Which spaces in your home do you use most? Chances are, your bathroom is at or near the top.
Now, what could you change to make that space more functional, more modern and more reflective of how you use it? It likely comes as no surprise that for many families, swapping out the old-school shower / tub combo for a walk-in shower hits the mark on all points.
While some like the luxury of relaxing in a deep soaker tub, the tub / shower combo rarely serves the same purpose. Indeed, other than bathing young children or the family pet, tubs themselves rarely get used in many families, notes Ken Lydiatt, Project Leader for MAC Reno Design Build, serving homeowners in Oak Bay and Greater Victoria. More often than not, we're ducking in for a quick shower at the start or end of our day.
Yet despite the lack of use, homeowners are sometimes reluctant to replace the old tub / shower combo with a more convenient walk-in shower, worrying about the potential impact on resale value. That concern is often misplaced, Lydiatt notes.
First, providing there's at least one tub in the house, that's usually sufficient for the limited use it gets.
Second, "I also always ask, 'How long do you plan to stay in the home?'" Lydiatt says. "If you're looking at five or 10 years, then your renovation plans should focus on what you would like to see in your space – think about how you use it and what would alleviate any pain points you have."
Like clamouring over that high tub wall, just to get in the shower!
Making the switch: What you need to know
Removing the tub can itself provide ample space for a stand-alone shower, but for those looking at a more fulsome update or more spacious shower, the MAC Reno Design Build team begins with a pre-renovation look at potential challenges. Depending on the age of the house and the scope of the work, they'll also look at things like asbestos, mould or outdated plumbing and electrical, for example.
"Compared to other rooms in the home, renovating the bathroom involves the most trades, so even though the space is smaller, it does require careful planning," Lydiatt notes.
A design will help ensure homeowners and the design and renovation team are all on the same page for both aesthetic and practical features. Typically, the MAC team encourages homeowners to add aging-in-place features to any bathroom renovation, such as a grab bar and a bench in the shower – or at least the 'behind-the-scenes' framework for it.
"Even if you don't need the safety features today, including the framework will make it much easier – and less expensive – to add them down the road," Ken notes, adding that today's fixture options have come a long way from the utilitarian choices of years' past."
To learn how the MAC Ren Design Build team can create a shower you'll love using, visit macreno.com