If you are planning to replace your shower, you are generally interested to know how long will take to install that shower. Or in other words, you are concerned about how long you won’t be able to use your bathroom.
Since a lot of variables are involved in shower installation, one cannot exactly say how much time will be required. On average, the shower installation procedure can take from one day to a week. If you are planning to install the shower from scratch with no plumbing in place, then installation of a curbed shower may take up to a week. However, if all plumbing connections are in place, then with pre-fabricated shower kits, you can do the job within a day.
Further, in this blog post, I will outline the average time it takes to install a shower, as well as explain why the process can be lengthy in some cases. So, if you’re considering installing a new shower in your home, read on for some helpful information!
Types of Shower Installations
We can mainly classify the shower installation. One type is the conventional installation of showers with tiles, and the second is pre-fabricated shower kits.
Tiled Showers: Walk-in and Curbed Shower Spaces
The old-fashioned way is the installation of customized showers with ceramic tiles, and cement. These types of shower enclosures are strong and look more appealing with glass doors and panels. However, to build these showers you need to prepare the floor, and have sound plumbing knowledge.
In tiled showers, there are further divisions, walk-in showers, and curbed showers. Walk-in showers have simple construction, with no-hinged doors and raised platform. These showers give your bathroom a more spacious and stylish look. Since the same tiled floor continues throughout the bathroom.
With no curb in the shower, it is easy to step in and step out. This kind of shower cubicle favor people with mobility issues. In addition, they save up space and require minimal construction. If the bathroom is already tiled, you just need to install the glass panels and shower fixtures. This hardly will take a couple of days.
However, there are a few drawbacks as well. Firstly, the walk-in construction doesn’t bear any curb, so the water spreads out from the shower to the bathroom. Second, the frameless glass looks appealing but without a frame, it doesn’t have much strength. If hit too hard, the glass can easily shatter.
A curb shower means the shower’s platform is raised above the ground. In this case, the shower space is built slightly above the ground and is inclined such that water remains restricted within the shower space.
This shower design takes more time compared to the previous case. You need to build a tiled floor curb with cement, bricks, and tiles. Sometimes, some demolition might be required. In this case, the work gets prolonged to a week.
Pre-fabricated Shower Kits
Pre-fabricated showers are the ones that are massively produced in factories. They are usually made of plastic, acrylic, or fiberglass. They come in different standard sizes in a variety of color schemes.
The fabricated units can be in single-piece or multi-piece kits. And like the tiled showers, you find the ready-made curb showers as well as barrier-free showers.
Pre-fabricated showers offer a lot of pros. First, their installation is comparatively easy compared to the tiled ones. All you have to do is follow the instructions mentioned in their user manual. Second, these showers can be installed in any place, no preparation is required. If all the plumbing connections are in place, you can install them within a day.
However, there are some downsides as well. They are not strong enough like the tiled ones. Secondly, if there is any internal damage to the shower, it is quite difficult to fix.
Why does it take so Long to Install the Shower Door?
A pre-fabricated shower cubicle can be fitted and made functional within a day if all plumbing system is in place. However, if you are planning to install the shower in the old or traditional way i.e. with tiles and building curbs, the process can take up to a week.
You might be wondering why it takes so long to install the shower. Well, here’s a list of reasons that prolong the shower installation.
#1 Multi-Step Procedure
The traditional way of installing the shower requires multiple steps. You have to prepare up the space for building the shower, add water supply and drainage connections, built-up a curb or shower base. All these steps cannot be done simultaneously.
#2 Space Needs Preparation
You need to locate the space for building the shower cubicle. The showers are mostly built in the corners to reduce the use of glass panels. Sometimes, people are interested in building a shower over their bathtub. In that case, the bathtub is first demolished and then the space is cleaned.
#3 Plumbing System Needs to Be Setup
The shower needs water connections, right? So, you need to extend the pipe wiring to your shower area. Secondly, the shower drain needs to be set up, if isn’t already in place.
On average, it can take up to a day to set up these plumbing connections.
#4 Walls Need Water-proofing
In case the walls are not tiled, and you intend to install a pre-fabricated shower cubicle, then the walls will need waterproofing before fitting the kits. This again requires time.
#5 Tile Work Needs Time to Dry
When building the base of the shower, you attach tiles with cement. The tile work at least needs a day to dry. Then, you can perform another procedure.
#6 Glass Panels Need Cutting
For customized tiled showers, glass panels need to be cut based on the dimensions and then fitted into their places, which is again a day’s job.
FAQs
At last, we have answers to some frequently asked questions.
Can I install the Shower myself?
If you have the proper plumbing knowledge, and often do DIY jobs. Then, yes you can install pre-fabricated showers yourself. However, for the shower which needs tile work and plumbing, it is always a good idea to hire an expert.
How long does it take to install a shower?
The pre-fabricated shower can be installed within a day if the plumbing connections are in place. However, for tile showers, the job may take 3 days to a week.
Which kind of shower is recommended for people with wheelchairs?
For persons with mobility issues, it is recommended that they install walk-in showers, i.e. shower spaces without a raised entrance (curb).
Final Words
Installing a shower is a long and tedious task. Without proper plumbing knowledge and tools, you cannot do it yourself. So, for best results, I suggest you hire a professional for the job.
Amos Christen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Drexel University — Philadelphia, PA. Since 2003, Amos has worked with top interior design professionals in this area, including architects and interior/graphic/lighting designers. As a skilled interior designer, Amos Christen is highly versed in fine arts and crafts and uses that to supplement his main area of expertise. He often publishes articles related to home décor on several websites, including Sprucetoilets.com, Sprucebathroom.com, and Mybesuitedhome.com. He also contributes to leading interior design magazines.