Converting Your Tub To Shower With A Seat With Empire Home Remodeling

Transforming your home and bathroom doesn’t need to be a costly, timely process.

Instead of an entire home remodel, you can make small, modest upgrades and changes that become game-changers. This is true, especially if you want to improve its aesthetic value, functionality, and comfort.

One of the easiest, most popular upgrades homeowners can consider is converting their traditional tub into a spacious shower with a tub-to-shower conversion. To make it even more enjoyable, consider your tub-to-shower conversion to include a seat.

So, whether you’re looking for a simple upgrade to your existing bathroom or one with a tub highlighted with a built-in seat, Empire Home Remodeling has the solution for your every need.

Having zero entry and accessible showers is more than a convenience; it can be essential for many people, especially those with limited mobility.

Let’s discuss the value of converting your tub to a shower with a seat, especially for those with mobility challenges and those looking for a more enjoyable shower experience.

The first thing to keep in mind is that caring for aging populations, especially at home, requires subtle changes to your layout and daily activity, such as providing them with access to walk-in showers, single-story homes, and other accommodations to help them with their challenges of aging, such as lack of mobility and flexibility.

As society ages, especially with the Baby Boomer generation, providing access to and convenience for a quality of life will pressure the rest of society.

In fact, by 2030, every member of the Baby Boomer generation will be 65 or older, making it essential to provide accommodations for this class of people.

Who are the Baby Boomers? They are the generation born after World War II, from 1946 to 1964, and comprise a significant proportion of society.

What Is A Tub-To-Shower Conversion?

Converting your tub to a shower involves replacing the existing bathtub with a shower enclosure that is easily accessible and takes less space in the bathroom.

This conversion is essential for individuals with mobility issues and safety considerations to reduce the risk of accidental slips.

The conversion provides homeowners with virtually limitless options, including design, materials, and fixtures. You can easily create an ultra-modern aesthetic with glass doors, and tiled features, or opt for a more rustic feel.

Customizing your shower can make it more enjoyable, especially with a shower that includes a seat.

A seat in the shower makes showering much easier and more pleasurable, allowing you to create a “spa-like” atmosphere right in your home.

Because of this, a tub-to-shower conversion with a seat can significantly boost the resale value of your home, creating a major selling point for people with mobility issues and those looking for a more contemporary design.

Finally, a tub-to-shower conversion will require some construction work to do effectively, so utilizing a professional installation team like Empire Home Remodeling will help you achieve the conversion you need while eliminating any substantial mistakes.

From consultation to design and construction, Empire Home Remodeling will help educate you about every aspect of your conversion so that you have peace of mind about the project.

Benefits Of A Tub-To-Shower Conversion

Now that you understand what a tub-to-shower conversion is let’s turn our attention to its benefits.

When you want to remodel your bathroom, converting from a traditional bathtub to a walk-in shower with a seat can provide increased functionality and added comfort. This makes it easier for people with mobility concerns and provides a quick, safer shower.

Some additional benefits of a tub-to-shower conversion with a seat include:

• Improved Safety
• Increased Accessibility
• Maximizing Space
• Customized Options
• Improved Aesthetics
• Easy Cleaning
• Reduction In Water Use

Transforming your tub to a shower with a seat makes the most sense if you consider these benefits:

Improved Safety: Reducing the need to step over the edge of a tub eliminates the chance of slipping or falling. With the addition of a seat, the possibility of an accident is greatly reduced.

Increased Accessibility: Eliminating high-sided tubs improves the safety of the shower but also greatly increases accessibility, which is crucial for people with mobility concerns, from older people to small children.

Maximizing Space: Updating your bathtub with a shower helps open up space in your bathroom. Showers require less space than tubs, and with a contemporary upgrade, you can greatly maximize your bathroom space.

Customized Options: Add your look and touch with customization options ranging from shower walls to doors and shower heads, including the type of shower floor, to provide a personalized touch to your bathroom.

Improved Aesthetics: Remodeling your home and converting your tub to shower to include a seat can enhance the bathroom’s aesthetics and boost its potential value when it comes time to sell.

Contemporary remodels that include zero-entry showers can be extremely attractive to all potential buyers, from young families, people with special needs to older people.

Easy Cleaning: Besides maximizing your space, shower cleaning can be much easier and simpler with the right conversion kit and design than with a tub.

Reduction in Water Use: Modern shower heads and designs are built with valves to limit water flow without sacrificing power. Compared to tub usage, a redesigned shower can conserve water, lower utility costs, and positively contribute to conservation efforts.

Increased Safety Features Of A Shower With A Seat

Why does a shower conversion matter for people with limited mobility?

Slips and falls result in over 8 million hospital and emergency room visits annually, with over 80% occurring in bathrooms. And over 70% of injuries for people over 65 years of age occur in the bathroom, and over ⅓ of those result in hospital stays.

