If you rarely use your bathtub, turning that space into a tiled walk-in shower can make your bathroom feel bigger, brighter and easier to use every day. It's one of the most common bathroom projects we build across Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Here's what to think about before you start.
Do you need to keep a tub? If it's the only tub in the house and you have young children — or you might sell soon to a family — it can be worth keeping one tub somewhere in the home. If there's another tub, or nobody uses it, a walk-in shower is usually the better everyday choice.
Waterproofing is everything. What you can't see matters most. A proper shower has a sloped pan, a waterproof membrane on the floor and walls, and sealed seams and corners before a single tile goes up. Skipping or rushing this step is the number-one reason showers leak and grow mold behind the walls.
Choosing tile. Large-format porcelain tiles give a clean, modern look with fewer grout lines to clean. Smaller mosaic or pebble tiles on the floor add grip underfoot. Glossy subway tile and marble-look porcelain are timeless choices that work with almost any style.
Add the details you'll love. A built-in bench or niche for shampoo, a rainfall shower head, a grab bar and good lighting make a walk-in shower safer and more comfortable. Planning these before the walls are closed saves money.
Finish the room. While the bathroom is torn up it's the perfect time to replace the vanity, toilet, mirror, light fixtures and exhaust fan, and to paint walls, ceiling and trim — so the whole room looks new, not just the shower.
Thinking about a walk-in shower? Call Cirio Home Improvement at (615) 720-4746 for a free bathroom remodel estimate. Return customers and friends of past customers get 10% off (minimum $500).