Nora Duran: Welcome everyone to today’s podcast episode. We are diving into two important aspects of home remodeling that can really make a difference in your space: shower and countertop replacements. Whether we are looking to update your bathroom or kitchen, we’ve got an expert here, Jordan from Adonis Kitchen and Bath.

Hello, Jordan. Guide us through the process. Let’s start by talking about showers, something we all use every day. When a homeowner is considering a shower replacement, it can feel like a big decision. Let’s begin with the basics. What are the first steps homeowners should take when considering a shower replacement, Jordan?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: The first step needs to be education. With showers, there are a lot of different products and options out there. A lot of information is available now. We’re in 2024, and there’s a lot you can find online regarding durability, aesthetic trends, and things like that. You can also bring in people from different remodeling companies and design firms. With showers, there’s a very large range, so you want to know what’s going to be important for you and what you like. Then you can get into the process of getting pricing for all those different things.

There’s no need to look at, you know, $30,000-plus products if you’d be more than happy with something that’s half that price. So that’s where you have to start on that journey.

Nora Duran: Amazing. Once you’ve decided to replace the shower, choosing the right materials can be overwhelming with so many options out there. So how do you choose the right materials for a durable and stylish shower?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: So there’s a spectrum of what we typically do. There are entry-level options, like if somebody wants something like fiberglass, acrylic, or thermoplastic, and there are very high-end options as far as what you’re putting in your shower. Most of the commonly used shower products are all fairly durable for a standard-use shower if they’re installed correctly.

You can get products that have that “wow” factor when you’re hearing about their makeup. For example, Dekton has 800-degree heat resistance, very high hardness, and can resist scaling. Those types of things can be very important, but some of it is stuff that’s never going to apply to you; at 800 degrees, you would have been dead a long time ago. So it doesn’t apply as much.

As far as durability, there’s a lot of information out there, but you don’t need to overdo it. The most important thing is to ensure that you have a good installation for what you’re doing. You also want to pay attention to certain products that require different types of service. If you go with natural stone tile, for instance, make sure that you keep an eye on certain products. As long as you get a good installation and keep up with the service, most of the products that are out there will treat you pretty well.

Nora Duran: Thank you for the amazing information. As you know, we all love to keep up with the latest trends, especially in spaces as personal as our bathrooms. So, what are the most popular design trends in shower replacements today?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: Yeah, there are trends on different sides of the market. When you’re looking at the more common stuff, you’ll see tile showers and things like that. You’re seeing different trending options for what people are going for aesthetically, right? We are seeing that the general consensus is that color is coming back slowly but surely. So getting away from those white subway tile showers that we’ve had for so long, at least for the time being, is something that people may want to look at.

On the high end of the scale, for people looking for the best possible outcome, where budget is less of a concern, we are seeing steam showers, which come with health benefits. The more health-conscious society we have is definitely driving this trend. People are looking at those. They look, seem, and I’m sure are very cool. I’ve installed a whole bunch of them. I’ve never actually been in one, so I just take everyone’s word for it that they’re awesome.

Nora Duran: I believe they would be!

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: For sure.

Nora Duran: So let’s talk about space. Space is often at a premium in bathrooms, especially in the smaller ones. For those looking to make the most of every inch, how can homeowners maximize space in a small bathroom during a shower replacement?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: That’s an interesting one. There are optical illusion tricks that you can play. You can do things like, of course, going with lighter colors. If there are any walls that are kind of blocking things off that have the option to be either shortened to a 42- to 48-inch height, so you have that open sight line, or if you could remove those walls altogether, that’s something that’s very useful.

Being attentive to the types of storage that you have in the shower can also be important. Instead of going with built-in tile benches, maybe look at a foldable option so you can utilize that extra space as preferred. Instead of going with corner shelving that protrudes out, consider recessed niches going into the wall—those types of things.

