Whether you’re buying a new home or renovating your current one, the bathroom is always one of the trickiest places to start. Due to limited space, many contractors suggest a walk-in shower instead of a tub. Walk-in showers are prevalent right now in modern homes. With the proper tiling, glass doors and showerhead, a walk-in shower provides a lot of class and elegance in the bathroom.

Meanwhile, who doesn’t love a luxurious bath? Often it’s a deal breaker for people if there’s no bathtub. In fact, there’s something to be said for both a tub/shower combo and the walk-in. Here’s a list of some pros and cons to consider while searching or renovating the perfect bathroom for your needs.

Tub/Shower Combo

Pros:

Resale value: Real estate agents want as broad of a market as possible when selling a house, and having a tub is a good thing. Many people have families with young children. A walk-in shower often cancels out families with children.

Less Expensive: This may seem counterintuitive, but it costs less to install a tub versus a walk-in shower. On average, bathtubs cost approximately 3,000 dollars to install, while walk-in showers require at least 6,000!

Healing: There’s nothing like sinking into a tub to ease sore muscles. It’s a very healing and therapeutic experience for a wide variety of aches and pains.

Customization: There are many features of the tub/shower combo, as you can customize the size, add jets, and fine details to complete the design you were envisioning.  

Cons:

Too Much Space: Tubs can take up too much space. If you have a small bathroom but insist on a tub, squeezing in one may be possible. However, instead of the relaxation it should give you – it might cause stress. A cramped bathroom means you want to spend very little time in it.

Potentially Dangerous: Tubs can be dangerous: There are reasons why the elderly prefer walk-ins. The act of climbing in and out of the tub is capable of causing injury.

Walk-in

Pros:

Save Water: Most showers, compared to filling up an entire tub, use far fewer gallons of water, thus making them energy efficient and save you money on your water bill.

Mobility-Friendly: Walk-Ins are great for people with special mobility needs. Many walk-in showers can have grab bars and benches installed.

Glass Doors: Walk-ins can have beautiful glass feature doors and walls to accentuate the bathroom design.

Real Estate Market: Walk-ins could be a good thing to have, depending on the buyer. Many young professionals like the look of a walk-in.

Cons:

Leaks: When leaks occur in a walk-in shower, it often takes a while to find the source, and when you do – they have to be fixed, glued and appropriately dried, otherwise it won’t work and may have caused a more significant problem.

Slippage: Since many walk-in showers are 100% flat, they don’t catch water coming in and out of the shower. Due to this, there is a higher chance of slipping and hurting yourself.

Expensive: Walk-in glass doors are very popular right now in renovations. The shower doors that go from floor to ceiling are pretty pricey. If you chip or damage the doors, replacing them will cost quite a lot as well.

Why Not Do Both?

As you can see, there’s an argument to be made for both sides. Instead of picking one or the other, if you have two bathrooms – why not do both? Many people go with the walk-in for the guest bathroom and with a shower/tub combo in the master. There’s no wrong answer here; it’s just a matter of what your family’s needs are for both practical and design purposes.