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How to Relocate the Shower And Enlarge It in Bathroom Remodel

The average shower stall is 3 feet by 5 feet. It may not be much, but we spend significant time in this enclosed space. If your shower isn’t located conveniently for you, the question then becomes how to move the shower to another bathroom area. For a bathroom renovation expert and designer, it’s a fairly extensive bathroom remodel to not only move a shower but also make it bigger. This process involves relocating the shower drain and a close analysis of how difficult it will be to move a shower it will be, whether it’s possible to move a shower, and where the best shower location is.

Speak with your bathroom shower renovation expert first. They can provide insights into the possible challenges, conduct an inspection surrounding the various elements of your bathroom, and advise on what you can expect to enlarge your shower stall. Your options for what can be done with your bathroom rely heavily on the layout. If you extend your bathroom’s layout, you may have more space to work with; however, you are always going to be limited. However, this isn’t necessarily a disadvantage. Through smart planning, it is very much possible to design an enlarged bathroom and have it somewhere convenient for you and how you want your bathroom to look.

In this article, we delve into the details of how you can move the location of a shower and achieve the right bathroom aesthetic for your vision.

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Enlarging and Moving the Shower in a Bathroom Remodel in 6 Steps

Relocate Shower in a Bathroom Remodel – Project Overview

Master Bathroom Layout

Though a large master bathroom layout in square footage, the various elements proved to be fairly tightly spaced together. The client wanted to expand and move their shower stall, an act that would easily disrupt the existing bathroom layout seen here.Though a large master bathroom layout in square footage, the various elements proved to be fairly tightly spaced together. The client wanted to expand and move their shower stall, an act that would easily disrupt the existing bathroom layout seen here.

Scope of Work

The client wanted the tub fully removed and the shower to be relocated. The challenge then became how to complete what we knew to be a difficult demolition and how to overcome the limitations of where the plumbing was and laying out new waterproofing.

Relocating a Shower – Special Requirements

When moving the shower, the client sought to redesign it a little bit. Including a shower bench in the new stall would be possible with the additional space offered in this renovation. This was among a handful of special requirements and updates that went into relocating the shower.

Experts Opinion

A lot goes into supporting a newly moved shower stall, including laying out new waterproofing to protect structural components. Exterior wooden walls also necessitated certain protections in the form of proper ventilation to ward off warping, mould growth, and other possible trouble.

Master Bathroom Design

A more modern look was given to the bathroom in the form of new tiles, fresh colour, and modern minimalist lighting. The result was a completely altered look optimized for the available area and layout. The aesthetic fell in line with the client’s preferences and the existing interior design theme in the home.

How Long It Took To Relocate the Shower in Bathroom Remodel

The client requested custom glass which will always extend the time it takes for a bathroom remodel. The main work was completed within 10-12 days, and the custom glass installation was completed shortly after that. No unexpected delays occurred. Everything fell within the scope and schedule of what was planned ahead of time.

Kid’s Bathroom Remodel

We installed modern, mid-century-inspired black bathroom fixtures and subway tiles and mosaic tiles all complement each other for the kids’ bathroom. This aesthetic supported the look of the natural wood 48″ double-sink vanity as well as the 48″ x 28″ bathroom mirror presented with a black frame. The lighting was used to highlight key features without covering the bathroom with light or being distracting. The tub and shower and tub trim were also selected with clean lines and simplicity in mind. The client was highly satisfied with the result, and it proved the perfect second bathroom to the master adult.

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Master Bathroom Remodelling with Moving a Shower
The master bathroom remodelling project involved removing the tub and making this space available to the redesigned layout. Moving plumbing in the bathroom was done to accommodate moving the shower. The client wanted a bench added as well. Modern materials were brought in, including wood, to stylize and update this bathroom to the style preferred by the client.

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Challenges We Faced While Relocating a Shower in Bathroom Remodel

Moving a shower, it’s not something you can do without planning for the difficulties that are sure to be encountered. In this case, extensive modifications were done to the bathroom layout.

