The bathrooms in your home have one of the most traffic other than your kitchen. So when you are remodeling your home or building a new one, you have to take the demand of people and the guests into your account. As remodeling takes a lot of money, you also have to think about saving money whenever possible. So, this begs the question, which one is cheaper, a shower or a bathtub?
On average, it costs less to install a shower than it does to install a bathtub. This cost is not confined to the basic installation cost, as there are a lot of factors that determine the overall cost of installing a shower or a bathtub. These costs include the space taken, the weather bill, energy efficiency, etc.
Let’s take a look at the overall costs of installing a shower and a bathtub.
Is it cheaper to install a shower or tub?
Showers and bathtubs are the most important parts of your bathroom. Without them, you can’t even think about building and remodeling your bathroom, which is used throughout the day. But the costs of installing these two fixtures are not the same, which places homeowners in a tough spot as they have to choose between the two.
Here are a few factors that determine the costs of installing a bathtub or shower.
1. Installation cost
The installation cost of a shower is considerably lower than that of a bathtub. To install a basic shower, you might have to spend around $815 to $930. On the other hand, a basic bathtub will cost you between $1100 to $1800. These prices also vary depending on the quality of the fixtures. For example, a high-end showerhead will obviously cost a lot more than a basic bathtub.
2. Space
One of the main aspects you have to consider when remodeling your bathroom is how much space your shower or your bathtub will occupy. Because the bathroom space plays a big part in determining the remodeling cost as well as the overall comfort of the user.
Here’s a guide to Bathroom Remodeling Costs.
A shower occupies much less space than a bathtub. As a result, you will have to spend a lot more if you want to install a bathtub instead of a shower. Yes, the bathtub has an upside of increased comfort, but if you are looking to save space and install other fixtures in your bathroom, then a shower is your best bet.
3. Water expenditure
Another big factor in the ongoing bathtub vs walk-in shower cost debate is how much water you will need for each of these fixtures. Your water bill is considerably lower if you install a shower in your bathroom. This is because you can turn your showerhead on and off whenever you need it, which reduces the expenditure on water.
On the other hand, a lot of water is wasted when a bathtub is used. Despite how comfy taking a warm bath is, it comes with its costs. You will have to waste a lot more water than a shower, which also brings your water bills up by quite a lot.
4. Energy efficiency
One of the major points in the debate of bathroom remodeling: tub vs shower is how energy efficient these two fixtures are. When you use a shower, only the water you are using needs to be warmed. This keeps the energy bills to a minimum, while also minimizing energy consumption, making it more eco-friendly.
On the other hand, you have to warm a lot of water if you use a bathtub. So, your water heater will have to be powerful enough to warm a huge amount of water. The more powerful the heater is, the more energy will consume, increasing the electricity bills. Additionally, the water will certainly get cooler the longer you stay in the bathtub, so all this energy consumption will be for nothing.
5. Needs in the future
If you find yourself asking yourself, “Is a bathtub worth it?”, you need to consider what you will do in the future. Because walk-in showers have no issues accommodating older people as there are grab bars, handles that are very easy to use as well as shower seats available in the market which can easily make life easier for elderly people to use the shower.
Bathtubs, on the other hand, are extremely difficult to use for elderly people and people who have mobility issues. They have to spend a lot of energy getting into and out of the bathtub. Some of them are even totally unable to use a tub because of the complexities they face while entering and exiting a bathtub.
6. Maintenance
No matter what the fixture or tool is, its functionality largely depends on how well it is maintained. Maintaining and cleaning a shower is very easy as you only have to clean them once in a while to protect them. Replacing a damaged showerhead is very easy as well.
On the other hand, bathtubs are very difficult to maintain, especially on a regular basis. If your bathtub is not properly cleaned regularly, not only will it look bad, but it will become slippery which will cause injuries. But cleaning them is not an easy task either. It requires much more labor than it does to clean a shower.
Final Words
Both showers and bathtubs are mainstays in people’s bathrooms all over the world. But as they have different pros and cons, it is very easy to be confused while choosing between a bathtub or a shower. All you have to do is to look at how these two can benefit you and choose the one that suits your needs the most.
Also Can Read How long it takes to replace a shower?
FAQs
1. Should I replace my tub with a shower?
If you have a bathtub and want to replace it with a shower, the first thing you need to consider is the cost of doing so. As showers save a lot of money in the long run, it is a good idea to replace your tub with a shower. But if you are not comfortable with a shower and want comfort or a warm bath, then you shouldn’t replace it.
2. What adds more value, a tub or a shower?
When it comes to resale value, a bathtub has a lot more resale value than a shower. This is because bathtubs are becoming more and more popular over the last decade than showers.
3. Why do new homes not have bathtubs?
Newer homes are having fewer bathtubs than showers for a lot of reasons. First, bathtubs require a lot of water than showers, making them very expensive. Next, they are also very difficult to clean and maintain regularly.
