Should I Install a Prefabricated Shower Stall or a Tiled Shower?

Question: Should I Install a Prefabricated Shower Stall or a Tiled Shower?

When renovating your bathroom, it's often hard to decide whether to install a prefabricated--or "prefab"--shower stall or to construct a tiled shower stall. This is a permanent decision, so be sure to make this an informed decision.

Answer: Shower stalls come in 2 main types: the pre-fab shower stall unit made of fiberglass or acrylic or the custom-built shower of tile or stone constructed from scratch on the premises.

Prefabricated Vs. Tiled Shower Stalls

Pre-Fab in a Nutshell:

Pre-fabricated shower stall units are formed in a factory, ready to be installed as soon as they are delivered to your house.

For years, pre-fab shower stall units were considered a notch below tiled stalls because manufacturing techniques were not sophisticated--your choice of beige or white, basically. Now, pre-fabricated stalls come in a variety of textures, colors, and shapes, giving tiled shower units a run for their money. Many pre-fabricated shower units can be installed by a do-it-yourselfer.

Pre-fab shower units made of fiberglass or acrylic don't always have to be replaced entirely. Two options are available: spot repair with fiberglass compound or installing a liner. Spot repair is just what is sounds like. A repair until you can do the right thing--replace. Bathrub relining is considered inferior to a full replacement. It hasn't quite taken hold as an "honest" repair, but it's worth considering.

Tiled Showers in a Nutshell:

The tiled shower stall is built from scratch by carpenters and tilers. Carpenters construct the basic frame, walling it in with a cement-based board such as Wonderboard. Next, expert tilers step in and finish the tilework. If you just want to re-tile a shower, it is possible to tile a shower yourself. A middle option is also available: mating a fiberglass/acrylic shower pan with tile walls.

Pre-Fabricated Shower Unit

The pre-fab unit can either be a seamless one-piece unit or a multi-piece unit composed of a shower pan and solid side panels. Important: one deciding factor between one-piece or multi-piece units is whether you can get the one-piece unit through the doors of older homes. Homeowners often choose multi-piece units for this reason.

Shopping for Pre-Fab Units

• Units Priced Below $1,000: Swanstone's Veritek Tub Wall Kit is a good, reasonably priced entry level way to refurbish your icky tub/shower combination. This is a five-panel wall kit and does not include the tub. (Compare Prices - Veritek Tub Wall Kit).
• Units Priced Around $1,000 or More: If you're looking for just a corner shower unit, American Standard has a 36"x36" shower stall unit made of Corian and glass. It's one unit and has simulated grout lines to make it look like glacier-white tile. (Compare Prices - American Standard Corner Shower Wall)

Pre-Fab Units: Advantages/Disadvantages

Advantages

1. Fast installation, whether by pros or DIY. Have a new shower by end of the day.
2. Typically cheaper than tiled stall.
3. Lighter and can be installed in problem areas, such as on a floor with less-than-adequate joists below.
4. Flexible. If there is any chance that the floor might shift, the shower pan will not crack with movement. Nearly impossible for the pan to leak.
5. Easy for do-it-yourselfers to install.

Disadvantages

1. Fewer design options than tiled shower stalls.
2. Available only in set sizes.
3. One-piece units may not be appropriate for remodeling because size may prevent them from passing though doorways. One-piece units are intended mainly for new houses or additions.

Tiled Shower Units: Advantages/Disadvantages

If you plan on tiling the shower or tub yourself, I recommend a basic book that I often consult, Ortho's All About Tiling Basics. (Compare Prices - Ortho All About Tiling)

Advantages

1. Literally an infinite range of design options, since it is built from scratch.
2. Size can be adjusted to fit any space.
3. Slightly better resale value.
4. Good for remodeling, since it is often difficult to get large building materials through doorways.

Disadvantages

1. More expensive than the pre-fabricated units.
2. Difficult for do-it-yourselfer to build.
3. Probability of shower pan leaking because it can crack with the settling of a house. Note, though, that you have a couple of alternatives. In some instances it is possible to install fiberglass shower pans in conjunction with tiled walls. Or, even better, if you want to keep the look of tile throughout, install a polyurethane shower pan which can be tiled over.
4. Slow installation time due to curing process.