It seems that plumbers have discovered a new sociological truth about what goes on in other people's bathrooms.
Men take showers. So do women. Hardly anyone takes long, lingering soak-in-the-tub baths anymore. If you need proof, check out the local drugstores and try to find bubble bath. Body washes outnumber the old-style bubble bath substances.
Local bathroom renovating contractors have noticed the change because more and more people are asking them to rip out their tubs and replace them with walk-in showers.
"People don't take baths anymore. Men come in and say, 'I don't care. I just want a shower'. Women are the ones who say they want to lie back and soak in a tub, but then, after that, they tell us they only take showers," said Kirsty Sarapuk, owner of Bodacious Baths.
Time is the main reason people shower.
"Most of us get up and have a shower before we go to work. The people who want showers are all ages, young and old. The only ones who really want tubs now are those with babies or small children. They leave the tub in the main bathroom and put a shower in the en suite," Sarapuk said.
One small step
Walk-in showers are easier for people to get in and out of and they tend to be roomier for those who stand inside them.
"Tubs aren't perfect for a shower/bathing combo because in a tub there is less room for standing and less room to move around. Also getting into a tub can be a barrier to people with mobility issues," said Murray Sund, owner of Splash Tub and Tile.
Sund pointed out that the edges of a bathtub are usually three to four inches wide and the curved edges take away from the standing area. Stand-in showers are usually square and the floor is flat.
Newer bathtubs are deeper than their predecessors, which were made prior to 1980. Most new tubs have sides that are 20 inches tall compared to older tubs, which were usually 14 to 16 inches high. In contrast, the lip on walk-in showers is just one to two inches high.
Water conservation
Tubs are also becoming less popular because people want to save on the amount of water they use.
"Water-saving showerhead models reduce water usage by 40 per cent," said Sarapuk.
Ironically, deeper tubs became fashionable about 25 years ago when the whirlpool-tub industry took off, but now people are choosing those styles of tub less often, Sund said.
"Whirlpool tubs sounded like a really great idea, but now people are taking them out. Again, it comes down to the real truth that people make it a habit to take showers even though they have all these tubs in the house. It's the same with two-person tubs, which were popular for a while," he said.
Similarly, more people are choosing one showerhead over multiple jet shower sprays because every showerhead that is installed requires using more water.
"Every spray you add uses the same amount of water, so for conservation issues, you have to understand that if one showerhead uses 2.5 gallons per minute, if you have four then you will use 10 gallons per minute. And that doesn't even count how quickly you run out of hot water," said Sund.
Waterproofing
Replacing a tub with a shower will be more expensive. A basic tub replacement cost would start at $3,000. Walk-in showers start at $5,000.
"There is no doubt that showers are more expensive. The added cost is in the glass door. If you have a tub, you can have a shower curtain," Sund said.
Whether replacing the tub with another bathtub or going with a walk-in shower, it's likely that the wall around the present tub will need to be replaced.
"You need to replace those walls with cement board or green board so there is no mould. Almost all old bathrooms have mould behind the walls of the tub," said Sarapuk, who also recommends changing the roughed-in plumbing on the bathtub.
"Lots of times people try to leave that out to save money, but with hard water, lime or rust build-up, it's likely that those mixing valves, which mix the hot and cold water, are corroded. You can leave it, then put new taps in and new tiling, then if the old valve breaks, you have to break into the wall anyway," she said.
Different options for the shower base include using an acrylic base, at a cost of approximately $600; a cultured-marble base, which starts at approximately $800; or a tiled base costing approximately $1,400.
"Tiling is a higher-end look but remember the grouting needs to be cleaned, resealed and regrouted," Sarapuk advised.
There are several types of shower enclosures on the market. Look for models that can be taken apart into pieces, so that they can go through the bathroom door and installed more easily. To avoid moisture getting behind the enclosures in the future, look for models that can be locked and bolted in, rather than glued in place.
Spare no expense
If the sky is the limit and there's time for luxury, consider getting a shower that is also a steam unit. "Steam boxes have on/off settings to control the temperature. You can also set them to the temperature of the user; so for example one could be set at 30 degrees for her and 40 degrees for him. You can add a waterproof docking station for your MP3 player and a waterproof speaker. You can have aromatherapy infusions and colour-therapy lights," said Sarapuk.
Sund said that a common question that he is asked concerns whether taking the tub out changes the value of a house and affects its resale.
"There is a certain buyer who still wants the tub but I'd say right now, taking the tub out adds to the value. People are going away from bathtubs," Sund said.
