How Do You Know if You Need a New Shower Pan
Updated October 24, 2021
Since you're reading this article you deserve a round of adulation. Learning nigh shower pans is as sexy and 'interesting' as seeing your Mother-in-law 'attempting' to expect young with a skirt which is also short or pants which are too tight. Not a pretty motion-picture show. Certainly not sexy.
Shower pans literally get walked on and ignored daily. They become no respect.
However, I'd fence they're propping up the entire 'show.' The bear witness is your fancy shower heads, niches, contemporary sleek wall panels, tile surrounds and body jets people do notice.
If your base fails, you're in a heap of problem. You can throw in the dumpster all the cool features above the base of operations (and your dollars – literally – downwardly the literal drain with information technology). Certain, you lot can 'cheap-out' buying a low-cost shower pan or 'zone out' with no idea put into the design of a shower base. However, if you take this route as they'd say in high schoolhouse Latin class – caveat emptor (that'southward a fancy term for 'let the buyer beware.').
There's a huge (or hugely as Trump would say) toll to pay for a shower pan which fails, is designed incorrectly or doesn't work as a family member ages and their mobility goes in the wrong direction.
There are 2 pivotal questions in selecting a shower pan you lot need to get your arms effectually:
- Question ane – What are the biggest mistakes, blunders, pitfalls (insert your negative adjective here) when selecting shower pans? The more important question is this second 1.
- Question 2 – How can I avoid the problems posed in question 1 to save fourth dimension, money and aggravation having to 're-remodel' (not a word, merely it happens in reality) or throw away a costly shower buy?
The purpose of this article is simple. Provide the answers to question one and outline the vii biggest blunders I've seen in bad shower pan purchases through my years (note – when I started in the bathroom remodeling concern I had more hair, and none of it was grey either!) Next, I'll embrace question ii and give you tips to brand sure you don't fall victim to the mistakes in question i. In add-on, I've added a 'bonus question' – #viii, considering if you're like most people (and NOT made of money) – you'll also care most cost.
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Stride Upward Your Bathroom past Stepping Down Your Shower Pan!
Shower pan blunder #ane – You (and your builder) don't retrieve long term in the shower pan pick process
Your builder – without any input from you –volition employ the 'path of least resistance method" and install the cheapest pan (a fiberglass tub/shower combination) or in luxury home become their tile guy to do the tried and truthful, a ceramic tile surround. In both bases they'll use a standard four" to 5" loftier pace over curb for the pan without any management from you.
This iv" or 5" loftier adjourn is not a problem 'initially', it's the 'eventually' which can get yous into trouble. Initially you lot and your family members are healthy and stepping over a shower curb is a breeze. Eventually your mobility may non be as good. If you tin't lift their legs upwardly over the shower adjourn, yous'll exist pulling out your old base for a new 1.
How to preclude shower pan corrigendum #1 – Spend time researching nix threshold, barrier free, and low profile shower pans. If you're not familiar with these options, they are designed to exist level with the bathroom floor or have a small adjourn (from 1 i/6″ to 2″ high). They are not only safe merely tin besides look cool and contemporary. The starting time film below shows how a finished cypher threshold shower base of operations system with tile looks after it'south completed. Information technology will put you in the 'double-bonus' as they say in basketball game – safe and stylish. The second photo is a straightforward-to-install acrylic roll in shower pan. Your architect or remodeler may like this ane best because its super-elementary to install. The concluding photograph shows a fun black marble low profile shower pan which will give your bathroom the 'wow' cistron most people don't know is possible with a shower pan.
You need to annotation, just because yous've establish a better long-term shower pan selection doesn't mean your builder will 'embrace' your choice. You'll need to explain to your remodeler or builder why you need this product and provide them with installation instructions. If they still refuse to get you the pan y'all desire, you may to become the "Monty Hall" of shower pan purchasers and await to hire the builder or remodeler behind door #2."
Shower pan corrigendum #2 – Yous choose a shower pan which is decumbent to cracking, yellowing and water leaks.
A cracked shower pan which leaks onto your brand-new mahogany dining room tabular array in the floor below with the fancy chandelier and tray ceiling is a bad solar day.
Hither's a fact (not exactly rocket science) – all shower pans aren't created equal.
If you're building a new abode – builders will pack your dwelling house with cool features in the places, you lot'll find. Granite countertops. Big windows in a peachy room. A tray ceiling in the sleeping accommodation. What architect' won't exercise is put much economical value in features they experience you lot'll pay picayune attention to (until it's too late). One example, is the kids Jack and Jill bathroom off the hallway you'll get a fiberglass ane-piece shower surroundings. It's the cheapest, slap-information technology-in solution. If you're doing a tile shower they'll have their 'tile guys' put in a mud-set pan base (basically a vinyl liner with concrete sloped in the pan).
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These cheap solutions can become your future nightmare. These bases have a higher failure charge per unit of cracking and leaking (or yellowing and looking ugly).
