Goodbye Spa tub & shower

[ElizabethT]

Gorgeous!

We are in the midst of converting a wretched 1980’s Roman bath/shower combo in our master bath into a singular walk in shower that will be nice and large. Never seen such a combo before, and hope never to again. We’re using large 12x20” rectangular tiles, a trend I’m loving- minimal grout lines. Marble mosaic on the floor. Almost completed and I can hardly wait to walk into it for the first time and not have to step up and over the old Roman tub portion first.

 

[audreyh1]

nice!

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Nice!!

 

[Bamaman]

The trend today is using big separate soaker tubs. Or, going with huge showers without any curbs.

My wife is having major foot surgery next week, and now's when I wish our huge 3 glass walled shower didn't have a 4" tall base. She'll be off her feet 3 months and I've got to figure out how to get her into that shower from a wheelchair. Hopefully rehab will teach her how to do such things.

 

[W2R]

The trend today is using big separate soaker tubs. Or, going with huge showers without any curbs.

My wife is having major foot surgery next week, and now's when I wish our huge 3 glass walled shower didn't have a 4" tall base. She'll be off her feet 3 months and I've got to figure out how to get her into that shower from a wheelchair. Hopefully rehab will teach her how to do such things.

Even the 3" lip at the entry of my shower seemed difficult after my total knee replacement surgery. My shower is big enough that I could put the metal (frame) walker that the hospital gave me, into the shower first. Then I leaned on it with one hand while hanging onto one of the grab bars with the other hand, while I stepped over the lip and into the shower. That sounds a lot easier to do than it was and I'm not recommending this as a perfect solution to the problem.

I hope you and rehab can figure out a solution for you and your wife. And, best wishes to her for a successful surgery and recovery period.

 

[JoeWras]

I'm jealous! And it sounds like you got a good contractor too. Congratulations for that in these times!

 

[mountainsoft]

The trend today is using big separate soaker tubs. Or, going with huge showers without any curbs.

That's what we did when we built our house in 2004. While our tub isn't huge, it's big enough for the two of us to share. We don't use it as often as we would like, but probably still soak 2-3 times a month. A tub is awesome to soak in when you aren't feeling well or have sore muscles. A shower just doesn't have the same effect.

It is nice to have both, so I can still take a shower while my wife is soaking in the tub.

Our shower is a large 6'x6' curbless shower with two shower heads. We have no shower doors, curtains, or other obstructions. Essentially the entire bathroom is waterproofed.

We have a DIY outdoor soaker tub that we enjoyed for years, but I haven't set it up again since we moved into the house. Now we have new neighbors close by, so there are privacy issues we would need to address first. We loved soaking outside even more than the tub in the house. Better still is hiking in and soaking in natural hot springs, but we haven't had time to do that in many years.

 

[Trooper]

The trend today is using big separate soaker tubs. Or, going with huge showers without any curbs.

My wife is having major foot surgery next week, and now's when I wish our huge 3 glass walled shower didn't have a 4" tall base. She'll be off her feet 3 months and I've got to figure out how to get her into that shower from a wheelchair. Hopefully rehab will teach her how to do such things.

Best of luck to your wife on her upcoming surgery, Bamaman. We are also in the process of designing a new shower and getting rid of our seldom-used tub.

We thought about going curb-less but our house is built on a post-tension slab; this makes it very difficult to cut/alter the concrete floor in the shower area to create the necessary drainage slope. So, we will have a 3 or 4" curb also.

My wife is also having major foot surgery in March. Please let me know of any trick/tips you learn regarding showering. I appreciate it!

Even the 3" lip at the entry of my shower seemed difficult after my total knee replacement surgery. My shower is big enough that I could put the metal (frame) walker that the hospital gave me, into the shower first. Then I leaned on it with one hand while hanging onto one of the grab bars with the other hand, while I stepped over the lip and into the shower. That sounds a lot easier to do than it was and I'm not recommending this as a perfect solution to the problem.

Sounds tricky, W2R. That's why we have decided on a grab bar at the (doorless) shower entry, but like you say, still not optimal.

 

[Trooper]

It's finished. Thought I would provide a final update on our project.View attachment 37101View attachment 37102

Looks great!

 

[Janet H]

Great topic! Looks like the results are going to be great. I also have a an unwanted giant tub. Shortly after we moved to this house (almost 3 years ago) I thought it would be lovely to soak in that tub after laying 1000 sq feet of flooring. The tub is very long and I fell asleep and slid under the water - woke up with a sodden book and mouth full of water. That's the only time the tub has been used and now it periodically gets dusted.


A bathroom redo is on the project list. Love yours.

 

[W2R]

Even the 3" lip at the entry of my shower seemed difficult after my total knee replacement surgery. My shower is big enough that I could put the metal (frame) walker that the hospital gave me, into the shower first. Then I leaned on it with one hand while hanging onto one of the grab bars with the other hand, while I stepped over the lip and into the shower. That sounds a lot easier to do than it was and I'm not recommending this as a perfect solution to the problem.

Sounds tricky, W2R. That's why we have decided on a grab bar at the (doorless) shower entry, but like you say, still not optimal.

Good decision! The grab bar that I mentioned is at the shower entry too.

To illustrate the problem, try getting in the shower while holding just that one grab bar and not touching your (bad/surgical) foot to the ground either inside or outside the shower. If you have a 3" lip to hop over in order to get into the shower while balancing on your one good foot and hanging onto nothing but one grab bar, and if you aren't a gymnast, well, for me that was too tricky without something to hang on to with my other hand.