Nora Duran: Yeah, for sure. Great points. Thank you for sharing them. And of course, fixtures are a huge part of any shower, both in terms of functionality and style. So, what are the key considerations when selecting shower fixtures for replacement?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: Sure. There are some technical pieces of information that you need. For example, if you don’t have an access panel on the back of your shower, then you’ll want to look at your trim kit. The trim kit includes the shower head, the handle, and the body sprays. The combination of those things is what you’ll want to consider.

Make sure that you have a trim kit that has integral stops or service stops so you can access it from the front if necessary. The code considerations are the most important ones. You’ll want to keep an eye out for where you can put plumbing, as many people will walk in with plans to put things on certain walls that might be exterior or problematic, depending on how we may need to offset things if there’s plumbing on the other side.

And then there’s just the considerations of what cool stuff you want to do. You can go with a standard shower head handle like everybody has, or you could get the rain shower head and the body sprayers, which create a much more adventurous shower experience. I always think of one client who said she felt like she was in a car wash. She loved it, but that was just an interesting description.

Other things to look at: there are a lot of new technologies out there now. Some of them are great; some are still kind of in that R&D phase. We see a lot of digital thermostatic mixer valves, where instead of turning knobs, you can have a panel with buttons to set the temperature and pressure. You can have different settings for different individuals in the household.

We’ve done a few of those, and some have done very well; others have had some technical issues, and we’ve had to go back to make things right. We just haven’t found the perfect option for those since they’re a newer thing. I’m waiting for Kohler and Moen to really put out a good version of those. So with new technologies, you want to be a little careful. Look at what cool options you want to have, and also ensure that everything meets code.

Nora Duran: Great, great. And now we all know how crucial waterproofing is in a shower, but it’s something that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. So how important is waterproofing in the shower replacement process, and what are the best practices for it?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: We’ve actually lost a lot of jobs over this one. So we waterproof all of our tile showers. Waterproofing has associated costs with it. Those materials are not cheap, and the process takes time and skill.

You’ll hear a couple of different trains of thought on waterproofing. You’ll have the old-school crowd that will say that if the tile is installed correctly, you don’t actually have to waterproof. They’re kind of right, but they’re also kind of not right. If you install it correctly and nothing ever touches it, and no one ever bumps into a wall or nothing ever falls, then sure, you don’t need waterproofing. But if you ever get to the situation where something gets dropped and tips over or cracks a tile or anything like that, and you don’t have waterproofing behind there, which is essentially the waterproofing membrane that connects the wall to the floor and directs everything towards the drain to prevent mold and water damage-related issues, you’re going to have some problems.

Another common mistake we see that actually costs us a lot of money involves contractors who grout the corners of a shower instead of using a more flexible material, like a waterproof sealant. When you grout the corners and have houses that flex, those corners will crack a lot. Typically, the same people who make the mistake of grouting the corners also don’t want to fix the showers. By the time we get the phone calls, it’s usually because there’s a mold issue that has occurred.

So, waterproofing is important. Even with our three really good tile setters, there might be a time when they have an off day, and if they don’t set everything perfectly, you could end up needing to replace the whole shower instead of just a couple of tiles. I think it’s worth the $1,500 to $2,000 difference to ensure it’s waterproof so you don’t end up with a much bigger problem that could get a lot pricier. You’ll hear a lot of different opinions on that. Some people will say waterproofing is completely unnecessary and just another way to charge more, but for us, it provides added protection. This is how we can offer lifetime warranties on our showers.

Nora Duran: Yeah, I think, as you said, it’s very significant. It’s a luxury, but it’s an essential luxury, you know?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: Yeah.

Nora Duran: And while we’re talking about maintenance, it’s something that everyone thinks about, especially when it comes to keeping the shower looking good and functioning well over time. So what options are available for homeowners who want a low-maintenance shower?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: The lowest maintenance you’re going to get is realistically going to be on one end of the spectrum. You’re either going to go for the really expensive solid surface options, like Dekton, or you’re going to go with the very inexpensive acrylic. The middle options require a little more maintenance when you get into certain types of tiles, which require a bit more service, versus going with some of those three-piece surrounds or fully pulling out all the stops and going with a straight stone shower.

