How to Choose a Standup Shower
The average bathroom remodeling project costs around $40,000, but not every remodel needs to be so costly. Small changes can bring great results, and one such change is a shower stall. An added shower stall can turn a half bath into a three-quarter bath, thus increasing the number of bathrooms for resale value. A master bath that has a single bathtub-shower combination can become a luxurious suite with the addition of a separate shower stall. What is more, bathroom remodeling projects tend to have a high return on their value. Homeowners who plan carefully and choose the right shower stall for the bathroom can feel confident that they have made a good investment for the home.
Start by assessing the space that you have for the shower stall. Without appropriate planning, a small installation project can become a big mess in a hurry. If you are just removing an old shower stall and adding a new one, your task is a fairly simple one. If you have to make room for a new stall in a bathroom that never had one, your task will take a little more preparation. Think about where the stall will go and what will have to be relocated or removed altogether. Decide how large the shower stall can be and what shape will be best for the bathroom. Will the stall sit along a bathroom wall? Will it tuck into a corner? How does the shower door need to open for the space? These are all important items to keep in mind as you begin choosing the right stall for the bathroom.
Options abound for retailers that offer bathroom fixtures. The most popular tend to be the large home improvement stores, which feature a wide selection of shower stalls. Additionally, both stores give customers a range of pricing options, and they provide specials on delivery as well as installation for customers who are unsure about whether or not they should tackle the project themselves. Online retailers also represent a great source for bathroom fixtures. While it might seem silly to buy a shower stall online, most retailers feature shipping specials when customers spend a certain amount. Shopping online also increases the likelihood that customers will find exactly what they are looking for. Local stores provide a third retail option, and while these stores do not usually have the wide selection or competitive prices of the larger stores, they often feature special sales and close-out deals with prices that the larger stores cannot match.
As you consider space and cost, be sure to think about the specific features that you are looking for in the shower stall. Pre-fabricated shower stalls are surprisingly diverse in the features that they offer, from the type of frost on the shower walls, to type and quantity of the shower heads, to the shelves on which you can place the items you will need in the shower. Some showers offer the bare minimum, while others turn taking a shower into a luxury experience. Consider the various extra features, and place these against the cost and the size of the shower. Finding the shower stall of your dreams might not be worth the expense if you have to move a wall in the bathroom for it to fit.
Adding a shower stall is adding value to the home. Shower stalls offer convenience for homeowners and their guests, safety for the elderly, and a great return on the initial investment. As with any investment, the most decision starts with finding the best ratio of cost and return. Be sure to consider the various steps involved in choosing the new shower stall to ensure that you get the most value out of the addition.
