Shower or Bath: Which One Should You Choose?

When designing a new bathroom space, you may be wondering whether to include a shower or bath – or even both. Bathrooms are meant to be luxurious havens to unwind and relax in after a long day, so this decision should never be taken lightly.

The great bath vs shower debate has been widely discussed over the years, but whether you opt for a shower or bath is entirely dependent on your personal preference. To help you with your decision, the Showertoyou team have put together this handy guide to help you.

Things you must consider when deciding whether to buy a shower or a bath:

– Which is more practical for your needs?

When planning a new bathroom, practicality should be your number one priority when deciding whether to purchase a shower or bath. After all, your bathroom space should meet the demands of your lifestyle, and your family.

For most people, a shower is the most practical option – especially for busy families – as they are quick to use and highly efficient, when compared to baths. Showers are also a good option for people with reduced mobility, as they can be adjusted to be fully accessible.

However, baths are highly practical for families with smaller children, as it’s easier to clean little ones in a bath as opposed to a shower.

– Could your decision impact the value of your home?

But practicality aside, research suggests that whichever decision you make will have an impact on the value of your home. While you may prefer a shower over a bath, for example, as it suits your needs best, whichever option you decide on could make a difference to your property’s value and how quickly it may sell when it goes on the market.

It’s worth noting that most modern buyers expect a shower somewhere in the home – especially young first-time buyers. However, flats or single-occupancy homes don’t tend to include a bath because they are smaller in size. But, if your home is geared up for a family, most buyers will expect a bath as well as a shower, which could be a major turn-off and devalue your home – the last thing a homeowner wants to hear.

But if this doesn’t bother you and you would prefer to keep a simple shower enclosure instead, it’s up to you! Afterall, if you all prefer to have showers rather than baths, there is simply no point in purchasing a bath if it won’t get used and will take up valuable space in your bathroom.

You might also like: Bathroom Features that Add the Most Value to Your Home

– Which one cleans your body best?

First and foremost, the main purpose of a shower or bath is to wash. With that in mind, it’s important to consider which is better at cleansing when planning your bathroom space.

Showers are brilliant for daily cleansing, as it is the fastest and most efficient way to wash and freshen up. On the other hand, soaking in the bath is one of the best ways to deep cleanse your body. Experts suggest that you should treat your body to a long soak in the bath occasionally to ensure you are squeaky clean.

 

Weigh up shower vs bath water usage

As you may have guessed, showers are much more efficient when it comes to water usage compared to baths. In fact, research has found that a standard 8-minute shower tends to use around 50 litres of water, whereas a bath uses around double that – 100 litres!

However, this does also depend on the type of shower you use. For example, power showers use significantly more water than other regular shower types due to the sheer power of the water coming out of the shower head. This means that the water usage difference might not be too significant between baths and showers if you would prefer to opt for a power shower.

While baths generally use more water than their shower counterparts, there are some eco-friendly bath options you may want to consider if you want to purchase a bath. Some things to consider include:

– The type of material used – acrylic baths are best

– Opting for “eco saving” baths (they often have a shallower depth, meaning less water is used)

– Using a greywater system in your home so your dirty water is reused (e.g. for the plants)

For more ways to save water in your bathroom and reduce your water bills, read this blog post.

Still can’t decide? Choose a shower bath instead!

If you cannot decide whether to opt for a shower or a bath, consider getting both instead! If your bathroom space is too cramped to fit both a shower enclosure and a bath, one simple way to compromise is by getting a “shower bath”. This is essentially a bath with a shower over the top, where you shower inside the bath rather than on a shower tray or an enclosure.

Surprisingly to some, there are a number of different styles and shapes to choose from, consisting of standard straight baths to L-shaped options, and shower curtains or glass shower screens – the choices are endless and there is something for everyone and every bathroom.

Find out more about shower baths in our buying guide. 

Feature image credit: ImageFlow / Shutterstock