The main bathroom shower in our condo sprung a massive leak a few years ago. The shower was tiled, and the grout was cracked in a good few places. We could not discern the location of the leak. One of many tile grout cracks, the floor seam?
We called a home contractor to look it over. He went downstairs and was able to get underneath the walk-in shower. However, the area was so tight, with many pipes and wires all crammed into the small area, that he could not source the leak either.
So, we discarded the idea of repairing the shower and decided to gut it and start from scratch. We were really worried about the cost and mess of doing this. I decided to go online and look at some shower conversions, and what I saw convinced me it was a great idea and a sound financial decision.
Why modernize a shower
My research indicated that the top three home upgrades with the best investment outcomes are:
- Update a bathroom
- Modernize your kitchen
- Add a deck
Research noted that in today’s economy, the average homeowner would instead renovate their current home to meet their needs rather than spend the money on a new home. Bankers and economic data suggest renovation is the better choice for a cost-effective outcome. The owner gets the needed renovation, which upgrades the home and adds value for future sale or refinancing.
I started by looking at walk-in shower ideas on the internet. I saw lovely bath redos with modern showers and fixtures. I did not wish to tear out the entire bathroom. We had already put in new countertops. I just needed to fix the shower and refresh the room.
To tile or not to tile
The primary failure in our old shower was the tile. It was the grout—it stained and cracked in multiple places, and cleaning out the grout and replacing it did not work. It did still leak.
One pro: The tiles still give a gorgeous appearance. Large marble, subway, and stone tiles are beautiful and a definite upgrade to the small square tiles we had. But again, that grout problem bothered me.
They do install tiles closer now, and large tile pieces without so many areas of grout did appeal to me. I liked the look of the large marble tile.
One con: Having a tile professional come in and install tiles is much more costly and takes longer—tiles must be set, glued, and grouted.
One home contractor mentioned a groutless insert. I could have gotten large sheets of cut marble or even fiberglass. However, a new product available at my local contractor was a prefabricated marble made from crushed marble stone. This was a much more economical idea. If you wish to know more, this link below might be helpful.
A crushed marble composite shower, or a cultured marble shower, uses a blend of crushed marble, resin, and pigments molded into shower walls and bases. It offers a durable, low-maintenance, and aesthetically pleasing option. It is mixed in molds to create elements of varying sizes. It is easier to clean and resists chipping or cracking than solid marble. I am happy we chose this material.
If you look at the solid floor basin, there is a cut-out that contains a catch basket to trap hair and unwanted debris. You can clean it out periodically to save your drains.
Other materials I thought of were stones and subway tiles. The subway tiles had that grout issue, and I thought the stone had too much detail for the look I wanted. I admit it was gorgeous and made a statement.
Type of shower
I knew which shower type I wanted, but here are some to consider for your bathroom modernization:
- Tub/shower conversion
- Enclosure
- Free standing shower
- Walk-in shower
- Replacement or addition of glass door only
I chose the walking shower. We had a family member in a wheelchair before, and the original shower was designed so the chair could be wheeled in. I have a bit of arthritis and was looking to have a hip replacement in the future, so we did have the shower converted to allow for wheelchair access. However, most walk-in showers have a small lip that holds the floor pan.
We updated the flooring and replaced the almond toilet and sinks with white porcelain. A few years earlier, the Formica countertop had been changed to granite to match the cabinetry.
Happy outcome?
I am delighted with the new shower and the modernization of the bathroom. The shower looks gorgeous. I love the rainfall showerhead and the hand shower idea. We even had a bench seat installed. Changing the plumbing fixtures to white from almond gave the bathroom a cohesive and modern look.
The only problem I encountered was with the flooring. When we picked out the flooring, the sample appeared gray and wood-colored. I wanted the wood coloring in the floor panels to capture the wood in the handcrafted wood cabinets. However, the guys who put in the flooring started using only gray panels, and by the time they got to the other end of the floor, they incorporated the wood-colored pieces. It looked strange. Instead of having them tear it all out, I had the last few wood sections removed and the gray installed throughout.
I am still unsettled when I see the floor; however, it is what it is, and I am content with the look. If you modernize your bath or have a new shower installed, watch the contractors as they work. Not always, but keep tabs on what they are doing so you can catch and whoops while they are still amendable.
So that is my walk-in shower story and the bathroom refresh. I did something similar in the guest bathroom. I can show you that another time. Take good care.
