One of the most common feature items our custom home builders get asked about for master bathrooms is steam showers. Steam showers operate like normal showers, but they include a steam generator. Essentially, they are steam rooms that can operate as normal showers. Many clients are eager to include them in their custom home to really add the spa-like feeling. However, there are a few downsides to them. Here are all of the pros and cons of adding a steam shower to your custom home!
Pros of Steam Showers
Creates an At-Home Spa
Spa-like bathrooms have been a trend in custom home building for the past few years. It’s easy to see why. Going to the spa can add up quickly, plus you have to schedule a time for that. Why not create that experience at home so you can enjoy it for free whenever you want? Having your own steam room in your home will definitely make it feel like you have your own mini spa at home!
Great for Healing
While steam showers are great for some extra relaxation, they also have a real medical benefit. Steam showers can be used to relieve muscle and joint paint. Seniors, those with joint issues such as arthritis, and people with sports-related injuries find a lot of relief from steam showers. Steam showers have healing and rejuvenating effects. They can also help those with respiratory ailments or allergies by clearing the airway passages.
Adds Luxury to Home
We specialize in luxury custom homes, and nothing screams luxury like a giant steam shower. While this feature item might not add home value, it will increase the overall feeling of luxury and it is a great selling feature for buyers. Overall, if you’re really looking to make your new custom home feel grand and luxurious, add a steam shower!
Cons of Steam Showers
They’re Expensive
Steam showers can be great, but they do come at a high price. The most expensive part of a steam shower is actually the installation. The shower area has to be vapor proofed in addition to just waterproofed. If improperly done, steam showers can create mold and water issues for your home, which are very costly to fix. This means that you’ll need the best labors to install it.
Requires Additional Planning
If you’re considering a steam shower, know that you need to decide on it fairly early on in the design process. Due to all of the prep work needed to make steam showers safe for your home, they can’t easily be added in later on. There is a lot of space, plumbing, electrical, and trade work needed to fit a steam shower into a design.
Rarely Used
Steam showers really sound great, however, we’ve found that many clients that have installed them in their custom homes rarely use them. That means that it’s a wasted expense, one that you won’t see a return on. Before adding on, be sure to really evaluate how often you’d use it. If you’ve never utilized steam rooms before, consider a test run at a spa or health club to see whether or not you really like the environment.
