From standard swing and glass sliding doors to custom designed frameless enclosures with multi-panels, we offer many varieties of glass and hardware finishes to meet your personal style. Consult our experienced designer & installers when considering your bathroom remodel or new construction project. We can help turn your vision into a reality. Framed and semi-frameless showers are a wonderful option to add beauty and elegance to your bathroom. Framed showers cost less than their frameless counterpart, on average, which makes them a clear choice when budget is a concern. With a variety of hardware, accessory styles, and colors, these shower doors are great for existing bathrooms and new construction, alike.>> Learn how MrSteam designs its products for optimal human comfort. To maximize space in smaller showers, you might opt for a fold-up seat, such as the MrSteam teak seat, coated for moisture protection. When space isn't an issue, some users opt for a tiled bench that can be installed diagonally in a corner or along a wall, opposite the steam head.
Steam Showers and the Science of Human Comfort Safety is always important and especially in a steam shower. Be sure to add anti-skid strips on the steam room floor to prevent slipping. Use only vapor sealed lighting fixtures that provide protection against moisture entry and that are approved for steam showers. The light is typically protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), which will shut off the power if it detects moisture in the fixture. MrSteam manufactures both recessed and surface mounted lights that are UL and cETus listed. For tile steam showers, consult the information available from the Tile Council of America, Inc. You'll want to use ceramic tile, acrylic, porcelain or other non-porous materials so that steam shower walls don't absorb and rob your body of that sumptuous steam. TIP: The more porous a material (e.g., marble, shale, granite, glass block, or concrete), the more quickly it will dissipate heat, rather than retaining it.
>> See why materials matter when it comes to steam Consider where you will install the steam shower generator. A MrSteam generator can be installed anywhere within 60 feet of your steam room—in a heated attic or basement, closet, vanity etc. Just note that we recommend leaving 12 inches of excess space on the top and sides for servicing and to ensure adequate ventilation. Do not install the steam generator inside the actual shower enclosure or in an unheated location where the water supply piping might freeze. The steam head should be located approximately 6-12 inches above the floor of the steam room on a wall opposite the seating area, and away from the entrance/exit area. We recommend a cool-to-the-touch steam head. aromachroma lightNote that you have new options with the AirTempo Steam Shower Control. >> See Feeling Good is Just a Touch Away with AirTempo Steam Shower Control Plumbing connections include a water line to the generator, a steam line from the generator to the steam room and a drain line.
Make sure all plumbing and electrical wiring is performed by a qualified licensed plumber and electrician in accordance with applicable national and local codes. >>Check out steam shower installation tips Household electric power is required to operate the generator. All in-shower controls operate on low voltage. Install a separate circuit breaker between the power supply and the steam generator unit. Be sure to provide a power supply disconnect within sight of the steam generator or one that is capable of being locked into the open position. Look for steam generators that are UL listed. In a regular bathroom, an exhaust fan helps vent stale air outside the home. This same principle applies to a steam shower bathroom—in fact, a standard bathroom exhaust fan will do the trick. Installed outside the steam shower enclosure, an exhaust fan will safely remove moist warm air from the room. Reminder: No heating, venting or air conditioning devices should be installed inside the steam room (e.g., heating air vent).
>>Check out best practices for using and venting a steam shower If your shower or steam room has windows, they will need to be double-paned to prevent any heat or cold from coming in or going out. The editors at Fine Homebuilding magazine also encourage the use of vinyl-clad windows, cement backer board, a waterproof membrane, and a good quality silicone caulk. >> See Let us know if you have questions. Check out this related story: What do Builders Need to Know About Steam Shower Installations?Get free estimates from qualified pros Get free quotes » If you are planning to add a bathroom or remodel an existing one, one of the decisions you'll be faced with is whether to custom build the shower or buy a prefabricated unit. This will depend on budget, space, your taste and expectations.With the popularity of home improvement shows that regularly showcase custom tile work, frameless glass doors and multiple water features, this luxury is coveted -- even in midrange homes.
But it'll cost you. There is a significant difference in price between the two options, but if you are seeking an upscale look, a custom kit may be a happy medium.Prefab means that a shower unit has been mass-produced at a factory. They are usually made of plastic, Gelcoat fiberglass and acrylic. Though prefab showers most commonly have no texture and are white or off-white, they can come in a variety of colors with different shelving, seating and door configurations and textures (a tile effect, for example). They are offered in multi-piece or single-piece units ( single-piece units are for new construction), and can come as a kit with wall surround and a shower base, or pan, or you may have to purchase the base separately. They are available in standard widths.Prefab showers are chip- and crack-resistant and watertight. This is a great deal, considering that you can purchase them starting at just $550. At most big box stores you can get a 48", dual-seat shower kit for less than $700. Raise the estimate if you plan to get new fixtures, too.
If you want something like a steam shower, you can easily spend over $2,000, plus what you will have to pay a plumber to upgrade your plumbing (unless you can do it yourself).The advantages of prefab shower units include ease and speed of installation, durability and watertight construction; plus, they're something an experienced do-it-yourselfer can install in a day. The main disadvantages are that they can seem generic when compared to a custom-tiled shower, and they come only in standard sizes.It's not recommended that homeowners try to tackle a custom shower by themselves. A great deal of skill is needed to create the flawless seals that keep the shower watertight, not to mention the craftsmanship it takes to create a custom work of art.While the disadvantage to a custom shower is the price tag — many simply can't afford it — there are a good number of advantages to a custom shower: beauty, custom size, custom features, high-end look and return on investment (midrange homes with bathroom remodels including a tiled shower had a 68% return on investment, according to Hanley Wood's 2008 Cost vs. Value report).
Though you could opt for custom solid surfaces such as Corian, most homeowners today choose tile. Tile can be made from natural stone, ceramic or glass. These can be combined in an endless array of sizes, patterns and colors to create a one-of-a-kind shower. These showers almost always start around the $6,000 mark -- and that's just for basics. If you want to upgrade your fixtures and add water jets, plan to pay a plumber to update the water supply, want to hire an electrician to install new lighting or you want to add features like a seat or a shaving ledge to the shower, all of that will drive up the price. The cost of a custom door or half-wall will also increase the price.To answer the call of homeowners everywhere, there are now shower kit units that marry the idea of a natural stone shower or a nice-looking high-quality glass enclosure with a common budget. You will still have the size and creative restraint of anything that is prefabricated, but these units are a step up from the others.
You can expect to pay between $2,000 and $3,000 for such a bath kit. For example, American Bath Factory sells both corner and rectangle kits that include handcrafted Sistine stone to create a surround and shower pan, a large pan showerhead, a hand shower and tempered frameless glass door. Both shapes are below $2,700 from Lowes. Seats and shelving are added features. These can be installed in just two days and are appropriate for an experienced do-it-yourselfer. If glass block is more your style, you can order kits from Home Depot that will allow you to create a custom-looking glass block shower. They run about $4,000 and include everything you will need to create the shower.So, should you go prefab or custom? It's up to you. There are durable, attractive shower units available at every price point. If customization doesn't fit your budget, buy the best prefab shower you can afford with a nice-looking door and get attractive fixtures that match the rest of the room. If you can afford to build a custom shower, you should see some of the investment back.