What Is a Roll-In Shower and How Does It Work?
Keep your hygiene routine rolling smoothly
Highlights
Roll-in showers provide independence and safety for those in wheelchairs.
These showers have zero or small thresholds for easy entry and exit.
Unlike walk-in tubs, people can use roll-in showers without assistance.
If you or someone in your household uses a wheelchair, you may be considering upgrading a bathroom to have a roll-in shower. It’s exactly as it sounds—it allows a person to roll in and out with ease. Roll-in showers are packed with safety features, and they also allow a person to have some much-needed privacy and independence in the bathroom. Read on to find out more.
What Is a Roll-In Shower?
To familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of a roll-in shower, it's helpful to take a look at the list of requirements that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) created for commercial, public, and government buildings. A residential home doesn't have to comply with all of the rules, but familiarizing yourself with them can be a good place to start.
For example, ADA-compliant roll-in showers must be at least 30 inches wide and 60 inches deep with a threshold that's no higher than ½-inch. And the shower controls need to be at least 38 inches but no higher than 48 inches from the floor.
In addition, roll-in showers typically have features to help keep water from pooling, like sloped flooring and large or trench drains.
Parts of a Roll-In Shower
Here are the main components of a roll-in shower; your exact setup may vary depending on your unique needs.
Grab Bars
Grab bars make moving around in the shower easier and provide an extra layer of safety. They get anchored into the walls vertically, horizontally, or at an angle; ADA-compliant ones need to be able to support up to 250 pounds.
Shower Spray Unit
You’ll typically see handheld shower heads with hoses in roll-in showers. The hose allows for the most flexibility because you can take the shower head off the hook or leave it as-is. As discussed above, shower units are usually positioned no higher than 4 feet from the floor so that they’re easy and comfortable to reach.
Specialized Threshold
Also known as a curb, the threshold is where the edge of the shower meets the bathroom floor, and its job is to keep the water where you want it.
Some roll-in showers are curbless, also known as no-threshold or zero threshold; these rely on large drains and gentle sloping to drain water properly. If the shower has a threshold, it may have features like beveling to help accommodate wheels and neoprene to help absorb water. An ADA-compliant roll-in shower can’t have a threshold higher than ½-inch.
Shower Seat
Shower seats may be attached to the wall, or they can be removable. Seats that are attached to the wall will usually fold up or down, giving you the choice to use them or not. ADA-compliant ones need to be able to hold up to 250 pounds.
Roll-In Shower vs. Walk-In Tub
There are some key differences between roll-in showers and walk-in tubs, so you should definitely know how they differ before making your decision.
For one, roll-in showers allow someone in a wheelchair to get in and out without any assistance. You may need help to transfer from your regular wheelchair into the shower seat, but if you have a shower chair with wheels, you could get in and out without any help. With a walk-in tub, however, you’ll need help getting in and out of it from your wheelchair.
Also, when you’re done with your bath, you need to wait for the water to completely drain before opening the door to get back out. With a roll-in shower, you don’t have to wait for the water to drain before you get out, which can be a lot more convenient. And in general, roll-in showers save more water compared to walk-in tubs.
But of course, with a roll-in shower, you can’t enjoy the luxury of soaking in a tub. So you should make your final decision between the two based on your needs and preferences.
Benefits of a Roll-In Shower
There are many benefits of a roll-in shower. One of the greatest benefits is giving people with wheelchairs independence during shower time. And of course, the showers are easy for anyone else in the household to use, too.
Besides the accessibility aspect of a roll-in shower, it also provides a high level of safety. Between the seats and grab bars, people can enjoy their showers without the danger of potential problems like slips or falls. This is particularly true if you’re switching from a tub, because there is a potential for falling when entering or exiting tubs.
There are different models of roll-in showers too, so you can choose one that requires very little time to install. If you’re making the switch from a tub to a shower, you may also see a decrease in your water bills.
If this sounds like a great idea to you, hire a shower installer near you to help you figure out your options and move forward with the project.
How Much Does It Cost to Install a Roll-In Shower?
Walk-in showers cost $700 to $14,000 depending on factors like the size, type, and materials. Most roll-in shower units cost $2,600 to $4,900 without labor. The labor costs $400 to $2,000, although it can be more for custom units.
If you want a fully customized shower, it can cost $4,200 to $8,500. While most showers are made of fiberglass or acrylic, there are other options too like tile, marble, and cultured granite.
Steam Shower
Besides the typical shower, you might also consider adding a steam shower. What is a steam shower, exactly? It’s a shower that uses only steam instead of running water, and it offers a host of potential health benefits. It can help with neurocognitive and cardiovascular issues (such as lowering blood pressure) and is great for reducing stress. Steam showers typically cost $4,000 to $14,000.
Conversion
Rather than installing a brand-new roll-in shower, you may be thinking about converting a tub to a walk-in shower. This can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $8,000. While advanced DIYers with lots of plumbing and installation experience might try to tackle this project, it’s typically best left to the pros.
Remodel
While you’re thinking about doing a roll-in shower installation or tub conversion, you might also have a bigger change in mind. Bathroom remodel costs range between $6,600 to $28,750 depending on all the changes you have in mind.
You might go all out and redo everything for a fresh start, or tack on an upgrade like new cabinets or shelving. It’s a good idea to look through bathroom remodel ideas to start conceptualizing what your dream bathroom looks like.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
While an ambitious DIY enthusiast can install a curbless shower, it’s a significant amount of work, including sealing the floor and other tricky work with the plumbing. While you can save between $400 and $2,000 on labor by installing your own walk-in shower, an improperly installed unit could cause expensive damage to your home. If you’re not confident that you can lay waterproofing material, grade the tile floor, and seal the seams, you should hire a local shower installer.
Mizuki Hisaka contributed to this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the time, Medicare will not pay for a roll-in shower because it isn’t considered medically necessary. However, a doctor’s recommendation and other medical evidence may qualify you for reimbursement. If you need a roll-in shower for medical reasons, you will likely need to pay upfront for installation and then apply for reimbursement.
A walk-in shower can be significantly more expensive to install than a traditional shower because of the added waterproofing necessary. The floor also needs to be graded so that the water will drain properly. A barrier-free shower's disadvantages include a lack of privacy, a colder feeling, and spreading more moisture throughout the bathroom.
A walk-in shower without a door is usually referred to as a barrier-free shower or doorless walk-in shower. This feature makes the shower more accessible for those with mobility needs, but it can also be attractive for minimalist designs because of the clean lines. A doorless walk-in shower also means one less surface to clean.