seats to shave your legs or shower in a seated position. Or you can add a cool looking handheld shower to not only shower seated – but can help you clean the shower or wash the dog. Or stylish shower surround panels which are easy-peasy to clean.

And even notoriously ugly grab bars can look like ‘elevated’ (ok, I used that word to make me sound like a fancy designer ….is it working?) towel bars.

Safe DOES NOT have to equal ugly if you make thoughtful material selections.

Shower regret #5 – Not paying attention to how the glass shower door operates 

If you like your shower to not only stay warm and cozy, but also to keep water OFF the bathroom floor, invest in a shower door.

However, with that being said you may be confused by the wide range of shower door options (including pivot, bypass, sliding, and walk in doors) which are available in a bunch of design looks and finishes. And the last thing you want is an expensive shower door which bangs into your toilet, vanity, or partner you’re sharing the space with.

If shower door decisions are blowing your mind, read 13 (Solvable) Problems with Glass Shower Doors BEFORE spending your hard-earned money on the wrong door.

Shower regret #6 – Not getting enough storage for your ‘beauty’ products

If you look at the long shower niche in my own bathroom, you’ll see a ton of beauty products (not mine I might add – but my waaaay more beautiful wife’s stuff). And why do we have all these products you might wonder? Well, if you asked my wife Rose she’d tell you it’s because “the time from wake-up to pretty takes A LOT longer as you get older, and you NEED A LOT of stuff!”

And I’ll tell you as a bath designer I rarely find someone designing a new shower who doesn’t want more storage than they have in the ‘one piece fiberglass surround’ the builder slapped in years ago. They also want to get rid of their cheap dollar store storage caddy in the worst way.

And if you’re wondering how to get more storage even with the same shower space, here’s 3 ideas:

• Use a horizontal or vertical storage niche

• Add a grab shelf which combines the function of a grab bar AND a shelf.
• Install corner shelves. And what’s nice about corner shelves is they don’t take any ‘useable’ space (unless you like to plaster your body into the corner of your shower, and if so, you might want to seek ‘professional’ help!) yet can keep shampoo bottles from oozing slippery liquid onto your shower floor.

Shower regret #7 – A slippery shower floor

Especially if you’re looking to age in place, or design a shower for someone with mobility challenges, the shower floor material selection is critical.

Before making a final choice feel the surface of the shower pan or floor tiles you’re considering. Or better yet, put water on the samples and walk on them to test the slipperiness yourself. However, this could get you some funny looks if you’re doing this test in the middle of the tile store.

Also ask what the ‘slip coefficient of friction’ is. This is the technical term for slipperiness.

Shower regret #8 – Forgetting you’ll have to do, or pay for, this shower to be maintained

It can be wonderful looking at new tile showers with fancy designs. A cool pattern in the mosaic tile floor. Or perhaps a herringbone tile design in the wall surrounds.

And while fancy tile showers look wonderful initially, it’s sometimes the ‘eventually’ you end up regretting especially if you have hard water or family members supposedly ‘allergic’ to scrub brushes.

Brown and moldy grout joints ARE NOT tasty, or a pleasure to clean.

So – if you want a stylish shower – but NOT the maintenance costs – or time (if you’ve been elected the ‘maid’ by process of elimination and are doing the cleaning) you may be asking what you can do? Here’s 3 things recommendations:

• Use a decorative stone shower pan. With these pans you can get cool designs and zero grout joints.
• Use grout free wall surrounds which are built to last. Today the grout free wall panel business has gone far beyond the white plastic acrylic and fiberglass walls of yesteryear (check out the picture below).

• Choose shower niches or shelves NOT made of tile. Popular – and simple to clean options include stainless steel, SMC (Sheet Molded Compound), or solid surface niches.

Shower regret #9– Running low on funds at the end of the project, then buying the cheapest glass shower door with the money you have left.

Let’s face it, NO ONE says near the end of their remodeling project …

“Wow, this job was MUCH CHEAPER than I thought it would be! I can’t believe how much money I have left over, said no one, EVER!”

Remodeling project costs DID NOT come down after COVID. Remodeling project costs are NOT getting less expensive with tariff costs paid by U.S. building materials importers right now (and yes, these costs are already being passed on to contractors who are passing them on to you).

So, what can you do if you get near the finish line of your shower remodel, then go shopping for glass shower doors only to find your remaining budget can only pay for a cheap door?

Here’s what I’d recommend… FUGGITABOUDIT!

If your budget has been squeezed far too tight I would NOT get a cheap shower door if that’s all you have money for now. Install shower curtains (for now) and wait to buy a better quality shower door as funds allow. What’s nice about shower doors is they can be installed any time. So, don’t rush and put in a thin, wobbly door with poor seals which leaks onto your bathroom floor you regret for years to come.

Shower regret #10– Don’t assume you have no space for seating, even if you have a small stand up shower

I can tell you I’m NOT a fan of fixed bench seats – even in a common 60” x 30” shower which used to be a tub. And my reason is they take up way too much doggone room.

