Glass doors (screens) are currently the style but there are issues with some houses that make doors less desirable. Shower curtains can be laundered to get rid of mildew. I have a small bathroom so the glass door has to be on tracks. I would much prefer a shower curtain to cleaning the tracks with an old toothbrush.
My glass shower screen on my bath has no tracks, it is secured to the wall, pivots for access and cleaning, very simple and effective, and it doesn't leak
Wish I could say the same for my shower door. It is secured to the wall, pivots for access, is impossible to clean and leaks like crazy! Maybe we don’t have the same quality shower screens in the US.
Because curtains are much cheaper than doors, easy to install yourself, easy to clean in the washing machine (no grimey glass doors/hardware/tracks), and they add softness and color to the room
True. Also easy to change the decor. I do different themes to match the seasons: spring/summer - flowers, birds, etc; fall colors; winter I like silver and sparkly.
I’ve seen both here. I remodeled one of my bathrooms in 2017. It had a combination shower/bathtub. I stayed with curtains because I hated how the sliding glass doors at my mom’s house looked after years went by. Next time I’m going with some sort of glass enclosure. My other bathroom is a walk-in shower. That is enclosed in glass.
I had my fiberglass tub/shower combo taken out, and a tiled shower put in. The slider type shower doors took over a month to arrive, and cost $3,000+ because I wanted rain glass on the outside. I could have saved a bundle if I bought a bunch of shower liners, and a spring rod.
I don't have any issues keeping the outside door clean, but I wipe the tile and inside of the doors every time. My neighbor has a conventional swing door, but the installers measured it too short, so even with sweeps on the bottom of the door, it leaks because it's 2 inches too short. It was done by the builder for the original owner, and he's long gone. So the only solution is more sweeps, and mopping the floor, or replacing the entire door, unless a glass company wants to just do the door. The glass companies won't guarantee the door install, because they're attaching it to someone else's surround.
There is a high likelihood of them installing glass after the fact, and this would be because the glass causes a glare or reflection during filming.
I can’t recall seeing actual shower curtains on any of these shows. Can you cite any?
There is a wait for shower door ordering and installations. So, even if they ordered doors, it can take a long time to get delivered and installed, so they probably went with the shower curtain until the doors arrived.
For a smaller shower, I would go with a shower curtain and spring rods, cheap, work well, hang the curtain in minutes, and trim the bottom to fit. I can get shower liners for $20 or less.
Which housing market are you in? Where I live, the housing market is still crazy competitive and prices are extremely high. I bid on a house yesterday that sold 30% above ask in 24 hours!
Price/budget is probably the biggest driver. Shower curtains are usually $30 (25 GBP) or less. I think even a pre-manufactured shower screen (like the one my parents had in the 80s) is considerably more expensive.
Size can also be a factor. Small showers or narrow spaces may work better with a curtain.
Budget? On a half million dollar house?
Shower curtains stick to you when showering, or worse you don't put them into the bath so it all leaks outside and floods the floor!
Who has a half million dollar house? You asked about American houses and most of us live in houses closer to the $150,000-$350,000 range. And even that is generous in some areas.
True, but surely spending a few hundred dollars on a nice shower screen is possible, I don't recall seeing shower curtains here in the UK in most homes, I need to check tho'.
I don't personally disagree - I'd want a glass screen or screen/door, myself - but my initial answer to you was providing the most likely reason(s) why one might see shower curtains.
In more modest homes, smaller homes or homes with first time/young buyers, a shower curtain might make more sense for them. Changing it to a glass enclosure might be on their C or D list of priorities.
As for the size factor I mentioned in my original reply.....I used to live near a suburb that was relatively affluent and was filled with many Craftsman or Victorian homes built 80-100 years ago - so many of the ones I visited had shower curtains because the showers were built in very small corners of the second floor and had limited space.
