Turn Your Tub into a Shower
Carla Christian
After thirty years of working on million-dollar construction projects, Paul Thomas figured he could build or fix just about anything. But when his mother-in-law needed to trade her bathtub for an accessible shower, she couldn’t afford a remodel and he didn’t have a solution for her. That’s when he discovered a product that would change her life, and his.
Paul and his wife moved home to Salem from Hawaii to support his aging mother-in-law. They bought a duplex to share so each would have privacy and independence. The arrangement worked great, except for one thing: she was afraid she would slip in the bathtub but couldn’t afford even the most economical remodel.
Searching for alternatives, Paul discovered a product that would modify her existing tub into a shower. For a fraction of the costs he’d seen, she could get in and out of her converted shower safely.
His mother-in-law loved it, and a lightbulb went on for Paul. He knew there must be others in the same predicament. Soon after, he formed the business Salem Tub2Shower.
The Tub2Shower insert is fitted to an existing bathtub by cutting a scooped-out opening into the tub wall and fitting it with a curved resin molding. The insert fits bathtubs made from any material — fiberglass, acrylic, steel and even cast iron — though this last involves some
extra labor.
The completed project has a new threshold the height of a shower curb. The insert permanently modifies the bathtub, but also has a sealed cap to allow the tub to hold water.
“This is a great option for people who can’t afford a renovation and need it now,” says Paul.
When Paul installs a tub-to-shower conversion, he looks at the whole safety picture in the bathroom. For his mother-in-law, he installed a long grab bar across the back of the shower and another next to the toilet. A folding seat on the wall of the shower allows her to safely sit or fold it out of the way. He also replaced the conventional shower head with a hand-held sprayer for ease of bathing while seated.
It’s essential to mount grab bars securely to the house’s framing, Paul says. “I’m a pretty big guy, a former football player. I make sure even I can’t pull it off the wall.”
Many customers have lived in manufactured home communities, Paul explains, which contractors often won’t help with.
“Most of our clients need to be independent but it’s slowly fading. This helps them maintain independence and privacy.”
Affordability is another big part of the appeal, Paul says. “Most people ask about cost first. It’s usually under $1200 for the conversion, unless they have a cast iron tub.”
Time is another advantage. The work is finished in half a day, and the shower is ready to use the next day.
Paul wants people to know that they have an affordable option to help them live independently in their home.
“Somebody you know needs this,” he says.