Is your bathroom in need of a facelift?
Did you know that more than 80% of homes in the US are at least 20 years old? Actually 82.7% of homes in America are at least 20 years old and while many homes have already gone through a bathroom renovation, whether from you or from one of the previous owners of your home, the chances that your bathroom is due for an upgrade are still high. You can click here to see the stats about the age of homes in the US on Statista.
The thought of completely gutting and remodeling such a key area of your home may be overwhelming and scary. Specially when thinking that this has to come at a high cost.
It doesn’t have to be! One of the best ways to elevate the look of your bathroom is with a tub to shower conversion. Converting your outdated tub to a beautiful walk-in shower is one of the most practical solutions for homeowners.
In this article, we will cover five reasons why you should consider converting your tub into a shower.
5 Benefits of a Tub to Shower Conversion
1. Conserve more water
Showers are much more environmentally friendly than bathtubs. Before you even step foot inside of a bath, you’ve likely already filled it with more gallons of water than you would have used during a shower. After you’re done soaking, you need additional water to rinse off before bath time is over. The average bath is usually 10-15 minutes longer than the average shower. Doing a tub to shower remodel means you’ll not only conserve water, but you’ll also save on your water bill. Take this one step further by installing a water saving shower head, such as the Nebia Spa shower head. Simply adding a water saving shower head can help you save 45-65% more water after your conversion! UpHome cares for the world and it cares for you!
2. Extend your bathroom’s useful life
While tubs are great for young children, showers are safer for older adults. Walk-in showers extend your bathroom’s useful life as they are more accessible and practical over time. Your mobility and stability will inevitably decline with age and stepping into a tub and getting up and down for a bath requires much more strength and balance. Shower floors are typically less slippery as well. Keeping these factors in mind will provide huge advantages for the useful life of your remodel.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 200,000 people are treated in the US due to accidents in the bathroom, 80% of them being related to falls. The risk of falling increases exponentially with age and a bathtub increases this risk.
3. Show off your style
When you complete a tub to shower conversion, your walk-in shower will become a true centerpiece of your bathroom. It updates and opens your space, making small bathrooms feel big and older bathrooms feel modern. You can also take many more design liberties with a shower than with a standard tub.
There are many ways to bring your dream tub to shower remodel to life. You can hire a contractor and designer, DIY, or get the best of both worlds.
4. Use what you paid for
The majority of homeowners with a tub will tell you they’ve really only used it for a bath a handful of times. While the idea of a soak sounds luxurious, the reality is you spend time in your bathroom to get clean. The bathroom probably isn’t your first choice of location when planning a relaxing afternoon. Don’t waste money investing in something you’ll use sparingly.
5. Practice better hygiene
Taking showers is much more hygienic than sitting in a bathtub. The water from a shower head provides a stronger, even distribution of water that washes dirt and oils off more effectively. In addition, any contaminated water will run off directly down the drain. In a bath, the dirty water surrounds your body until you decide bath time is over. The time spent in the bath can also have drying effects on your skin.
The most common ways to complete a Tub to Shower Conversion
1. Use a general contractor for a tub to shower conversion
When considering a bathroom remodel, your initial instinct may be to call a contractor. A general contractor would be the person in charge of your overall renovation project. He or she typically sources all of your materials, hires the workers and sub-contractors to complete the work, and oversees all work from demolition to completion.
Some contractors have design experience, while others will follow a plan laid out by a designer. Hiring a designer ensures the materials, layout, and finishes fit within your final vision. A contractor brings immense knowledge and convenience but also comes at a hefty cost. To find a contractor near you, Angie's list is a good option.
2. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Tub to Shower conversion
Many homeowners interested in a renovation weigh the pros and cons of hiring a general contractor versus going the DIY route. If you have a great design eye and are familiar with various materials, you can save big on the overall costs of your renovation. However, keep in mind that most bathroom remodels aren’t just about replacing old tiles or refreshing a new coat of paint.
A tub to shower conversion requires some heavy demo and plumbing expertise as well. For these areas, you will still likely have to hire a licensed professional. If you’re going to do the job, you want it done right. When you DIY a bathroom renovation, you are likely going to double or triple the timeline. It’s just not feasible to do everything yourself as quickly as an entire team of dedicated specialists.
3. Use UpHome Renovation for your Tub to Shower conversion
If you’re looking for trendy yet affordable tub to shower conversion ideas, UpHome is the ideal, one-stop-shop. With UpHome, the entire process is simple from start to finish. There’s no need to visit multiple stores, compare prices across brands, or interview multiple contractors before making your decision. Start by picking your favorite luxury shower design online.
The website will immediately show you the total cost and financing options for completion. You’ll love the pricing transparency and affordable luxury of all designs. Shower renovations start at around $8,500 while most competitors and contractors will quote you $10,000 (at the minimum!) for materials of lesser quality. Plus, all of UpHome’s high-quality, patented materials are manufactured locally in Texas. The product itself and install will also be warrantied. When it comes to shower renovations, it doesn’t get better than UpHome Renovation.
If you’re thinking about converting your tub to a shower, now is a great time to do so. After the conversion, you will conserve more water, practice better hygiene, extend your bathroom’s useful life, use what you paid for, and show off your style. Plus, when you use UpHome Renovation, you can feel confident knowing you’ll be getting luxury quality at an affordable price. There is a reason that UpHome has a 5 star rating on google.
To design your shower renovation with UpHome and directly get your total price for a renovation, click here.
