Bathtub-to-Shower Conversions
If you're considering a bathroom remodel, there are various reasons to turn your existing tub into a walk-in shower. A walk-in shower is not only luxuriously spacious --- it lowers water costs as well. There are three main approaches to switching out the tub. The first is to purchase a kit at a home improvement store and complete the work yourself. A construction company specializing in conversions can also install a kit in one or two days. Additionally, a contractor can custom-remodel the bathtub to your specifications. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
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Safety Benefit
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One reason you may want to convert an existing bathtub is that a walk-in shower is much safer, especially for the elderly. According to Davidre Elisson's article "Tub to Shower Conversions: The Many Benefits," "As you get older, it becomes more difficult to get in and out of a tub. With a shower, you never have to worry about this."
Updating an Older Bath
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If you and your family rarely make use of the bathtub to take baths, a walk-in shower may fit your lifestyle better. In that case, a walk-in shower would be a better use of that space. Walk-in showers tend to be more spacious than bathtub and can make even an outdated, small bathroom look larger and more modern.
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Design Options
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One way to check out different designs is to look at the walk-in shower kits available online or at your local home-improvement store. This can give you design inspiration, even if you choose to have the work done by a contracting company. Pay special attention to the type of showerhead you wish to have, as there are various options, including dual showerheads, ones that feature massage settings, and "rain"-style models. Shower doors also have a dramatic effect on the overall look of the shower --- just make sure they're durable and easy to clean.
Time Frame
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Whether you do the work yourself or hire a shower conversion specialist or a contractor, the conversion should take days, not weeks. Your new shower should be in place and ready to use within a couple of days. Because most people don't want to be without a bathroom for too long, it's comforting to know that you can enjoy your new walk-in shower relatively quickly.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Comments
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Seems to me that somebody could make a small kit with rubber/synthetic seals and instructions for cutting out a section of the side of an old tub and attaching the seals to the cut edges, or maybe having inserts that also fill in the gaps in-between the outer and inner edges, so you can just lift out the section, step in, and then replace the section with the seals locking together in a V or tongue-and-groove fashion to keep the water in. It might not look as nice as these other options, and it might be a bit awkward (or maybe you could add a hinge and latch to make a pressure seal), and it seems to me it could be VERY affordable and very quick to install. Anybody know of something like that? Seems like Lowe's or Wal-Mart or somebody like that could come up with something.
