For clarification, using the inspiration photo that you supplied, as you step over the curb and enter the shower, the contractor wants the shower valve and the shower head on the wall to the left? Right at the door opening? If so, have it plumbed the way you want it plumbed, which I'm guessing is with the shower head in the same location that it is in the inspiration photo. And question #2, based on your photo, are they using Oatey shower pan membrane on the walls? And in the niche? I've never seen anything quite...like...that...before...

Can you draw a sketch of which way the opening would be? I think you can have a doorless, but what you want is for the opening and the shower head to be on the same wall. So, doorway 30" (you can do less if you aren't worried about getting a wheelchair in there) and 30" with the showerhead centered on it. The water will if anything hit the 5' wall 3' behind you. I had a 4x6 shower. My door opening was about 26" ( a bit smaller than I planned, not ideal). The shower head was on that wall, spraying towards the long back wall. My shower had a 1.5" curb. Never had water outside (well, until you leave the shower, obviously) :) Now, if i had put the shower head on the shorter side and sprayed towards the door, would have been a different story, in fact, it was plumbed wrong initially and I had them fix it.

I have a doorless/curbless shower. I don't think this is really big enough to be a good setup for it. What I see is lots of splashes off the body to all that glass. Then the glass gets pretty dirty - and in my mind, the advantage of a doorless is cleaning less. Here you are cleaning more. That intersection of the glass and 1/2 wall will trap some water - any significant slope would be visible. That glass will not have much to attach to. I suppose it could go to the ceiling but that gets pricey and really hard to clean. The presumed sunlight through the window will not be kind to dirt on that glass. I am disappointed in whomever didn't spec the height of the glass on top of the 1/2 wall. But on that subject, I find the 42 inch height of the 1/2 wall a bit low from a glass cleaning perspective. On the privacy side - that is a personal decision. Not to mention the whole thing looks a little awkward - certainly not any symmetry. The slope might feel awkward because you won't stand in the center of it. Then I am a little stressed about the window sill a few inches above the shower head - might not be a big deal but I still don't like it. And of course, no one in a cold climate likes the shower head on the outside wall which was probably the snow comment. But I am guessing you are not in a cold area. What is the plan for tile transition? Will the floor of the bathroom be the same tile? Just curious - we did hardwoods in our bathroom so there was no tile-tile transition. Usually, people do smaller tile in the shower - partly because of slope - and bigger tile in the bathroom. Might be challenging in this area to get that all looking right.

My shower is just under 3' wide x 4' long (finished size). 4 walls with the 4th wall a tall pony wall, about the height of the pony wall/ glass combo in the first photo. The shower is set into a niche along a wall that is 6' 3" long. So there is 28" of space on the left of the swing shower door (24" door). Hinge side on the right; door swings in front of the vanity. My set-up is basically the reverse of this footprint: The shower does not feel claustrophobic to me; I grew up out on the Great Plains so I do like my elbow space. Which isn't to say that I wouldn't mind if the shower was a touch wider. Something like 3'6" x 4' would be a sweet spot between feeling roomy and not too large--i.e., drafty. A drafty shower in the winter here in WI is no bueno. Which also precludes having a doorless shower. Also, I bathe the dog in the shower so the door is a must have to prevent the critter from escaping. Given what I can see of Kathy's situation and limitation (wanting to use a standard shower base), I would go with an alcove shower and sliding glass door. i.e, the standard tub replacement route. Something along this line: Yes, maybe a bit more maintenance (squeegee/ water softening will help on that score). Given the limitations (room size/ off the shelf components), there are not a whole lot of choices.