Bath to Shower Conversions

Does your old shower need a face-lift? Or maybe you’d like to convert your tub into a safer and more accessible shower. If so, you’ve come to the right place. Luxury Bath’s unique selection of shower and bath tubs will help you transform your old bathroom into a stylish new space that is safer, durable and more easily accessible. Luxury Bath has been providing top bathroom shower remodeling services for more than a decade. We offer custom pan sizes that range from 30” to 60”, and carry no angles pans as well as barrier-free showers.

We offer lifetime warranties on all of our shower conversions. Every custom shower system from Luxury Bath is constructed with our exclusive Lucite acrylic material, Luxsan, which is the hardest shower surface material on the market. It is highly scratch and impact resistant, as well as very easy to clean. Our bath and shower conversions also come complete with Microban® protection. Microban® is a safe and highly effective microbial protection that’s built right into all of our Luxury Bath products. It protects against odor- and stain-causing bacteria and against the mold and mildew that tends to form on bathtubs and surrounding surfaces.  

Best of all, Luxury Bath offers a huge selection of products to choose from. You can pick from over 80 different combinations of styles and colors, including Travertine, Slate, Marble, and Granite. So if you’re looking to remodel your tub or shower, give Luxury Bath a call today, at 1-877-678-BATH, or sign up for a free consultation! Our experts can answer all of your questions.

Bath to Shower Conversion for Comfort and Safety

In 2010, our most popular project is the bath to shower conversion. In this project, we remove a bathtub and build a shower in its place. The shower fills the same footprint as the tub that is removed, or sometimes the shower can occupy a larger footprint, if enough space is available for an expanded shower. There are a handful of reasons people choose this project instead of choosing to keep or replace their tub. For example:

• Some people just don’t like to take a bath, and only use their tub as a shower anyway.
• Some individuals have a physical limitation that makes it uncomfortable, difficult or impossible to step over the side of a tub.
• Families have relatives who may visit or move in who have a physical limitation.

The most common reasons for choosing a bath to shower conversion are safety and comfort. Over the years we’ve learned that there are certain items we can include to make the shower something our customers will enjoy for many years. Each feature can be customized according to the specific needs of the individual using the shower. Anyway, here are the specific ideas for bath to shower conversions!!!

• Low threshold entry: The #1 complaint about baths is that the side of the tub is too high for some individuals to step over comfortably. Normal bathtubs are 14-16 inches high, but some tubs can be up to 22 inches above the floor. By contrast, stairs are normally about 8 inches. For many people, stepping into the tub is the highest they ever lift their foot.

a. Normal shower threshold: 6 inches b. Custom shower threshold: 2-4 inches c. Zero entry showers have no threshold at all

• Temperature balanced valve: Some older homes have wild fluctuation in the temperature of the water coming from the shower. Our new mixing valves balance and mix the hot and cold water. Even if someone starts the washer or flushes the toilet, the water temperature does not change. This is convenient and nice for most people. For individuals who have to sit down to shower, this is a critical safety feature. Can you imagine being trapped in a chair if the water suddenly became very cold or very hot? If you are seated and can’t quickly get out of the way, the situation might not turn out well.

• Adjustable height shower heads: For individuals who sit in the shower sometimes, the adjustable height shower head is a tremendous convenience. Simply slide the hand held shower to a comfortable height, or take it out and use it manually.

• Safety grab bars: Grab bars a critical element of the shower. Normally, we mount a grab bar vertically at the shower entry. Your hand is strongest when grabbing a vertically mounted bar. We also place a bar on the soap dish wall of the shower.

• Foot rests: Many of our showers contain foot rests, so that your husband can shave his legs :-)

• Slip resistant shower bases: Our shower bases have all been tested and certified by the National Association of Home Builders for slip resistance.

• Optional shower doors: This is a tricky one. If you or a loved one require help getting in and out of the shower or while showering, then sometimes we elect not to install doors. A curtain is sufficient, and allows a wider opening for access to the interior of the shower.

• Optional bench: Again, this is an element that needs to be customized based on need. Too often, a contractor will install a bench at the end of the shower opposite the plumbing. This bench will be far away from the shower spray. On the other hand, a bench installed nearest the shower head will be in the way of someone who does not want to sit. We’ll put the seat wherever our customer requests, but sometimes it is wise to save the money and simply get a portable seat for those who need it. Portable seats can be set aside when they aren’t being used

• Correct placement of valve: Tub faucets are often placed so low in the wall that we have to bend and stoop to turn the water on and off. We raise the valve to waist height so that adjusting the water can be done from a normal standing position.

• Dual action valve with lever: Arthritis can make it difficult to grasp some types of shower valves. Luxury always uses a valve with a lever, which allows customers to control both the temperature and pressure of the water in the shower. The levers eliminate the need to close your fingers around the valve, so even individuals with certain limitation in the use of their hands can conveniently control the water in the shower.

• Shelves for shampoo or soap: Everyone needs a place for shampoo. Our shelves can be placed at any height in a shower for convenience. A funny thing happens when we discuss shelves in a home. Most women want the shelves at the back of the shower away from the water. Most men want the shelves near the plumbing. (In my house, we have 2 sets…guess how that happened)!

• Low maintenance: Often the most forgotten element of a shower for someone with limited mobility is the consideration related to maintenance. Always use non-porous acrylic for showers. Never use tile, fiberglass, man-made or natural stone. Cleaning a shower should never be harder than taking a shower, so avoiding materials that are hard to clean is imperative (see my other blog entitled The Dreaded One Piece Fiberglass Bath)
• This before and after picture set is from a family who asked us if we could come and give them a “bid” on a shower. They asked why we’d need to be there for an hour, and when we explained the details, they were so happy that they set aside the time to get it right. Not all features are shown in this before and after set, so see the before and after pictures on our site to see safety bars, benches, roll-in showers and more!