Walk In Shower Or Bathtub: What Memphis Homeowners Are Choosing

One of the most common decisions we walk through with Memphis homeowners during a bathroom remodel is whether to keep a bathtub or replace it with a walk in shower. There is no single right answer for everyone, but there are clear patterns in what different households actually choose once they think through how they really use their bathroom.

Why So Many Homeowners Are Converting To Walk In Showers

The tub to shower conversion has become one of our most requested bathroom projects in Memphis over the last several years, and the reasoning is usually pretty simple. Most adults shower far more often than they take a bath, sometimes going months or years without ever using the tub that sits in their primary bathroom. A walk in shower with a low curb or no curb at all is easier to get in and out of, it tends to make the whole room feel more open, and it gives us room to add features like a built in bench, a niche for shampoo and soap, and a frameless glass enclosure that looks cleaner than a shower curtain or a framed door. For homeowners who are thinking ahead to aging in place, a curbless walk in shower with grab bars and a slip resistant floor is also simply safer to use over the long term.

When Keeping The Tub Still Makes Sense

A tub is still the right call in a lot of Memphis households, especially ones with young kids who need a tub for bath time, or homeowners who genuinely enjoy taking baths and would miss having one. If your home only has one bathroom, or if the bathroom in question is the main one used by the whole family, we usually recommend keeping at least one tub somewhere in the house even if you convert a secondary or primary bathroom into a shower only space. Buyers in the Memphis real estate market also tend to expect at least one tub in a home with kids' bedrooms nearby, so that is worth factoring in if you are thinking about resale value down the road.

A Middle Ground Option

If you are not ready to fully commit to either direction, a shower and tub combination is still a solid option, especially in a smaller bathroom where space is limited. Modern tub and shower combos look a lot better than the builder grade versions from decades ago, with options for tile surrounds, a sliding glass door instead of a curtain, and a rain shower head paired with a handheld wand. This gives you the flexibility of both without needing two separate fixtures taking up space in the room.

What We See Most Often In Memphis Primary Bathrooms

In primary suite bathrooms specifically, where there is usually another tub elsewhere in the home for kids or guests, a large walk in shower has become the more popular choice among the Memphis homeowners we work with. It tends to make the primary bathroom feel more like a private retreat, and it is often easier to keep clean than a combo tub and shower unit. Some homeowners with larger primary bathrooms choose to add a freestanding soaking tub as a design feature even if it does not get used daily, purely because it adds a high end look to the space and can be a strong selling point later on.

How To Decide For Your Bathroom

The right choice really comes down to how your household actually uses the space, not what is trending. If you have young kids, keep a tub somewhere accessible. If you are remodeling a primary bathroom and there is a tub elsewhere in the home, a walk in shower is worth serious consideration. If you are planning to stay in your Memphis home long term, think about how a curbless shower could make the space safer and more comfortable as you get older. During your free estimate with Instant Remodeling, we talk through your specific household and help you land on the option that actually fits how you live, not just what looks good in a photo.