When deciding which type of material to use for your shower, you'll consider durability, ease of maintenance, the raw cost of the materials, and the overall cost of the shower installation. If you're considering installing the shower yourself, that's another major factor. The decision nearly always narrows to a prefabricated shower stall, custom-built ceramic tile, or stone shower.
Prefabricated shower stalls are cheaper and faster to install than custom-built tile or stone showers. They come in a relatively limited number of sizes and styles. Prefabricated shower units may not be as durable or long-lasting as custom-built showers, and they offer less flexibility in terms of design. One distinct advantage is that they are easy for experienced do-it-yourselfers to install.
Custom-built ceramic tile or stone showers are more expensive and time-consuming to install than prefabricated shower stalls. However, they are more durable, long-lasting, and offer thousands of style choices. With a custom-built shower, you can choose the size, shape, and materials you like for a shower tailored to your needs and preferences.
What Is a Prefab Shower Stall?
Prefabricated shower stalls are usually fiberglass or acrylic kits created in a factory and shipped to your home in one or several pieces. They can be installed by a professional crew or by an experienced do-it-yourselfer.
Most shower kits include a shower pan and two or three solid wall panels, although some are one-piece shells in which the shower base or bathtub is integrated with the walls.
One deciding factor in the choice between a one-piece or multi-piece unit is whether you can get a one-piece unit through the doors of your home. Homeowners often choose multi-piece units for this very reason. The multi-piece prefabricated shower kits usually come with everything you need: a shower pan or tub, wall panels with shelves and soap dishes molded into them, and even the shower door.
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Home improvement centers usually stock a few basic shower stall kits in the store. For a greater selection, you'll need to special-order the unit. One-piece units, in particular, are bulky and cumbersome for home centers to keep in stock, so only a few will be available. Multi-piece prefab units are in flatter boxes that are easier to stock.
What Are Prefab Shower Wall Kits?
A wall kit is an alternative to a full bathtub or shower kit. It is an excellent option if your bathtub is in good shape and doesn't require replacement.
A wall kit includes only the alcove wall panels, not the bathtub or shower pan. The tub stays in place, but you cover the walls above it with prefabricated panels that complete the shower enclosure. Direct-to-stud units can be applied over barestudsif you have removed wall surfaces or directly over existing tile or wallboard walls if they are in good shape.
The panels can be molded with simulated grout lines for a faux-tile look. Higher-end wall panels made with solid surface materials can closely mimic the look of marble or granite.
Custom-Built Tile or Stone Showers
Custom-built ceramic tile or stone showers are built on-site and are constructed from scratch by carpenters and tilers.
Carpenters construct the alcove's structural frame and wall it in with cement board panels such asWonderboard or Durock. Tilers then step in and finish the tile or stonework.
The shower door must be custom-ordered to size and installed by the carpenter. Because experienced labor is required, custom-tile showers are usually considerably more expensive than prefabricated shower units, although luxury-end prefabricated showers come close in cost. A custom tile or stone showerexudes luxuryin a wayfew prefabricated shower units can approach.
Do-it-yourselfers may use a hybrid option: installing a prefabricated shower pan and finishing the walls with custom tiling. Tile shower pans are challenging to construct, but installation becomes much easier if you start with a factory shower pan and then tile the walls.
Call an Expert
You may be tempted to DIY a tiled shower, and for the more experience home renoers it just might work. But if you're having trouble setting cement, properly spacing tiles, or installing doors, save yourself the future headache of potential leaks and bad aesthetics by calling in a pro to help.
Prefab Showers vs. Tiled Showers
If you’re looking for an affordable shower that you can install yourself, a prefab unit is a good option. Just note that you’ll have limited designs and must ensure the prefab shower can fit through your door. Prefab showers are more compatible with new construction-sized entryways than older homes.
For a custom look, tiled or stone showers offer endless design options, are more durable, and will add value to your home. However, tiled showers often require professional installation, are longer to install, and cost more in materials and labor than prefab options.
Read on to learn the pros and cons of each option to help you decide which will be the best fit for your bathroom remodeling project.
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Pros and Cons of Prefab Showers
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Many units can be installed by a do-it-yourself remodeler with moderate to advanced skills. You can install a new shower from start to finish in a single day. Custom-tile showers often take a week or more, even in the hands of a skilled pro. Prefabricated showers are much cheaper than tiled shower stalls, often by hundreds of dollars.
Pro: Cost
The average cost of an acrylic or fiberglass shower insert is between $400 and $2,000, making it more turnkey and affordable than tile, which has a wider range of cost variables, from materials to labor.
Con: Limited Styles
Once considered an economical but plain choice by homeowners and thebathroom remodeltrade, prefabricated shower stalls now come in an ever-increasing variety of styles to suit even higher-end bathrooms. Prefab kits generallyoffer fewer design options than tiled shower stalls and may need to be special-ordered.