Nora Duran: Great, great. And beyond just aesthetics, a good shower can really improve the comfort and functionality of the bathroom. So how can a shower replacement improve the overall functionality and comfort of the bathroom?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: It can do a lot of things. It depends on why people are calling us. The general reason everyone’s calling us is because they’re unhappy with the shower. There are so many different reasons for that. Some people may be unhappy because they have knee replacements, hip replacements, or other mobility issues, in which case you want to have grab bars, a bench, or a curbless shower.

We also have situations where people just have mold issues, or they have an old shower with tiles falling down or just doesn’t look good. There are all sorts of replacements and options that might even be more economical than some of the middle-of-the-road and high-end stuff. Just having a new shower can make a big difference. Our environments affect us in so many ways, some of which are physical and some are mental. It all comes down to a case-by-case basis.

Nora Duran: Great. And now I want to get into budgeting. Budgeting and timing are always top concerns with any home improvement project. So what should homeowners expect in terms of the cost and timeline for a shower replacement?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: In my area, if you were to Google shower replacement, the top companies that come up are typically bath conversion companies. Those places are usually going to be somewhere in the $13,000 to $18,000 range. I also have friends in different areas of the construction world who might do more investment-style work, which is going to be a lot cheaper. If you’re looking at a steam shower, you’re going to spend a lot more if you’re doing it right compared to what those bath conversion companies charge for any form of acrylic shower.

I would probably put the average cost around the $15,000 mark, but it all depends on who you call, your risk tolerance, and the warranties. If you’re willing to give someone their first shot at installing your shower, you might pay next to nothing for it. But if you want someone with a reputation for doing this right and having additional design knowledge, yeah, there’s a cost.

Nora Duran: And now I’m wondering, when you’re considering the needs of everyone in the household, accessibility can be a big factor. How do you ensure a shower replacement meets the needs of all family members, including accessibility?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: We run into that a lot. We often have situations where it’s turning into a walking impediment, such as for those using walkers or wheelchairs. The standard we typically operate with is to have a 36-inch opening for wheelchair access in a curbless shower. If it’s in the budget, this makes things a lot smoother.

We like to have a couple of grab bars—vertical grab bars for entry and horizontal grab bars on the back wall. Just in case the worst-case scenario happens, it’s good to have some form of a bench, whether that’s an actual built-in tile bench or a foldable bench. Also, having a detachable wand or a handheld shower function is beneficial. If you have all of these features, you’re typically in a pretty good situation for anyone needing additional considerations for their showers.

Nora Duran: Amazing. And now, let’s switch gears a bit and talk about countertops, another area where homeowners often look to make a big impact, whether in the kitchen or the bathroom. There are so many materials to choose from, each with its own pros and cons. To start off, what are the most popular materials for countertop replacements, and what are their pros and cons in your opinion?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: Quartz is the most popular; that’s what we see. Typically, we’re looking at quartz and granite. Most people lean towards those. Marble is not one that I recommend for most applications because you typically spend a little more, and many of its functional features won’t live up to what granite or quartz would.

We’re also seeing the rise of solid surface materials. Kind of like how you used to have Corian, which I think you can still get, but there’s a competitor we utilize called Hi-Macs. Then there’s Dekton, which I mentioned earlier; the same material you can use for countertops works very well. We don’t do much laminate; we still see it, especially in new builds. So that’s still something I believe is popular and will likely stay popular for a certain period with a specific level of remodel, but those are the primary products that we’re seeing.

Nora Duran: Great, and I’m wondering, the needs of a kitchen countertop can be quite different from those of a bathroom. So how do you determine the best countertop material for a kitchen versus a bathroom?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: For a kitchen, you want to consider heat resistance and hardness. For a bathroom, you want to look at porosity. You want to make sure that it’s not something that’s going to be problematic if it gets wet and that it won’t need to be sealed all the time. In a kitchen, you’re often setting hot pans on the counter, and a lot of people use their countertops as cutting boards, so there are some considerations.

