The shower and tub combination has been around for a while now and is still quite popular. This is due to their practicality, their efficiency and the option of either a quick shower or long soak in the tub. In more recent times we’ve experienced a shift towards freestanding tubs and separate glass panelled showers. But the reality is that many bathrooms can’t accommodate this layout, and many people’s budgets just can’t handle it. So the questions for these people is: bath, shower or both? Below we look at the pros and cons of showers and bathtubs.
Pros and cons of showers and bathtubs
Whether you’re building a new house or simply renovating your bathroom. One of the foremost questions you will have is how to handle your shower/ bathtub situation. Consider some of the advantages and setbacks.
Bathtub pros
- Excellent for long soaks and relaxing sore muscles.
- Perfect and ideal for bathing small children.
- Available in a variety of dimensions and sizes to suit all bathroom proportions.
- Freestanding units can be placed just about anywhere, as they are finished on all sides.
- A wide variety of design choices including style, material, and tile surroundings.
- Plenty of special features available, for example, air jets, and whirlpool versions.
Bathtub cons
- Can be difficult for older people, people with disabilities and people with injuries to get in and out.
- Bathtubs can take up a lot of space.
- Requires a lot of water.
- You need a water heater with the adequate capacity to fill the tub with hot water.
- It can be time consuming to fill a tub and bath.
Shower Pros
- Use less water than bathtubs, thus they are more economical.
- Expeditious, convenient and efficient.
- Easy access for people with mobility issues. In addition, they can also be equipped with grab bars, non-slip tiles and benches.
- Multiple high-end features available, for example, rain showers, jets and steam options.
Shower cons
- Not practical or ideal for people with small children.
- Frequent and regular cleaning and maintenance of shower doors required to keep them from getting visible lime and calcium stains.
- Repairs must be carried out by a professional and done properly. For example they must be fixed adequately, glued sufficiently, and allowed to dry for the satisfactory amount of time. Consequently leaving you with no way to bath for a lengthy period of time.
Shower vs bathtub. Which is better?
In most instances the shower gets more preference than the bathtub. As a result there’s a trend towards getting rid of bathtubs completely and instead going for spacious, stand-up shower stalls. However, this is not a good idea when it comes to return on investment. Prior to removing your bathtub give some well thought consideration to the types of buyers who might be interested in buying or renting your property down the line. Our advice is that if you do not have space constraints then should always have at least one tub in the house.
