Of all the rooms homeowners renovate most often, bathrooms are among the most popular. In fact, they’re second only to kitchens.
If you’ve been looking to renovate your bathroom or give it a bit of an upgrade, a good place to start is with the shower panels.
Updating the shower panels can give your bathroom a whole new look, and it’s much more cost-effective than doing a total remodel.
If you’re not sure which shower panels will work best in your bathroom, keep reading. Listed below are some tips that will help you make the right decision.
Set Your Budget First
Start by sitting down and calculating how much you’re willing and able to spend on new shower panels.
Knowing your budget right from the start will save you from the heartache that comes with falling in love with a particular style and then finding out that it’s way outside of your price range.
There are a lot of factors that influence the price of shower panels, including the following:
- Material used
- Number of features it has
- How well it works
- The time it took to design it
- Water efficiency
As a general rule, the more you’re willing to spend on a shower panel, the more options there are available to you. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get a good shower panel, though.
There are plenty of good styles out there that are still budget-friendly. Remember that you might have to search a little harder to find them, though.
Choose the Right Design
Once you know how much you’re willing to spend on a shower panel, you can move on to the fun part — choosing the design that works best for your bathroom.
There are tons of different designs for you to choose from. Shower panels can be made from a variety of materials, including the following:
- Stainless steel
- Temper glass
- Hardwood
- Plastic
Designers can custom-make shower panels and use almost any other type of material you want, too. It all depends on the look you’re going for with your bathroom.
Consider Your Overall Vision
Make sure you choose a design that fits well with the current decor in your bathroom (or the new decor that you’re planning to use if you’re doing a total makeover).
Don’t get so hung up on the look of the shower panel that you forget to zoom out and consider your overall vision for the bathroom.
When you begin thinking about remodeling or redesigning your bathroom, it helps to choose a theme. That way, you can always reference it when you’re making design choices.
If a shower panel doesn’t fit with the theme for the bathroom, it’s not a good option. This will help you narrow down your choices and minimize some of the decision fatigue that often accompanies home improvement projects.
Measure Carefully
We’ve all been there. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of a home improvement project.
You measure the space and swear you’ve got the measurements exactly right. You drive to the store and purchase your materials. Then, you get home and realize they don’t fit properly.
To avoid this situation and the inevitable weeping and wailing that tends to accompany it, measure your bathroom twice before you purchase a shower panel (or any other equipment). Double checking your measurements will save you a lot of trouble later on.
When you’re measuring, be sure to get rid of as much old material as you can. This will help you get more precise measurements and eliminate the guesswork.
DIY vs. Professional Installation
Are you going to take the DIY approach when it comes to installation, or are you going to hire a professional to handle it for you?
If the idea of measuring, shopping for supplies, and installing the shower panel gives you a headache, you may be better off letting a professional do the job.
If you have the money to spare, hiring a professional allows you to sit back and relax or work on other projects while the panel gets installed. You also get to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having an expert take care of the project for you.
If you’re looking to save money, the DIY approach can be more cost-effective. There is a caveat, though.
If you have no idea what you’re doing, you could still save money by hiring a professional. They’re less likely to make costly mistakes or need to start over because they took the wrong measurements the first time around or bought the wrong supplies.
Think About Special Features
Last, but certainly not least, spend some time thinking about the special features you want your shower panel to have. Shower wall panels come with a wide range of features, including the following:
- Dual shower heads
- Shower jets
- Water sprayers
- Heat controlling systems
- Water function valves
- Pressure controlling valves
- Misting sprays
If any of these features appeal to you, consider looking for a shower panel that has them. Remember, though, that investing in additional features will increase the total price of the panel.
Consider investing in some other extras for your shower, too. This includes accessories like corner shelves and bench seats that make your shower more relaxing and functional.
Update Your Shower Panels Today
As you can see, there are lots of different options to choose from when it comes to replacing the shower panels in your bathroom.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed at the idea of remodeling or redecorating your bathroom, be sure to keep these tips in mind. They’ll help to simplify the process and make it easier for you to choose the best option for your bathroom.
Do you need more home improvement advice? Whether you need help figuring out the details of your next redecorating project or are having trouble hiring the right person to handle the job, we’ve got you covered.
Check out the Home Improvement section of our site today for all kinds of helpful articles.
