Benefits of Building a Shower
Posted by Ryan / Categories building and renovationIt’s not a difficult question to ponder for a homeowner. Or is it? Do you need a shower? There are people who have lived a very long time without a shower, only ever having a bathtub in their home. My Great Grandmother is one. She’s lived in the same house in Texas for many decades without ever installing a shower, let alone a walk in shower. The real question is, “Does the modern family support the bathtub only lifestyle?”
One would argue not. How fast does modern day life move? Faster than a bath, I can tell you that. If you wake up late for work, is there an advantage to only having a bathtub to clean up with? I think the simple answer to that is definitely, “No”. If you own a smaller, older home with nothing but a bathtub in the single bathroom, it’s a simple plumbing job to add a shower head. There are also advantages to adding a whole shower unit in your existing bath, or even adding another bathroom with a full shower.
credit: juhansoninToday’s big home stores have entire aisles dedicated to the bath, the shower and the entire rest of the bathroom. There’s nearly an aisle for each item; bathtubs, showers, toilets, etc. It is a relatively simple process to add a shower enclosure, which can be purchased whole or in pieces.
The modern family is probably only used to taking a shower, with the wife and kids the only ones to ever lounge in a bathtub for longer than three minutes. Modern man needs a stream of water he can stand under, lathering up the soap and shampoo with a quick rinse. I myself most certainly prefer a clean rinse in the shower as opposed to languishing in dirty bathwater. My son was very young when he graduated from the bathtub to the shower for the evening cleanup. Speed and time savings are well worth skipping a full tub for a quick shower.
The benefits of building a shower are simple; speed, efficiency, water savings and the environment. A quick 5 minute shower uses many, many gallons of water less than a long, luxurious bath time.
Are there cons to building a shower? Certainly. Construction time, space available and money to purchase and install a full shower unit. However, I believe the benefits to family time and the environment well outweigh the cons of construction. The best step to take at first is visit showrooms and take a look at their shower rooms to get a good idea of the current ranges of styles and designs available. another is to search online. This is a great way not only to get an idea of designs but also to look at prices and compare the prices between the different manufacturers.