 

Moving a Shower – 4 Challenges

  • Lifting the ceiling
  • New waterproofing
  • Preventing pipes from freezing in the future
  • Removing a tub

Demolition – First Steps Before Relocating a Shower

A bathroom demolition was carefully completed, removing the tiles that covered the walls and all other elements. Existing fixtures were removed and disposed of. All wall finishes, including the drywall, were removed in this demolition, as was the floor finished with the baseboards and casings. All materials were removed, and what was deemed reusable was repurposed with everything else properly sorted and disposed of. What was left in the layout provided us with a fresh canvas on which the work on the bathroom remodelling and shower relocation could begin.

 

Lifting the Ceiling After Removing Old Shower

In order to accommodate the size and placement of the relocated shower, the ceiling had to be lifted. This was quite the challenge. The benefits of lifting the ceiling are creating more headroom, further expanding the room’s size and moving the ceiling further away from the showerhead. Ensuring there were no structural reasons why the ceiling was at its height, we made our cuts and raised the framing up, securing it to the studs, which added a healthy amount of vertical space.

Moving the Shower and Waterproofing Master Bathroom From Scratch

A lot of work was done to secure the new shower in place after re-framing. There was some minor mould accumulation and corrosion that had to be removed first. After reconfiguring the layout and making the necessary structural changes, moisture-resistant DensShield drywall was installed. Corner beads and taping of the drywall walls followed. Lastly, at this stage, a Schluter waterproof membrane was installed over the wood subfloor, sealing in any moisture in the room.

Preventing Pipes from Freezing

Due to the risk of pipes freezing come winter, our team built two exterior walls of wood. This ensures that there isn’t a leak from the adjusted plumbing. If this step wasn’t taken, there is a risk of water leaking inside the wall and causing it to rot and grow mould. The water pipes are thoroughly protected, taking the preventative step of crafting a multi-wall wood barrier, and there is now no risk to the newly renovated bathroom.

Moving Shower in Bathroom Remodelling

How to Relocate the Shower and Transform Your Master Bathroom

Relocating a Shower in A Bathroom – Shower Bench to Add Comfort

This proved to be a larger-than-average shower. In that, the client wanted a bench that they could use to sit on while showering as well as to help stylize and customize the layout.

For this, we used a custom-cut stone and also extended the ledge to accommodate this bench.

This is an example of how remodelling a bathroom, creating more space, and relocating a shower can give a client a fresh slate on which they can add features like this.

Shower benches have also grown in popularity in recent years, providing an easy storage space for bathroom products and miscellaneous shower items, known to enhance the overall look as well.

How to Move Shower in Master Bathroom and Add a Modern Look to It

A bathroom remodel isn’t complete without tying everything together in anesthetic.

We used a modern-minimalist and mid-century style for the master bathroom based on the colour, lines, and fixtures. This was the client’s preference.

The floor hexagon tiles eschewed the usual square or rectangular look for something more closely tied to modern trends. They also neatly contrasted with the similarly simplistic wall tiles.

From the tiles over to the lights, flooring, and types of materials, we collaborated with the client every step of the way to get their input and ensure the remodel was in accordance with what they had pictured.

Comparing the before and after photos, one can easily see how much of an update this was in the colours and atmosphere alone.

Bathroom Expansion: Selecting Stylish Fixtures - Completes The Look

After relocating the shower drain and moving the shower plumbing to another wall, the fun part arrives, which is putting in the fixtures.

Highly stylized to the client’s tastes and desires, the sleek black fixtures were dressed in a matte finish and matched various other aspects of design in the bathroom expansion. We have the towel ring, towel bar, toilet paper holder, robe hook, single-handle faucet, and shower elbow all in the same matte black from Delta throughout the bathroom.

The rain shower head and handheld shower set are an advantageous addition, providing the client with two separate shower experiences in the same enclosure. These were also taken from the Delta brand, identical in look and style to the other fixtures.

The slight-monochrome look of the white wall tiles and the matte black fixtures prove to be a very attractive and appealing bathroom aesthetic.

Double Vanity For New Master Bathroom

A masterpiece in design, for the master bathroom vanity, we pulled together various elements from different brands, tying them together in the same aesthetic the client referenced.

The minimalist Milano 60” double sink vanity uses a wood build topped with a white acrylic composite countertop and integrated sinks. Also from Kubebath is this natural wood linen side cabinet set to the immediate right of the vanity.

