Shower Remodel Regrets: What Homeowners Wish They’d Avoided Part 1

You’re beyond ready to move on from your current shower, but there’s one thing stopping you from starting your shower remodel: it’s a big investment, and you’re afraid of making choices you won’t like in the long run. The last thing you want is to step into your brand new shower and experience buyer’s remorse!

At ZINTEX, our design consultants work hard to help homeowners make choices they’ll love for years to come. Believe it or not, not every ZINTEX customer is a homeowner remodeling their bathroom for the first time. We’ve worked with countless homeowners who are looking to fix past shower remodeling mistakes. Read on as we share some of the most common regrets homeowners wish they had avoided the first time they remodeled their showers.

Table of Contents

• Choosing Shower Wall Materials Based Only on Aesthetics
• Neglecting Built-In Shower Storage
• Installing a Tub Liner Instead of Replacing a Tub
• Installing a DIY Shower Kit
• Overlooking Bathroom Renovation Company Reviews

Making Purely Aesthetic Choices When Choosing Shower Wall Materials

When you envision your dream shower, which aspects come to mind first? If your answer is the way the walls look, you’re not alone.

Aesthetics are often high on the list of reasons why people want to replace their existing tub or shower, so it makes sense to imagine something that looks better.

The common regret here is failing to balance aesthetics with additional considerations, like durability and ease of maintenance. For example, many homeowners have gravitated towards a vintage-inspired tile look without realizing how much trouble all that exposed grout can cause.

The solution: Research the best way to marry aesthetics with practical use. If you love the patterns created with tile and grout, consider something that’s easier to clean, like acrylic panels, with a custom etched design that mimics that tile look you love.

Assuming Shower Storage Solutions Would Come Later 

Maybe you want to start with a really basic shower design, with nothing but new shower walls, a new shower base, a showerhead, and a glass enclosure or shower curtain rod.

After all, simplicity is probably a good way to reduce that buyer’s remorse, right?

What homeowners tend to regret with a barebones shower is the lack of built-in storage. Some homeowners assumed that something like a store-bought shower caddy would do the trick, only to find that the suction cup it came with doesn’t actually hold that much weight. They end up with toiletries cluttering their tub ledge or shower floor and making a mess of that simple design.

The solution: Talk to your shower design consultant about different built-in storage options like soap niches, corner caddies, and shelves. They can help you make the best choice based on things like how many people use that shower and what kind of products you need to store.

Getting a Tub Liner Instead of a Bathtub Replacement 

Ultimately, you just want to cover up that old tub as quickly and cheaply as possible.

Tub liners, which get installed directly over your existing tub to create a new surface, check both of those boxes, so why not go that route?

We’ve definitely removed our fair share of tub liners and the deteriorating materials underneath. The homeowners who have come to regret their tub liners typically report concerns about the old plumbing, structural issues, or mold growth that wasn’t actually addressed when their tub liners were installed.

The solution: Consider the long-term benefits of a full bathtub replacement or tub-to-shower conversion. A cheap solution like a tub liner may solve your immediate problems, but it won’t provide lasting value for your family (or for your potential buyers, if you’re planning to sell in the next few years).

Installing a DIY Shower Insert Kit

Speaking of affordable options, when you see the price tag on a shower insert kit from Home Depot or Lowes, it can be pretty tempting.

Some kits even claim to come with all the tools you’ll need to complete the install. A couple extra hundred for a dumpster rental so you can dispose of your demolished materials, and you’re good to go, right?

We’re a big proponent of DIY projects when they don’t require technical expertise (or when you happen to have the technical expertise needed for the job). We’ve worked with homeowners who have tried to install a DIY shower insert only to discover that their plumbing needed work they didn’t know how to complete. Some shelled out the money to hire a plumber, adding a few thousand dollars to what was supposed to be a low-cost project. Others installed their shower on old plumbing and dealt with problems like leaks a few months later.

The solution: Unless you have experience with plumbing and shower installation, skip the DIY shower insert kit altogether. You’re not going to enjoy those upfront savings for long if you end up with water damage, plumbing problems, or mold growth.

Overlooking Bathroom Remodeling Company Reviews 

You don’t want your new shower remodel to be a long, drawn-out process.

You know exactly what you’re looking for, and one of the first companies you researched offers the services you need to get the job done.

You see all the language you’d hope to see, like “one-day remodel” and “customer satisfaction guaranteed,” on their website, and that makes you feel confident about what they can offer.

Unfortunately, homeowners who don’t verify the things companies say about themselves may discover the hard way that those things aren’t accurate. Some homeowners have invested in remodels only to have their contractors disappear on them, take way longer than expected, or deliver subpar results. They realize only when it’s too late that previous customers reported similar results in reviews.

The solution: Take customer reviews on websites like Google and Better Business Bureau into consideration when vetting bathroom remodelers. Pay attention to how those reviews line up with the promises a company makes.

Find Out Why Real Homeowners Choose ZINTEX Remodeling Group

You deserve a shower remodeling experience that you feel good about and that leaves you with a shower you love to use. Now, you know some of the most common regrets homeowners have after investing in a new shower. More importantly, you have the tools to avoid making those same mistakes.

At ZINTEX Remodeling, we don’t want you to base your decision to use our services on our word, alone. Take a look at what real homeowners have to say about their experience partnering with ZINTEX.