I’m a big fan of quartz. I like granite, and I also like Dekton. I think quartz works well for both applications. It has a pretty good hardness rating on the Mohs scale. Granite can be a little higher, and yes, you can get better hardness out of granite, but it does need to be resealed due to its porosity. Heat resistance varies, so I typically recommend quartz. It really depends on the specific quartz you choose, as there are many levels. For example, Cambria and Silestone are at the top, while you can also find some entry-level options.

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: There’s a lot of conversation to be had on that. Usually, I start with colors and things like that, and then I can start pointing to directions of what you’re going to be able to find those options in.

Nora Duran: Yeah, great points. Just like with the showers, design trends play a big role in countertops. So what are the current design trends in countertop replacements?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: There’s one trend I’m curious about because it’s becoming a topic that people are discussing more and more: color. People are talking about color now, particularly with Hi-Macs, which is one of the more entry-level solid surface options that we utilize. It’s pretty affordable, but it’s a very good-looking product with some great features. They have color options, and I’m waiting to see if those catch on because we’re starting to see people slowly lean back into color with other materials like paint and tile, but we haven’t seen that with countertops yet.

So far, it seems like we’re still experiencing similar trends as before. People are becoming a little more open-minded about solid surface options, and I expect that at some point, they’ll be looking at color more. But we still have a very large percentage of our primary audience that leans toward classic options like Carrera and Calacatta.

Nora Duran: Another trend I’ve noticed is matching countertops with the rest of the space, which can be quite an art. How do you approach matching countertops with the existing cabinetry and flooring?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: The first thing I’d always say is never try to match the color perfectly. Never try to have a countertop that perfectly matches the floor or the cabinets, because you will notice if it’s slightly different. You want something that is purposely chosen.

Now, you can keep things within a general scheme. For example, if you’re going with earth tones, you could have browns, greens, and blacks that blend well together. If you’re going very colorful, certain palettes allow you to use many different shades of the same color, like you see with browns. You can get away with dark brown, light brown, and mid-brown all in the same space.

A lot of it starts by hearing the general ideas of what people are looking for, and then we go through different options to show them. We have an app called MidJourney, which is nice because we can input text and it will create a picture. For example, we can input a specific color for the countertop, cabinetry, backsplash, and flooring. It shows them what that looks like, making it much easier to guide someone visually. So we start by understanding their needs, and then we can lay out the ground rules we typically have for those needs and show them the pictures.

Nora Duran: Great, thanks! And finally, let’s talk about the practical side of things: budgeting. What factors should homeowners consider when budgeting for a countertop replacement?

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: Sure. When it comes to practicality and price, you really have to weigh what you’re looking for. One tough aspect of countertop replacements is that a lot of the costs associated with it aren’t just for the counters themselves. Whether you’re looking at something that costs $80 a square foot, $130, or $180, the primary factor isn’t always just the counters.

A lot of times, you’ll also need to consider sink replacement, box replacement, and garbage disposal. Often, you might break the bottom perimeter of the backsplash, and if you want to have it done right, you’ll need to replace that backsplash as well.

There are many other factors that can come into play if there are special instances. So, when considering your budget, start by asking whether you will keep the other things that may get damaged during countertop removal. For instance, are you okay with keeping the same sink and faucet? Regarding the tile, is that something that could be found again? Would it be okay if the grout didn’t match perfectly, or do you want to install a whole new backsplash to get that grout to match perfectly?

Also, look at the practical elements of the different countertops you’re considering. As I mentioned, with entry-level Hi-Macs and high-end Dekton, there are many considerations to make. While you can get some information through Google for showers, countertops are probably better to discuss with someone in the industry because there are specifics the internet simply can’t address regarding your project.

Nora Duran: True. Well, that brings us to the end of today’s episode. We have covered a lot of ground on both shower and countertop replacements, and I hope our listeners found this information extremely helpful.

Thanks to our expert Jordan for sharing his knowledge, and thank you all for tuning in. Until next time, take care and happy remodeling!

Jordan – Adonis Kitchen and Bath: Thanks for having me.