please help in guest bath

13 years ago

We're modifying the guest bath downstairs so that the shower is approx 32"deep x 60" wide.

This guest bath doesn't have to be handicapped accessible, but ok for those with limited mobility, thus no tub.

My mom likes the idea of a teak bench, but we would need to put grab bars in. A hand shower system would allow for use while sitting.

I've designed 2 kitchens, with the help of all those at GW, but never a bathroom.

I found a tile I like for the whole of downstairs (family room, approx 600 sq ft), including the bath and laundry room,

{{gwi:1417299}}

I'll use a "hopscotch" pattern, using both 12x12 and 18x18 sizes for the floor. This tile also has 3x3 size, for shower floor, and 10x13 for shower walls.

What are the benefits of using tile vs solid surface or other shower units? I don't expect this shower to be used more than 3 weeks out of the year, as it's our 3rd bath, and a 2nd guest room area, possible m-in law room. My tiler also did my friends house, did a wonderful job, and is priced right.

Do I need to have an enclosure for shampoo, etc, if I have a bench upon which I could put a nice plastic basket? I'll put a soap dish in, though I only use lotion soap now, DH and dad like the bar soap.

Here's the plan for the bathroom:

{{gwi:1417300}}

Recommendations for a handheld shower unit? Again, since it won't be used much, I don't want to spend alot. I love my KWC faucet in my kitchen, but can't justify the expense of a pricey unit in this shower when it won't be used often.

I'm leaning towards tile in the shower, as DH wants a shower door, a clear door would add depth to the room, and show off a nice tile job.

Thanks for your assistance, I'm a bit bewildered at this point!

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Comments (4)

lukkiirish
13 years ago
Two things come to mind. First we just tore out the bathtub in our master to build a walk in shower and orginally we were going to keep the same footprint. After the installation of tile, drywall etc. the dimensions would have been exactly the same as yours. In our minds eye that seemed large, however once we saw how those dimensions looked in real life, 32 inches would have been fine for a smaller child, but very cramped and uncomfortable for an adult. It was bad enough that we paid several hundred dollars to move a wall 1 foot so we could widen the shower. Granted a master bath will get a lot more use, but you mentioned that potential users of your guest bath could be handicapped and 32 inches could be too narrow for them to easily manuever in.

Secondly, the bars for handheld showers are not grab bars straight out of the box. Some such as the Moen we purchased have additional parts you can buy that will support that use, but you need to be sure the unit you choose has that option. We're still not done with our bathroom so we've yet to use it, but the Moen was a more reasonably priced unit and had good reviews. Their warranty is 100% lifetime, and their customer service is second to none and, as I mentioned before, they also have the clips available to convert the handbar into a grab bar. The model we chose is #3867 and we bought ours at Faucet Depot. If you call Faucet Depot and tell them what you want to do, they'll be able to tell you which parts work with what and everything that's required including the rough plumbing. HTH - Lukki
norwega
Original Author
13 years ago
thanks much! I'll look at the size of the shower again.

I didn't know the shower bar could be made into a grab bar! I was thinking of actual grab bars, horizontal, to put on the opposite end of the shower, near the bench.

I like that Moen unit, and have purchased my kitchen plumbing through Faucet Depot.

Thanks again!
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lukkiirish
13 years ago
Your welcome!! Yeah, once you're standing inside, 32 inches is not that big. Also, don't forget if that's if you've used a measurement that's from stud to studs, once the shower is closed in, you'll be loosing 1.5 inches on each side for drywall & tile. Then you're basically left with 29 inches for the interior depth. Most adults who are not physically challenged need more room than that to shower comfortably, add the challenges and well...you get the idea.

Converting the hand shower bar into a grab bar is a bonus I wasn't expecting either, but the fasteners are only 20 bucks, a small investment with a hugh return.

Here's a couple more tips we did, not sure if you'll be interested, but we got a pantry like the one you have in your drawing. However, instead of paying a fortune for mouldings to hide an empty space, we used the money to upgrade the cabinet so it touches the ceiling. That way we could utilize that space above the cabinet for more storage. Additionally, I can't tell if 3 sides of the shower will be walls, with the door facing the toilet, but if that's the case, you may want to consider having a bipass door instead of the pivoting. We did because we don't have enough room between the shower & the toilet for the door to swing freely. (I believe 32 - 36 inches between the shower & toilet is standard) and also because, I read over and over again that a hugh drawback to the glass euro styled pivoting doors is they don't have any kind of a water guard piece at the bottom (like standard framed doors) so when opened they get water all over the floor. HTH -- Lukki
norwega
Original Author
13 years ago
I looked at the Moen unit at a local plumbing supply, and compared it to the Grohe unit. The spray on the Grohe is more down than out, and the lever to move the handle up and down was a screw type vs the push button type on the Moen. $130 more for the Grohe, and I don't know if it can be used as a grab bar. The Grohe seems better made, but...

Lots to still ponder....

please help in guest bath

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please help in guest bath

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lukkiirish

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