How to forbid shower pan blunder #2 – The elementary advice is don't cheap out on your shower pans. Upgrade to a solid surface or cultured granite shower pan with guarantees which range from 10 years to lifetime guarantees. It'south not just guaranteed with your builders fabled (sarcasm intended) one-year warranty. If y'all don't want to spend as much, another smart option is a bandage acrylic pan which has been reinforced with a multi-density fiberboard underneath (like yous'll see in the moving picture below). This isn't your cheap -take hold of-off-the-shelf-pan you'll pick up from the large box store. It won't flex and creek like those low-budget acrylic pans.
If you're doing a tile shower use a waterproof prepare for tile shower pan or underlayment systems similar those from Wedi Corp or Schluter. These products ensure moisture which gets through the grout joints, won't get through the shower base underneath it (more nigh this later).
Shower pan blunder #iii – Y'all buy a pan for a shower remodel, but don't think about your current drain location
When you're remodeling, bleed locations are a BIG thing. If your existing shower pan is in poured concrete moving it will be dusty, dirty, time consuming and expensive. If your shower is on the second floor changing where the drain is at will be more difficult than having complete access from the basement below (in the case of a first-floor shower with an unfinished lower level).
If you buy your shower pan start, dig deeper about your drain location, and then you won't be pitiful and end upwards sucking up unnecessary expenses to movement plumbing or eat restocking fees IF you're able to return the standard pan.
How to forbid shower pan blunder #iii – Take guess measurements (with the pan still in place) of your existing shower pan and it's bleed location. If you lot're looking to use the aforementioned shape and same-size shower, meet if the new pan drain location will line up with the drain hole in your existing shower. Look for standard pans – if possible – to save money. For example – if you're doing a tub to shower conversion a low contour 60 x 32 shower pan similar the 1 pictured below will be perfect (especially if you want to go from an alcove shower to a corner shower).
If your drain location is non standard, your choice will exist to move the plumbing or purchase a custom shower pan. In many cases the more than 'expensive' custom shower pan volition actually result in a lower total project price considering you're not paying a plumber to relocate your pipes.
Shower pan blunder #4 – Y'all act like a zombie and allow your architect 'drive the bus' and use whatever shower pan they choose.
Just because you've hired a builder or remodeler doesn't hateful they always have your all-time interests at mind. If y'all remember about it, most builders and remodelers #ane motivation is….
Profit
Turn a profit is non a dirty give-and-take. You lot demand your builder to make money. You lot want them to make coin, so they'll be effectually if you demand warranty repairs. However, you demand to have a longer-term perspective for a shower pan purchase than your architect. In one case your warranty is upward – they've moved on to the next job and y'all're on your own to deal with the maintenance or costs of a bad purchase.
How to prevent shower pan blunder #iv – Before you sign on the lesser line know specifically what shower pans your builder or remodeler volition exist installing. Have time to research them and cheque out on line reviews. If it's a site-congenital system, enquire who(m) will be doing the installation (who are they subbing this piece of work to). The reality is a site-built shower pan (like the mud gear up ones I mentioned before) are only every bit expert as the specific human existence doing the installation.
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Step Upwardly Your Bathroom by Stepping Downwards Your Shower Pan!
Shower pan blunder #v – You choose a shower pan which is equally high maintenance equally your 'easy to get forth with (sarcasm intended)' teenager.
Hither's two glorious images.
(Image i) You're on your hands and knees 'attempting' to make clean the dingy dark-brown dirt off the lesser of your fiberglass shower base.
(Image 2) You lot've pulled out the dreaded nylon bristled scrub brush and hydrogen peroxide and you're ready to 'go in' and do battle with your moldy grout joints in your shower base of operations.
When you lot bought this habitation, you realized fiberglass showers were cheap. At the time that seemed like a skilful thing. Today you know how hopeless the cleaning process tin can exist.
Your tile shower looked BEAUTFUL when it was commencement installed. Now yous're seeing how much of a pain in the butt this grout maintenance matter tin be.
How to forbid shower pan corrigendum #5 – Call up the sometime saying, 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?' The best way to accident up shower pan maintenance issues is to end them in their tracks.
Instead of choosing a inexpensive fiberglass pan for a hall or kid's bathroom, become one notch up and select an acrylic shower pan. They are bachelor in standard sizes, fun shapes, are elementary to make clean and toll effective.
Instead of choosing a tile shower pan, use a solid surface base if you desire to do a curved drinking glass cake shower. They come in 51 colors and have textured floors, so they aren't slippery. If yous're asking, "Mike – will they be more expensive than the tile base?" The simple reply is – in the curt-run aye. Still, in the long run yous won't have to worry nearly the base of operations cracking or leaking, or spending time hiring 'Mr. Grout Joint Cleaning Dude' (the new-fangled grout joint cleaning franchise) to waste material your afternoon and coin cleaning muddied, moldy joints.
