As much as you want to break ground on a new shower remodel, it’s vitally important that you stay within your budget. Everywhere you turn, you’re finding vague numbers or no numbers at all. You could start collecting estimates from different contractors, but how many afternoons do you really want to spend talking to different sales representatives just to find out that their products cost more than you’re willing to pay?
After completing thousands of shower and bath remodels across eleven different states, our team at ZINTEX knows one thing for certain: there are about a million different ways to approach a shower remodel, and there are certainly ways to meet just about any budget. The materials you choose will have one of the biggest impacts on your overall cost, so why not start there? Let’s take a look at the cost of different shower materials so that by the end of this article, you will have all the information needed to determine which one best fits your budget.
Table of Contents
- What Shower Wall Materials Can You Choose From?
- What Other Customizations Can You Add to Your Shower?
- Tips for Designing a Budget-Friendly Shower
- Is Acrylic the Right Choice for Your New Shower?
What Shower Wall Materials Can You Choose From?
Three shower wall materials tend to dominate the shower remodel conversation. These include:
- Acrylic wall panels
- Tile and grout
- Solid surface (natural stone) panels
Generally, these materials are going to take up about 40-60% of your total shower remodel budget. How much does each material cost and why? Let’s take a closer look.
Breaking Down the Cost of Acrylic Walls
Acrylic panels are made of a high-tech polymer that has taken the bathroom remodeling world by storm. Not only are customers able to choose from an ever-widening array of colors and patterns (including some that mimic tile or natural stone), but with proper installation, they can also enjoy 100% waterproofing.
Acrylic wall panels cost between $8,000 and $15,000. They’re an excellent choice for:
- Any homeowner looking for style and practicality on a budget
- Any homeowner looking for a low-maintenance shower wall material
- Property owners updating a rental or flipping a fixer-upper
- Seniors looking to create accessible solutions to age in place safely
The biggest drawback of acrylic is that if you use the wrong cleaning supplies, like abrasive sponges or bleach-based sprays, you may notice scratches and discoloration.
Breaking Down the Cost of Tile Walls
Tile and grout are a bathroom classic for a reason. Tile comes in an incomparable variety of styles and finishes, from traditional porcelain to glass to travertine. They can also be installed in several different eye-catching patterns, like chevron and herringbone.
Tile and grout shower walls cost between $4,000 and $20,000, a big price range that reflects all those different options. Tile is an excellent choice for:
- Any homeowner who prioritizes design versatility
- Any homeowner who doesn’t mind a more rigorous cleaning schedule
- Property owners remodeling older properties who want to mirror the original design choices
The biggest drawback of tile and grout is that no matter the quality of the materials, grout requires quite a bit of scrubbing and frequent resealing to keep mold growth at bay.
Breaking Down the Cost of Solid Surface Walls
Last on the list is solid surface, an industry term encompassing those beautiful slabs of natural stone you see in many luxury bathrooms. We’re talking about materials like marble, quartz, and granite, as well as engineered stone options.
Solid surface wall panels typically cost between $10,000 and $17,000. They’re an excellent choice for:
- Homeowners designing a high-budget bathroom who want a relatively easy-to-clean shower
- Homeowners wanting to create a stunning, spa-like bathroom
- Sellers who are upgrading a property for the luxury market
The biggest drawback of solid surface is that it may not yield the ROI you expect. We’ve found that most real estate experts agree that while a mid-range bathroom upgrade can secure an ROI of up to about 73%, a luxury upgrade (using high-priced materials like natural stone) is going to yield an ROI of about 40% or less.
What Other Customizations Can You Add to Your Shower?
Chances are, wall materials aren’t the only thing you’re wondering about, and they’re certainly not the only thing that will shape your budget. Additional customizations will include things like:
- Built-in storage options like corner shelves and soap niches
- Safety and accessibility features like grab bars, benches, or fold-down chairs
- Shower head fixtures
- Enclosure options like shower rods or sliding glass doors
If you’re installing a tub and shower combination, you’re looking at additional customization options such as whirlpool jets and built-in backrests.
At the most basic level, you’re looking at around $2,500 to cover things like your standard showerhead, shower rod, a grab bar, and maybe one or two built-in storage solutions. The further you get from standard, the higher the cost will be. For example, while a standard shower head costs around $75 or less, a rainfall showerhead can cost up to $500, and a full body shower system can cost up to $5,500.
Tips for Designing a Budget-Friendly Shower
When you’re aiming to design a budget-friendly shower, it’s important to think about upfront costs as well as long-term costs. Consider tips like these to keep costs low without sacrificing quality:
➡️ Start with acrylic walls to stay within your budget and prevent water damage (and the resulting cost of repairs) in the future
➡️ Discuss your top must-have priorities with your contractor to make sure you’re getting what you need and staying within budget; anything leftover can go towards love-to-have upgrades
➡️ Think about long-term accessibility needs, especially if you’re in your “forever” home; you may not need a low-threshold entrance or grab bars now, but they could prove useful down the road
➡️ Think about ROI if you’re not in your forever home; mid-range upgrades like acrylic or certain types of tile tend to yield a higher ROI than luxury upgrades like solid surface
Is Acrylic the Right Choice for Your New Shower?
Now you know what to expect from the biggest expense in any shower remodel. Tile has the potential to cost the least, solid surface tends to cost the most, but acrylic almost always wins when it comes to budget-friendly shower materials that don’t sacrifice quality.
Should you move forward with an acrylic shower? At ZINTEX Remodeling Group, we want every customer to make an informed decision, and that includes learning about the not-so-great side of acrylic. Next up, discover the most common problems with acrylic (and how to avoid them).
FAQs About Shower Materials
Q: Can DIY shower installation save on costs?
Labor costs typically account for about 25-40% of total shower installation costs. It can be tempting to take care of the labor on your own so you’re only paying for materials, but unprofessional installation leaves you vulnerable to water damage and may void any product warranties you’d access from a certified installer. In the end, the upfront savings aren’t worth the potential costs down the line.
Q: Are shower and tub combos more expensive than walk in showers?
You might assume that with the addition of a soaking tub, a shower and tub combo would cost more than a walk in shower. The reality is that if your remodel has the same footprint either way (tubs are typically a minimum of 30” x 60”), the soaking tub won’t increase costs by much. If you don’t have another tub in the house and have household members who take baths, a shower and tub combo is probably a worthwhile investment.
Q: Which shower materials last the longest?
With proper installation and upkeep, acrylic and tile showers have a comparable lifespan, which is roughly 15-20 years. Solid surface can last the longest, with a lifespan of 15-30 years. However, solid surface must be resealed every three or so years to remain waterproof, and failing to do so can cause wear and water damage sooner than 15 years after installation.
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