Home renovation is at an all-time high, mainly because of a boom in the housing market over the past two years. But also due to frequent lockdowns making us confront what’s not right about our homes. In fact 51% of homeowners were looking to renovate in 2021, that’s a 5% increase UK-wide since 2019. This also means plenty of you are on the lookout for new shower bath suites, but where do you begin? Well, that’s where we come in. This comprehensive guide on shower bath suites should give you everything you need to get started and ask the questions that’ll get you on your way to your brand new shower bath and beyond.
What’s a shower bath suite?
The very simple answer to this question is that shower bath suites are baths, with a shower head over it. They usually mean you have either a wall mounted electric shower, or one plumbed into your central heating pointed over the bath – usually tap end. There are merits to both kinds, but we’ll talk about that in the next section.
The alternative to a shower bath suite is a standing shower, but this all depends if you want to sacrifice a bath – often essential to family life. Or you may have room for both, in which case you may not want a shower over your bath, but a freestanding bath instead.
Electric or plumbed in?
There are merits to both kinds of shower. Plumbing a shower into your heating means a mix of hot and cold water is pulled from your boiler and comes out of your shower head. This often means that you’ll have better pressure and can enjoy a hot shower should your electricity be cut off. However this can be dependent on the kind of boiler you have – always consult with a professional boiler engineer before you get a shower bath installed.
An electric shower is often more cost effective – especially with the rising price of gas. However it can mean that your shower pressure can vary. It’s also not very aesthetically pleasing, especially if you’re opting for the standard version – a white plastic box mounted on your wall.
Finding your style
Speaking of style, there are tons of shower baths suites available to match the decor of your room. If you’re starting from scratch with your shower bathroom suite, this is a great chance to explore our range.
You could opt for a standard shower bath which is just a regular shaped bath with a shower mounted on your wall. But, if you have a particular style in mind for your space there are other options too.
If you want to opt for a more traditional style our freestanding shower baths, like the Stanton design, look great. Steeped in Victorian charm but built for a modern shower to be installed, it’s the perfect addition to a period home.
If you’d prefer a more modern take on the shower bath, try a ‘P’ shaped bath like our Lena right hand shower bath with screen. They’re great to give you that bit of extra room you get in a freestanding shower without compromising on a bath. They come in the geometric square style above or a more subtle rounded shape like the Pilma right hand shower bath.
Sizing
We’ve explored the shape of your shower bath, but what about the size? A standard bath is around 1.7m long, but if you don’t quite have the room for this in your bathroom, all isn’t lost.
A lot of companies, including Bathstore, stock baths that are shorter for this exact reason. So you can enjoy a shower bath suite in a smaller room too.
For example, the Indus White corner bath is only 1.5m long so it can fit in tighter spaces. This is perfect if you’re shorter in height, or need a bath for your children or pets but don’t mind not using it yourself.
Getting it on-budget
Depending on the purpose of your bath, you can spend as much or as little as you like – within reason. The 1.5m bath above will be far more cost effective than our larger more decorative styles but a tighter squeeze for adults. However, it’s still perfect if you’d like to use it as a shower bath and aren’t bothered about the bath.
And that’s our guide to shower bath suites. If you have any more questions about creating your perfect shower bath suite, simply get in touch online or visit us in-store. We’d be happy to talk you through anything you’re not sure about.