The mirror was plucked from the pages of the acclaimed CB2 brand. 24” x 36” in size proved a simplistic addition in line with the existing tile, acrylic, and wood surroundings. Some inches above the dual mirrors are two luxury LED light rods from West Elm, each providing lighting to their dedicated mirror and sink space. Lastly, the faucets and fixtures are from Delta in the same matte black seen in the shower enclosure.

For this double vanity, new plumbing also had to be installed, which involved new pipes and, once again, ensuring this fell in line with existing codes of design.

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Remodeling Master Bathroom With Moving Shower:  Tile Installation and Special Upgrades

Installing the tile and special upgrades helped to customize this bathroom remodel to the client. They had a specific appearance in mind when they envisioned their new bathroom, and it was tasked to us to deliver this exact look.

Installing Wall Tiles

The wall tiles were done in a very modern-minimalist style. The wall tiles were central to the beauty of this redesign. Rectangular in design, 104 sq. ft. of shower and bathtub wall tiles as selected by the client were put in and set. This immediately corrected the dated nature of the wall that preceded it.

There are lots of styles of wall tiles, with horizontal often being preferred over vertical placements. We chose to install horizontally in line with the customer’s wishes as this served to emphasize the width of the space and the openness, something which also matched how the shower was designed.

Installing Floor Tiles

It was the client’s preference that the floor tiles be in contrast to the box style of the wall tiles. This was done to clearly make where the wall and floor differed, helping to avoid having a bathroom appear as it was a singular cube. Approx. 24 sq. ft. of shower floor tiles and 88 sq. ft. of bathroom floor tiles were installed, everything selected by the client.

While the wall tiles were rectangular and fairly mid-century modern in style, hexagon tiles were used on the floor, which helped to create a more dynamic look. Trendy hexagon tiles help ground the bathroom’s aesthetic and personalize it, in this case, with what the client intended. The difference in light-to-dark colour from the wall to the flooring helped to further create interest as well.

Grouting The New Tiles

All new tiles were grouted to fill the spaces between them after they’d been placed on the floor. When we grout bathroom tiles, we fill those joints, which help keep the tiles from shifting and protect the edges from chipping. It’s a recommendation to always grout tiles. It helps add the rigidity, strength, and stability you want in a bathroom space.

This was the final step to the process of installing bathroom tiles and adding yet another layer of style and customization.

Upgrade – The Shower Niche

A shower niche is an open storage space, similar to a cubbyhole. In some shower designs, a shower niche is crafted to provide the owner with more storage space. This type of in-wall storage takes up no area on the floor, which optimizes the square footage while adding style. In this particular shower design, a shower niche was crafted and upgraded with Carrara marble. A large niche had the tile-matching the tile on the shower floor for a very seamless and organic look completing the bathroom.

We worked with the client to customize the shower niche placement to match their ideal height and location. In addition, we verified the shower niches were correctly set and solid, sturdy, and properly waterproofed during the installation process.

Upgrade – Shower Bench

The shower bench is also very central to this design. The vast majority of showers do not have the luxury of having an extended area like this. Due to the expansion of space, this accommodated the inclusion of the shower bench and extension.

Moving a Shower in Bathroom Remodel – Now What?

This was no easy shower relocation or bathroom remodeling project. It was highly customized. When moving a shower, you will run into all sorts of additional steps that have to be taken, including moving the shower drain and moving shower plumbing to another wall. However, the benefit of all this work is a completed bathroom aesthetic that is perfectly customized to the client. No compromises were made from work you can’t see – waterproofing, moving plumbing, etc. – to all you can, i.e. lifting the ceiling, new fixtures, new double vanity, new tiles, etc. The craftsmanship speaks for itself. This was the client’s dream bathroom, and we delivered everything that was planned. We took great care in moving the shower, and now that it’s been done, it’s an immediate upgrade that’s very noticeable when you walk through the layout. Moving a shower in a bathroom remodel isn’t always simple or even possible. Still, in this example, the right set of circumstances came together that allowed us to adjust the bathroom plumbing, shower drains, and more to get the client the exact bathroom and shower remodel they discussed with us in the early stages of planning.

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