Unique shower-base job required a unique solution

Creating a bathroom walk-in shower in a basement with a concrete floor can be challenging, primarily because the existing layout of the rough plumbing (provided there even is rough plumbing) is pre-established within the concrete.

Moving services (or introducing them) can quickly inflate a budget, rendering the entire project cost-prohibitive. As such, making do with what’s there is always the best route for the wallet, despite the inherent design compromises along the way.

A recent basement bathroom “project within a project” presented a minor shower footprint hurdle, whereby the entry to the shower stall would have to negotiate an existing support telepost. Although the entry point remains at an acceptable 27 inches, the curb upon entry is much wider than usual, at nearly 12 inches.

This was necessary to properly conceal the support post, while maintaining esthetic integrity. The downside, however, was a reduction in the actual shower-pan footprint. No matter, the ceiling rises above the lower elevation of the main duct upon entry, and the overall volume of space within the shower feels much roomier than the old shower-surround unit that occupied the area prior to the renovation.