Shower or Bathtub: Which Option is Best for Your Bathroom?

There are many decisions that need to be made when remodeling or building a new home, and there are few rooms that bring up more questions than the bathroom. One of the most asked questions in regards to any type of bathroom upgrade or new build is: shower or bathtub–which one should we choose? 

Between all of the options on the market (clawfoot or soaking tub? Walk-in shower with a bench or glass doors? Marble? Acrylic? Cast iron?), space and budgetary restraints, accessibility, sustainability and resale value, it can be overwhelming to decide between a bathtub, a shower or a combination of both.

To help you move forward with your renovations and avoid getting stuck in a bathroom decision rut, we’ve put together a list of the most important differences between showers and bathtubs, along with the most common variables that can come into play now and far into the future. 

Read on to determine which bathing solution will be best for you, your family and your home.

Bathroom Space and Square Footage

First thing’s first, when it comes to choosing to install a shower or a tub in your bathroom space is usually the most important factor. If you aren’t building a new home or planning to expand your bathroom, odds are you will be limited by square feet as well as the amount of space between existing bathroom appliances like the sink, counters, storage and the toilet.

While there are plenty of large and luxurious walk-in showers on the market, overall, shower stalls take up much less space than bathtubs. On average, stand-up showers only use about nine square feet of space, whereas the standard tub uses about 13 square feet of space.

An average-sized bathroom is considered to be around 40 square feet or more. If you have a smaller than average bathroom, a stand-up shower may not just be the better choice, it may be the only choice. For homeowners on the fringe and not quite sure which route to take, draw some mockups and imagine what you could do with all of the space a shower would save.

A contractor, expert plumber or interior designer can provide a professional opinion in regards to which option would be best for the square footage you’re working with.

Installation Costs and DIY-Ability

The next key factor when looking at showers and bathtubs is cost. If you’re working within a budget but you have the space, a bathtub may be the way to go. Tubs plus the cost of installation can range from $400-$8,000, and showers can cost anywhere from $450-$10,000. You can also usually find higher-end tubs for more affordable prices than their higher-end shower counterparts. 

On the other hand, showers come in options that are DIY-able whereas tubs generally do not. There is more that can go wrong with a tub installation and more expertise that goes into the process. Therefore, tub installations should be done by professionals. You can, however, purchase shower kits at your local hardware store that come with all of the necessary components including a shower head, walls, the base and the drain. 

Some plumbing and carpentry skills are required to install these kits, so we don’t recommend it if you’re a novice. We also always encourage you to call a professional plumber if you get stuck at any point. But, if you or a loved one has the skills to tackle your shower DIY-style, it could save you major labor and installation costs in the long run.

Accessibility

If you or someone in your home uses a wheel-chair or has any sort of mobility issues, accessibility will play a critical role in any bathroom design choices. When preparing for the future, if you plan to care for an elderly parent at any point in time or stay in your home when mobility issues may arise for yourself, a walk-in shower will be the most accessible option.

Showers are easier to get in and out of than tubs for obvious reasons: they don’t have a lip or edge to climb over, all you need to do is simply open a door or pull aside a curtain. Showers also offer the ability to install a bench, making the bathing process as easy and safe as possible for folks who have mobility issues.

If you already have a tub in your home, there are ways to modify it to make it safer and easier to use. You can add anti–slip grips to the bottom of the tub, as well as install grab bars or purchase a shower chair. Each of these modifications or additions are affordable and simple for any homeowner to tackle on their own.

Sustainability and Water Usage

If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of your home or the cost of your water bill, showers offer sustainability and savings where bathtubs do not. Although some may think that using a tub is the more sustainable option because bathtubs are only filled once and don’t continuously run like showers, a shower still uses significantly less water.

On average, showers use approximately ⅔ less water than bathtubs per use. According to the Home Water Works project, the average shower lasts about eight minutes and uses 2.1 gallons per minute, resulting in 17 gallons of total water usage. Tubs on the other hand usually require a minimum of 25-30 gallons of water to function comfortably, with those numbers rising as high as 80-100 gallons for larger, whirlpool-style tubs.

This isn’t to say that tubs are bad, there are plenty of reasons why bathtubs are preferred and even needed in homes. But, if you’re looking to cut down on spending and your environmental footprint, a quick (specifically less than 12 minutes) shower can lead to significant savings and sustainability increases.

Thinking Into the Future

Aside from immediate costs, square footage and any other decisions that will impact you right away or in the immediate months after installing your new shower or bathtub, there are other future implications and factors that are important to consider ahead of time.

• Family additions: Are you considering having kids in the future? When given the option, most parents prefer having a bathtub to clean their little ones in. This can of course be done in the kitchen sink or on the shower floor, but having a tub can make bedtime routines much more smooth and convenient for parents. If you have pets, having a bathtub to bathe them in yourself can also be a major added benefit.

• Home value: according to the National Association of Homebuilders, most buyers still consider a true “full bathroom” to include a tub or a shower and tub combo. However, shower popularity is on the rise. Just five years ago, 64% of homebuyers preferred to have a walk-in shower in their home, a statistic that showed a 10% increase from the year before. Installing a curbless shower in a universal design bathroom has also been shown to recover 62.5% of remodeling costs. It’s always important to think about which options will add value to your home.

• Cleaning: If you’re someone who dreads cleaning the bathroom, a shower stall may be a good option for your space. Tubs take up more surface area than showers which of course means they take longer to clean. Whirlpool or jacuzzi tubs also have more jets and fixtures than showers or simpler tub models, which can cause a headache when it comes time to scrub the space down.

Personal Preference

At the end of the day, the great shower or bathtub debate will come down to one thing: personal preference. If you don’t find yourself spending much time getting ready in the morning and you don’t really care about your bathroom options, go for the cheaper, quicker shower. If you’re someone who loves to take your time, relax and unwind in a warm bath, a tub can absolutely be worth it.

You’re the one who has to use your bathroom and the appliances in it, so ultimately it’s important that you choose whatever will make you the happiest and hopefully improve your quality of life and day-to-day routines.

If you find yourself still stuck as to whether you should choose a shower or a bathtub, reach out to a professional plumber, contractor or interior designer. They’ll most likely think of factors you haven’t considered, and they’ll definitely save time and energy by helping you make one less decision in your renovation process.