A few suggestions are included to reduce the risk, including added safety features, low-or-zero-entry showers, non-slip mats, and more.

Installing safety features like grab bars near the shower provides stability and support, while non-slip mats help maintain traction when water is on the floor.

Zero-entry showers make it simple for people with mobility concerns to enter and exit the shower without stepping over an obstacle like the side of a tub, eliminating the risk of losing balance or slipping.

Seats in the shower provide security without the risk of slipping and add comfort to the bathing experience. A hand-held shower head allows for better control and flexibility while bathing.

Finally, installing an emergency response system that is within reach or voice-activated provides the peace of mind that you can communicate for help in the event of an accident.

As you consider the benefits of converting your tub-to-shower and including a seat, one of the benefits of utilizing professionals like Empire Home Remodeling is their ability to quickly assess the layout of your bathroom and explain the best options for you.

Assessing Your Bathroom Layout

When considering a bathroom remodel, the first step is to assess your current bathroom’s layout and design.

Some of the things you’ll need to consider include:

• Space Available
• Plumbing Configuration
• Current Condition
• Design Compatibility
• Accessibility

Space Available: Accurately measuring the space available will help with the design aspect of your tub-to-shower conversion.

Your remodel will combine comfort and convenience, and professional measurements will educate you about your best options. We’ll discuss this aspect in greater detail shortly.

Plumbing Configuration: Another consideration is your home’s existing plumbing configuration.

Ensuring that shower heads, values, and drains are all appropriately placed and adjusted for the conversion and adding a seat will help ensure that your design is implemented correctly.

Current Condition: Another step in the design and conversion process is for the professional to look for existing water damage and other concerns before remodeling.

For example, water damage or leaks around pipes, tub walls, and floors will help predict future issues once the conversion is complete.

Design Compatibility: Another important step to discuss with your contractor is remodeling your bathroom to ensure that the upgrade fits the current aesthetic and that your shower conversion kit, doors, and shower walls are in sync with the existing bathroom design or planned updates.

Accessibility: A curbless, zero-entry shower is a good suggestion for individuals who require ease of access or have mobility concerns. Door placement and shower floor design will provide safe entry and exit points to ease your worries.

Choosing The Right Shower For Your Needs

When upgrading your shower or tub-to-shower conversion, your contractor will help you select the right shower for your space.

Understanding your bathroom dimensions to utilize your space best will help you with the conversion while limiting any disruption to your daily routines.

Some considerations to discuss with your contractor include:

Your use needs: When exploring the type of shower, you may want to build a larger shower for better access than a smaller one for older people.

Specific shower components: The type of shower heads, valves, and types of benches to include as a seat should be discussed.

Design preference: This is where you can personalize the shower. Choose between different options, such as tile, a curbless shower, or another design, and see what your contractor thinks about how it may impact your space.

Another thing to consider is that a standard shower is 36 x 36 inches, but when designing your ideal conversion, it depends on your preference and space available.

For example, if you’re looking for more space and room in your bathroom, you’d probably select a style and design smaller than someone looking for maximum shower space.

Choosing The Right Fixtures

The next step in your conversion is to meet with your contractor and discuss the types of fixtures and materials for your new shower.

Depending on the type of shower experience you’re looking for, you can choose between different shower heads, such as rainfall or handheld models.

Your contractor should also discuss the type of valve used in your shower. The valves you select will help regulate water temperature and flow.

Shower doors can vary widely, so discussing different types, from frameless to sliding doors, will impact the aesthetic and accessibility of your converted shower.

Choosing The Materials

In addition to discussing the type of fixtures for your tub-to-shower conversion, you should also consider the types of materials from the walls to the shower floor.

Acrylic and fiberglass are common for shower conversions, though tile designs provide endless options.

Since one of the primary benefits of converting your tub to a shower is increasing the overall safety of the shower, your floors shouldn’t be overlooked.

• Prefab bases and textured tiles provide grip and eliminate unnecessary slippage.
• Converting your tub to a seat shower is practical and stylish.

By eliminating the risk of accidental slippage and improving the overall aesthetics of your bathroom, you’re providing better access and safety while creating a more modern, comfortable bathing experience.

If you’re ready to upgrade your shower comfort and improve your bathing experience or are concerned about the safety of someone in your home with mobility concerns, consider converting your bathtub to a shower.

With Empire Home Remodeling, we’ll make converting your tub to a shower easy.

Whether you’re caring for aging people, have young ones running around, or want to update your older bathroom, Empire Home Remodeling will provide guidance and design options that perfectly fit your preferences and needs.

From tile to general advice regarding your tub conversion, Empire Home Remodeling will simplify the process so you can get the shower of your dreams.

Contact us today at Empire Home Remodeling for your FREE quote and consultation. See how our team of experts can upgrade your bathroom and convert your tub to a shower with a seat for an optimal shower experience.