And if you want to go a solid low profile shower pan quick – and can't wait 12 weeks to go information technology – check out this low contour pan below which is Available FROM STOCK (by January 2022)!
Shower pan corrigendum #half dozen – You make up one's mind to DIY using a 'component based' tile shower arrangement when you could get a ready to install option
What would you rather piece of work with:
ane) A shower where you lot're installing a sloped shower pan and then installing a curb component adjacent to it or…
2) One where everything is all in one unit?
If y'all're like most when it comes to DIY remodeling, the less components the amend. Anyone who would rather be spending more time putting their shower pan together than golfing or hanging out with friends needs counseling.
How to forestall shower pan corrigendum #half-dozen – It's simple to order a waterproof set up for tile shower pan to eliminate the hassle of joining the curb component to the shower pan. Fix for tile bases come in all shapes and sizes and piece of work with various types of drinking glass enclosures. They are lightweight and straightforward to install.
Shower pan corrigendum #vii – Y'all buy (or build) the shower pan before you figure out the shape or blazon of glass (or glass block) y'all're going to use.
You wouldn't pour concrete or have a mason build your basement foundation if y'all hadn't planned the 1st and 2nd floor levels. You obviously want the upper floor levels to fit exactly on your foundation. This same logic is true with a shower pan.
I've seen people who've bought a standard fiberglass shower pan with a two" wide curb and so telephone call to do a glass block shower wall (which is 3 1/viii" wide). The block wall will not fit onto the curb depth.
I've also seen homeowners who have wanted curved glass walls, but the curvature of the base they've built did not fit the curvature of the drinking glass. This is a HUGE problem.
How to prevent shower pan corrigendum #seven – It's not hard to solve the shower pan shape problem when (using a borrowed version of the Stephen Covey quote) you 'begin with the glass in heed." Determine the shape and type of drinking glass you lot want to use. For example, if y'all dearest the colors and depression-maintenance aspects of glass blocks (which cannot be cut) you'll want to piece of work with a glass cake shower designer to help with a layout before building or buying your base. What'due south overnice is and so the shaped glass wall can be designed to fit similar a glove with either a solid surface shower pan or a ready for tile one.
Bonus – Shower pan blunder #eight – Yous have NO IDEA how much shower pans can cost
If you lot're not made of money (every bit Dad used to say), I get it – and tin can respect information technology. Most of us don't go to piece of work for the 'fun of information technology.' We need to earn a living to afford a nicer home and provide for our families. So, one of the challenges yous can take in choosing a shower pan is to get 'all excited' almost a certain type of pan and then have your hopes dashed when you observe out how truly expensive they are. That'due south why I will be providing (and adding to the section beneath) manufactures about the cost of shower pans. Y'all need to exist grounded (no shower pan pun intended), then you invest in the best pan for y'all.
How to forbid shower pan corrigendum #8 – The best way to bargain with potential shower pan sticker shock is to get cost information Before you practice besides much research. And at that place'southward nothing like finding out you wasted a lot of your time. That'southward why in the surface area beneath I'll provide links to manufactures well-nigh the cost of diverse types of shower pans. The one I finished thus far is the cost of cultured marble shower pans and cultured granite shower pans. When the other articles are done, you'll become links to those besides.
Conclusion
As I admitted upwards forepart shower pan choice, design and construction isn't exactly the sexiest topic going in bathroom remodeling. Withal, the failure to requite the 'foundation' of your shower enclosure it's due, tin have nasty consequences. A lack of focus on your shower pan can result in having to 'remodel your remodel' or unnecessary scrubbing or maintenance.
I hope identifying these 7 shower pan blunders (and the tips to brand sure they don't happen to you – along with the bonus corrigendum #8) are useful for you in your next shower remodel.
To go more input and nationwide wholesale pricing on standard or custom shower pans call the numbers below and/or read v Tips for a Champagne Shower on a Beer Upkeep.
How can I (or a member of my squad) help you lot?
If you're struggling with a bathroom or shower remodeling project I (and my team) would love to aid. For assistance and mill-directly product supply of grout free shower wall panels, shower bases and glass enclosures nationwide contact Innovate Building Solutions at 877-668-5888. For a bathroom remodeling project in Northeast Ohio phone call Cleveland Design and Remodeling at 216-658-1270 or The Bath Doc in Columbus at 614-252-3242.
If you're a remodeler or builder and desire applied advice on remodeling products, industry trends, marketing and sales tips to grow your business (and cut day to mean solar day hassles), showtime reading my newest blog – Innovate Builders Blog. It'southward packed with ideas you lot can use now. Click here to Sign Upwardly for the Innovate Builders Blog.
If you desire to connect with me and/or learn more about remodeling, but don't want to put up with my wacky humor (I go it). Follow me on Twitter @Mike Foti, or my companies @InnovateBuild or @InnovateHomeOrg.
Source: https://blog.innovatebuildingsolutions.com/2018/07/03/shower-base-pan-problems-avoid-them/
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