"Shower Panels with Jets," in the Other Home Decorating & Remodeling Projects forum, begins: "I'd like some opinions about shower panels, please. Are they worth the extra money in terms of both enjoyment and ..."
I'd like some opinions about shower panels, please. Are they worth the extra money in terms of both enjoyment and update value? Or are they just another fad? I'm looking for a way to jazz up my 5 x 8.5 master bath and I just can't decide.
Shower panels come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, colors and finishes - and of course, quality. I've seen them for just a few hundred and in the thousands. Many of them are quite complicated in design and features.
I can't imagine what one would cost to repair if something went wrong. And like most things, something will eventually go wrong. It may not be as easy as just calling a plumber to fix.
I wouldn't mind showering with one, but I'm not sure I want the additional cleaning surfaces and crevices most of these things have.
As far as update value, I'd have to say yes, prob'ly a lot less expensive than having the shower walls demoed and then a new shower built with all the amenities these things have. But resale value is another thing. I doubt they would add to the value of your home or even that you would recover a significant portion of the investment in one if you sold the home.
It's a personal choice. If you choose one that fits the decor and is installed correctly, you could turn a relatively mundane shower into a virtual spa experience.
Thanks for your response, Jim. I hadn't thought about repairs. We will be tearing out a fiberglass tub/shower combo and replacing it with a walk in shower, probably tiled. I suppose you can install individual jets at that time...I'll have to go searching. Thanks again!
If you are tearing out a tub and shower and considering a ceramic or stone tiled replacement, you can add value to your home by building in the plumbing system. We have a couple of pros here that do tub/shower enclosures in tile and stone that may be able to shed some light.
I built a website for one of our members that does stone and tile work and he has several articles and lots of pictures to look at: Trevathan Floorcovering of NW Arkansas
A bath that I saw on a job had the square sprayers built in on the walls. The plumber said they had a tendancy to clog alot and not worth the hassle. That was three or four years ago and maybe they have improved.