However, the best way to add seating which can be there when you (or your spouse or girlfriend) needs it, yet be out of the way when you don’t, is to install a fold down shower seat. They’re sleek, and space effective – yet give you seating for showering or shaving.

Shower regret #11– Not considering the ‘cold shoulder’ you’ll experience IF you put the shower valve in the wrong location 

Does your current glass door, or glass wall partition system force you to go into the shower, angle the shower head, then turn the water on and get (at least partially) blasted with cold water? If so – this is a problem I’m sure you’re dying to eliminate in your new shower.

Here’s two solutions to put the ‘cold shoulder problem’ behind you:

• Use a bypass shower door (where both doors slide) so you can reach the valve even if you have to lean over the toilet to do it.
• Position the shower valve (where you turn on the water) close to the entrance of the shower (even if it isn’t underneath the shower head).

Be thoughtful of how you’ll turn on the water during the ‘rough plumbing’ stage. You’ll thank yourself later.

Shower regret #12– Ignoring the impact of color and finish for safety, style, and simplicity

Color (and hardware finishes) cannot only impact your mood, but also the safety, style, and simplicity of your shower.

For example, did you know you can lessen the risks of a fall by contrasting the color of your shower pan with your bathroom floor. Doing this makes it simpler to differentiate one vs. the other.

Or did you realize it’s better to use gloss finish wall colors if you lack natural lighting? Or did you know you should choose a matte finish for a more relaxed feel?

Or did you realize if you want cleaning to be simpler – you can lessen spots on shower doors and fixtures with brushed nickel or matte black finishes vs. chrome? And if you’ve been intrigued by the ever growing use (and pros and cons of matte black hardware) read The Pros and Cons of Matte Black Shower Hardware, Shower Pans, and Trim in a Bathroom Remodel.

Color – and finish – can improve, or screw up, how your shower lives for years to come.

Shower regret #13– Not including a hand-held shower

While it’s certainly cheaper to only have a wall-mounted shower head, adding the optional feature of a hand-held shower can not only make it possible to shower or shave your legs in a seated position, but this feature is also wonderful to clean the shower and/or the family pet.

Shower regret #14– Using a cheap (or bad) choice for your wall backer boards

Let’s be honest, wall backer boards are B-O-R-I-N-G! OK, they’re boring until you realize – after the fact – you, or your contractor, used the wrong materials and they’re moldy, or your tiles are falling off the wall, or you have to ‘jury-rig’ the grab bar or fold down seat you need to add because you (or your contractor) wasn’t thoughtful in your choice (or location) of wall boards years ago.

It’s for this reason you want – and need – to pay attention not only to the type, but also the location of wall backer boards and ‘blocking’ (which no, isn’t about football in this context, but is used to describe the wood behind the wall to anchor things) during construction.

This isn’t a sexy topic, but it saves A LOT of money and hassles down the road by putting in the right type (and location) of backer boards during your construction project right now.

Shower regret #15– Using wafer-thin materials for your shower pan, wall surrounds, or glass doors

While ‘thin is in’ if you’re in the Jenny Craig program or are auditioning to be a runway model, thin is often NOT in when it comes to choosing shower materials.

A thin shower pan is prone to cracks or leaks and can squeak like you’re walking on a floor in a haunted house.

Thin shower wall surround panels are simpler to break during installation.

And thin shower doors are the poor quality product you’ll get the ‘pleasure’ (sarcasm intended) of using (if you don’t mind them wobbling to and fro) for years to come.

Ask about material thicknesses before you get a system which looks good (on the surface) but also makes you want to scream on a daily basis!

So, did this article help identify the ‘regrets’ you want to make sure DO NOT become your new shower problems? Do you need help making shower selections, or DIYing this job, or finding a contractor?

While these ‘shower regrets’ are not an exhaustive list, they should help you identify the biggest problems which DO NOT have to become your problems.

And if you need help choosing the best pan, wall surrounds, glass doors, or shower accessories), need a contractor to do the job, a wholesale supplier for quality materials, help with a DIY installation, here’s where you can turn.

Contact Innovate Building Solutions at 877-668-5888(and yes this is a shameless plug for my company) for wholesale pricing or a referral to an installing dealer. And if you need a shower remodeling contractor in Akron or Cleveland Ohio, call 216-658-1270.

Lastly, if you’re a remodeler or builder and want advice or a stocking supplier for better quality remodeling products, want to learn about industry trends, or marketing and sales tips to grow your business (and cut day to day hassles), read Innovate Builders Blog. It’s packed with ideas you can use now to improve your business.

If you’d like to learn how to become a shower wall panel and shower pan dealer call 888-467-7488 and ask for Mike.

To connect on LinkedIn, go to @MikeFotiLinkedIn.

Thanks for reading and putting up with my wackiness along the way,

Mike