Now, if I had had no lip to get over, I could have just slid or swiveled the good foot along into the shower while holding the grab bar, no hopping needed. Maybe that's the situation in your shower. That sounds ideal.

I have been seriously considering having another shower constructed in my other bathroom, with no lip, in case I ever need to get the other knee replaced. But, that knee is doing well and may not need surgery, so the motivation just isn't there.

 

[pb4uski]

I wish you had not started this thread. When we rebuilt in 2011, DW insisted that we put a spa tub in one of the bathrooms... after much argument I eventually conceded. Between the special tub and separate high volume plumbing to supply water to it we spent over $2k more... I don't think it has been used a dozen times as a spa tub ... but often as a shower.

 

[Badger]

Good decision! The grab bar that I mentioned is at the shower entry too.

To illustrate the problem, try getting in the shower while holding just that one grab bar and not touching your (bad/surgical) foot to the ground either inside or outside the shower. If you have a 3" lip to hop over in order to get into the shower while balancing on your one good foot and hanging onto nothing but one grab bar, and if you aren't a gymnast, well, for me that was too tricky without something to hang on to with my other hand.

Now, if I had had no lip to get over, I could have just slid or swiveled the good foot along into the shower while holding the grab bar, no hopping needed. Maybe that's the situation in your shower. That sounds ideal.

I have been seriously considering having another shower constructed in my other bathroom, with no lip, in case I ever need to get the other knee replaced. But, that knee is doing well and may not need surgery, so the motivation just isn't there.

Would it be less expensive and faster to have the 3" lip taken out and replaced with a "mini speed bump" to slid over.



Cheers!

 

[wmc1000]

While we can't have grab bars at the entry we did make sure there was blocking installed along the entire long wall so that we could add grab bars there at any point should we need them in the shower area itself somewhere down the line if it becomes necessary.

Also the entry is wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair although it would require assistance from the other person to get over the curb which is 4" on the outside and 2" on the inside.

 

[Ronstar]

While we can't have grab bars at the entry we did make sure there was blocking installed along the entire long wall so that we could add grab bars there at any point should we need them in the shower area itself somewhere down the line if it becomes necessary.

Also the entry is wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair although it would require assistance from the other person to get over the curb which is 4" on the outside and 2" on the inside.

Very nice shower!

Too bad you can't put grab bars near the entry. That is the best place for grab bars.

I had foot surgery 5 weeks ago, and I was a little nervous getting in and out of the shower, even with a minimal 4" curb. The problem is the first step in and the first step out. I could have really used a grab bar to get in and get out. I was ok once I was in and under the showerhead.

And I had a plastic waterproof cast cover on one leg that made the problem worse when there was soapy water on the floor of the shower.

Even more important - keep us posted on your pole barn!

 

[wmc1000]

Rough layout for pole barn marked by yellow and green flags I put out yesterday when it was warmer!

SIL may come by next week and scrape back 4-6" of topsoil for gravel base.

Wanted to get that done before the ground freezes for the winter so it wouldn't need done in the spring when barn and concrete work starts.

House being built is the next door neighbor

 

[googily]

I had it done over the summer, though just a "jetted" tub, not a full spa. It's the only full bath, so the contractor mumbled about resale value, but I've already been in the house 25 years so I'm not too worried about cutting into the profit.

I also kept the spigot from the tub to have somewhere to easily full a bucket, and to make it easier if a future owner wants to put a tub back in.

I did go with a curb, but I also live in a two story house with the shower on the second floor, so if I cany handle the curb, I'm probably already post being able to handle the stairs.

I'm so glad I did it. It turned out great.

 

[albireo13]

LOL We are going through the same thing. We bought our house 14 months ago, to be our last, age-in-place home. We like it a lot ... 1st floor master, short driveway, efficient.
However, the master bath has a large tub and a small shower. The tub isn't a spa tub but, is 3' x 6' and we hardly use it. Our project for 2022 is to remove the tub and put in a nice shower.

Looking perhaps for a good size shower unit. Tile looks great but is a lot more work to keep clean. We will spend 2021 researching options and finalizing our plan.

Great thread.

 

[wmc1000]

LOL We are going through the same thing. We bought our house 14 months ago, to be our last, age-in-place home. We like it a lot ... 1st floor master, short driveway, efficient.
However, the master bath has a large tub and a small shower. The tub isn't a spa tub but, is 3' x 6' and we hardly use it. Our project for 2022 is to remove the tub and put in a nice shower.

Looking perhaps for a good size shower unit. Tile looks great but is a lot more work to keep clean. We will spend 2021 researching options and finalizing our plan.

Great thread.

Tile is not necessarily harder to keep clean.

We have had a variety of shower enclosures throughout our 44 years together and while the fiberglass enclosure units would seem to be the easiest they can still build up a residue if not cleaned periodically.

We have found that a glazed tile, (in our case this tile for the walls comes with an anti-microbial finish), along with using a penetrating sealer on the grout before initial use can lead to a low maintenance and easy to clean experience for many years. We have sealed floor grout lines in previous homes and while penetrating grout sealers can last up to 20 years we tend to reseal every few years to maintain a strong seal to prevent any stains from taking hold. This would be especially true in a shower where the daily use means more moisture.