Tiled vs acrylic showers

ARTICLE Joanna Mathers

Be they acrylic lined or tiled, there are a number of factors to take into consideration before making a decision about what to install. We go through the differences between an acrylic-lined and tiled shower.

Acrylic lined

For many, acrylic lined showers are the go-to option. Easy to clean and comparatively affordable, they are available in prebuilt form from many building stores.
The standard sizes for these are 900mm x 900mm and 1m x 1m – costing as little as $1,000 straight off the shop floor – but 120mm x 900mm are also becoming more common as people require more space in their showering experience.
While the most affordable shower units won’t break the bank, the cost increases once installation is considered.
“You will probably expect to pay up to $4,000 for a fully installed shower,” explains Nicholas Leko from Refresh Renovations.
These showers can also be made to order, Nicholas says. “Speak to your renovation consultant about what options are available here. Coloured acrylic lined showers are another option, but also need to be made to order.”
These will be significantly more expensive than off-the-shop floor units and the cost will differ extensively according to their specifications.

Tiled showers

Tiled showers are the Porsches of the shower world, and this is reflected in the price (expect to pay between $7,000 -$10,000 for a completed tile shower). The entirely bespoke showers are created by affixing tiles to waterproof walls and the installation process is up to two weeks longer than that of an acrylic shower.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to specs for these showers. Nicholas says that glass doors are commonly used for such showers, and glass back walls (similar to the glass splash backs found in high-end kitchens) are also becoming popular options.
The tile range is very wide – many companies offer a large range in multiple colours. This means that the shower can be matched to any colour scheme and crafted to integrate perfectly into any bathroom.
One of the most important considerations when it comes to creating tile showers is obtaining a building consent. Nicholas explains that he receives a lot of phone calls from people trying to sell showers that haven’t been consented. “This can give buyers leverage to ask for the replacement cost of the shower to be taken off the purchase price of the home."
Consent needs to therefore integrated into the construction process to ensure that all the boxes are ticked and the bathroom adheres to standards and regulations.
While tiled showers are a more luxurious option they are harder to clean, so those with large families or who are time poor may prefer to go for the easy clean acrylic option.
“Or people who want something more attractive could also choose to have a tiled bathroom, with an acrylic shower,” he explains.

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*All information is believed to be true at time of publishing and is subject to change.
Note: Please note that all cost estimates provided in this article are rough approximations only, and neither Renovate magazine nor Refresh Renovations can be held accountable for their accuracy.