Walk-In Showers Versus Tubs: What Are the 4 Pros and Cons of Each?

Renovating your bathroom is an excellent return on your investment and a great way to increase the conveniences and enjoyment of your home. If you are beginning construction, this is also a crucial room to spend time on in the planning stages, since it’s one of the rooms you will use every day.

One of the first projects to focus on is your bath area. Whether you already have a tub or a shower and want to improve it, or whether you are debating between the two for your initial installation, you should know the pros and cons before you make your decision.

Here are 4 major differences between walk-in showers and tubs to guide you to your final choice.

4 Pros and Cons of Walk-in Showers vs Tubs

Before you make a decision on your bathroom features, there are a few factors you need to take into consideration that may affect the convenience and overall use of your bathing area. Consider these pros and cons first:

1. Bath tubs increase the home’s likelihood of sale. If you are flipping the house or planning on selling eventually, don’t jump into installing a fancy walk-in shower. Homes that don’t have bathtub/shower combination areas are often refused by buyers who have or plan on having families. This is a huge market that you would have just deterred with a simple installation.

Instead of adding a shower to the main bathroom, consider installing this feature in the guest bathroom to increase space if it’s a smaller area.

If you must replace the tub in the master bathroom, update it to a sauna or add luxury shower features.

2. Showers increase the usable area in your bathroom. Bathrooms are notoriously the smallest rooms in a house. If yours is already small, a tub will significantly cut into the usable area.

A walk-in shower only takes up about 12 square feet of the space on your bathroom’s floor, while tubs use 15 square feet or more. For small bathrooms, the walk-in shower is a better option. You can use strategic placement of a sink to add even more room in your tiny space. Get ideas from Unique Vanities on all of the options that you have and how you can maximize your bathroom area.

3. Walk-in showers are preferred by some individuals, while tubs are the preference of others. Consider who is going to be using your bathroom the most. What would be the convenient choice for them?

Bathtubs are preferred by families with younger children and people who enjoy a long soak in a relaxing hot bath as a destressing option from the worries and responsibilities of the day.

Walk-in showers, on the other hand, are the preferred choice for busy individuals and couples. They also are preferred by elderly or disabled people who have a hard time getting in and out of tubs and raised areas. The installation of a walk-in shower increases their ease of access and overall safety. A small shower helps, but a walk-in shower gives them room to add a seating area and railings to help them.

If you are choosing to add a tub for the enjoyment of relaxing in it, be sure you purchase a deep model large enough for you to be comfortable. You have many options to look into, so you should be able to find one with all of the amenities you prefer in a style that fits your bathroom and personality.

4. Consider the financial pros and cons of each choice. Walk-in showers and tubs both have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to the financial aspect. If money is a concern for you, these pros and cons might be the deciding factor in your project.

Energy efficiency is at the forefront of most manufacturer and homeowners’ minds today. Shower heads are almost always energy-efficient and will put money in your pocket monthly from savings on your utility bills. This is because an average shower uses 20 gallons of water through an energy efficient showerhead, while a bath uses 30 or more.

Think about your budget, as well. If you already have a tub in your bathroom, it’s cheaper and easier to replace it with a similar-sized tub. If you plan to convert to a larger tub, though, you are looking at a much more complicated and expensive project. You will probably have to hire a plumber to adjust the pipes, check your foundation and make sure it can handle the extra pressure, and possibly even tear down and rebuild walls in your bathroom and surrounding rooms.

Installing a comparable tub in place of one already there is much cheaper than the installation costs of a walk-in shower, but in the big picture, you’re getting a much better ROI with the shower option. Not only are you saving money on your utility bills, but more people prefer homes with inviting showers.

Adding a tub with state-of-the-art luxury features, like a whirlpool or air-jet model, can increase your resale value, too. If you have the room and the budget, consider a luxury tub with a stand-alone shower stall in the bathroom. This style is popular for those looking for a combination of comfort and relaxation with efficiency.

Before Deciding on a Tub or Shower, Do Your Research

You may be leaning towards one or the other because of your own preferences, and if you plan on living in your house for your whole life, that is perfectly fine. But if you are concerned about energy efficiency, sticking to a budget, or want a solid return on your investment, you should consider the pros and cons of a tub versus a shower as you begin to plan for your bathroom remodeling or construction project.

With a little research, you may find that the choice you once preferred can be combined with a better, more cost-effective feature, or you may even end up changing your mind completely when you see all of the options available to you. No matter what you choose, plan for the long-term because you or the next people who buy your house will be using the bathroom frequently.

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