Con: Not Eco-Friendly
The plastics used in prefabricated showers are not easily recyclable and will not decompose if the materials someday reach a landfill.
Pro: Lightweight
Prefabricated showers are essentially plastic in some form, and they are considerably lighter than custom tile showers. A prefabricated shower is a much better choice in a home with structural floor issues.
Con: Size Limitations
Economy kits are available only in stock sizes, but upper-end kits (more expensive) may be custom-ordered to precise dimensions. However, one-piece units sometimes don't work for remodeling because their size prevents them from passing through doorways. They are intended mainly for new houses or additions, where they are put in place before doorways are completed.
Pro: Low Maintenance
Acrylic or fiberglass shower pans have some flexibility and will not crack if the subfloor has a small amount of flex. Usually, the prefabricated base is embedded in a thin layer of mortar for stability, but unlike custom tile shower pans, leaking rarely happens with prefabricated shower pans.
Most prefabricated kits have seams only in the corners and along the top of the shower pan or tub, while one-piece units have no seams. Fewer seams mean easier cleaning and less likelihood of leaking. Prefabricated showers are also easier to keep clean than ceramic tile showers, which have many grout lines.
Common Pitfalls
Though easy to clean, prefab showers can quickly dull from soap scum. Prevent this from happening by keeping the stall clean and polished with fiberglass boat wax or auto wax to provide a protective coating on the walls (do not polish the floors).
Con: Difficult to Repair
While cracked ceramic tiles are relatively easy to replace, they are difficult to repair once a crack appears in a prefabricated shower. Fiberglass repair kits can be used to make spot repairs, but they will be noticeable. The only other options are total replacement or relining.
Pros
Speedy installation
Low cost
Easy maintenance
Minimal seams
Flexible base
Lightweight
DIY-friendly
Cons
Size limitations
Repairs are difficult
Lower real estate value
Not environmentally friendly
Awkward size
Limited styles
Pros and Cons of Custom-Tiled Showers
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An even greener alternative iseco-friendly tilewith 40% to 60% recycled content.Recycled tilelooks as attractive as from-scratch tile and costs roughly the same.
Pro: Infinite Design Options
The principal advantage of a tiled shower is that it allows for more creativity. Ceramic and porcelain tiles come in thousands of colors, patterns, and sizes. Since these showers are built from scratch, an infinite range of design options is possible.
Plus, you can build a tile shower to fit any available space. Despite the initial size of the tile format, they can always be cut and rearranged to fit a shower stall of any imaginable size.
Con: Costs
Tiling a shower, which includes labor and materials, costs an average of $6 to $32 per square foot. The price per square foot can also vary widely by type of tile: Porcelain costs between $6 and $110, ceramic costs between $8 and $40, and stone costs between $10 and $110.
Con: Installation
Another downside of custom-built showers is installation difficulty. Custom tile showers are almost always more expensive than prefabricated shower units due to the high cost of the skilled labor force. Motivated do-it-yourselfers can install their own custom-built tile or stone shower, but installing a prefab unit is more difficult.
Pro: Increased Resale Value
Ceramic tile is natural since it is made with natural clay, not plastic. It is a premium building material that will slightly increase the resale value of your home compared to synthetic shower materials. A custom tile shower, especially with ceramic bathroom floors and stone countertops, will be a selling advantage.
Con: High Maintenance
Although ceramic tile is straightforward to clean, tile showers have grout lines that you must maintain. These lines will be prone to mildew, cracking, and possible leaking unless they are regularly sealed. A large ceramic tile shower puts hundreds of pounds on a floor structure. The floor may flex and break the grout joints or tiles.
When constructed with a custom tile shower pan, this is a complex project for most DIYers and a lengthy, labor-intensive project for pros. DIYers may choose a middle option:mating a fiberglass/acrylic shower pan with tile walls. Shower pans, in particular, can leak over time if they have not been perfectly installed and maintained. Wall tiles can also leak if grout lines aren't maintained and regularly sealed.
Pros
Design options
Eco-friendly
Size flexibility
Increased real estate value
Cons
High cost
Labor intensive
Likelihood of leaks
High maintenance
Heavy
Difficult to install
FAQ
How can I make installing a tile shower more affordable?
You can save money by installing a tile shower yourself. Another cost saver is buying tiles in bulk from a home improvement retailer. Consider a popular but classic-looking tile, like white subway tiles, that never goes out of style.
Which is better for a walk-in shower, a prefab stall or tile?
Prefabricated stall showers are a good option if you need something fast and less expensive. However, they are not as durable or customizable.
Which is easier to clean, a prefab stall shower or tile shower?
A prefabricated shower stall is easier to clean because it usually has one panel without grout lines. The material is smooth, non-porous, and does not attract mold or mildew.