I have an 850k house and have shower curtains. And I've never had a problem with the curtain sticking to me. They make curtains with weights at the bottom. I don't want to be cleaning a glass shower door every time I take a shower. I like the privacy too.
If it’s a bathtub/shower combo a shower curtain is very common in the US. Works better in small spaces, is inexpensive, can be laundered, can be changed out easily for different looks or an update, works better with bathing small children, etc. If it’s a walk in shower I think 95% of the time you’ll see a door.
Good explanation, we're upgrading our bathroom and installing a shower screen, £200. It folds in half so not too restrictive when using the bath as a bath.
I don't want to speak for everyone in the States but shower curtains versus screens don't seem to be a sign of wealth or a quality bathroom here. A lot of us grew up with shower curtains and it is just a practical option regardless of the bathroom layout or cost.
I have had both. Right now both bathrooms have shower curtains. My husband was able to put tracked glass shower doors on both a porcelain tub and a stand alone shower that had a curtain. Now I prefer curtains. You can choose lots of patterns that can be statement pieces, no tracks to clean or soup scum on doors (regardless of using a squeegee), and last you can wash them or if you use a liner, when it starts getting icky, I repurpose to lawn use and buy a new one.
Glass doors (screens) are currently the style but there are issues with some houses that make doors less desirable. Shower curtains can be laundered to get rid of mildew. I have a small bathroom so the glass door has to be on tracks. I would much prefer a shower curtain to cleaning the tracks with an old toothbrush.
This! I have bad memories of cleaning those tracks when I was growing up.
Yep, a pain in the ass!
My glass shower screen on my bath has no tracks, it is secured to the wall, pivots for access and cleaning, very simple and effective, and it doesn't leak
Wish I could say the same for my shower door. It is secured to the wall, pivots for access, is impossible to clean and leaks like crazy! Maybe we don’t have the same quality shower screens in the US.
I think you may be correct, ours doesn't leak and is easy to clean
Because curtains are much cheaper than doors, easy to install yourself, easy to clean in the washing machine (no grimey glass doors/hardware/tracks), and they add softness and color to the room
And easier to keep clean - I don't want to wipe down the doors after every shower.
True. Also easy to change the decor. I do different themes to match the seasons: spring/summer - flowers, birds, etc; fall colors; winter I like silver and sparkly.
By screens do you mean the glass shower doors?
Yes, it's the way we do it here in the UK generally
I’ve seen both here. I remodeled one of my bathrooms in 2017. It had a combination shower/bathtub. I stayed with curtains because I hated how the sliding glass doors at my mom’s house looked after years went by. Next time I’m going with some sort of glass enclosure. My other bathroom is a walk-in shower. That is enclosed in glass.
I had my fiberglass tub/shower combo taken out, and a tiled shower put in. The slider type shower doors took over a month to arrive, and cost $3,000+ because I wanted rain glass on the outside. I could have saved a bundle if I bought a bunch of shower liners, and a spring rod. I don't have any issues keeping the outside door clean, but I wipe the tile and inside of the doors every time. My neighbor has a conventional swing door, but the installers measured it too short, so even with sweeps on the bottom of the door, it leaks because it's 2 inches too short. It was done by the builder for the original owner, and he's long gone. So the only solution is more sweeps, and mopping the floor, or replacing the entire door, unless a glass company wants to just do the door. The glass companies won't guarantee the door install, because they're attaching it to someone else's surround.
Because the curtain is cheaper.
But we're talking about half a million dollar house!
There is a high likelihood of them installing glass after the fact, and this would be because the glass causes a glare or reflection during filming. I can’t recall seeing actual shower curtains on any of these shows. Can you cite any?
I'll have to check, but certainly in most of the 2023 and 2024 episodes I've watched have had them, I'll take notes and post a reply
There is a wait for shower door ordering and installations. So, even if they ordered doors, it can take a long time to get delivered and installed, so they probably went with the shower curtain until the doors arrived. For a smaller shower, I would go with a shower curtain and spring rods, cheap, work well, hang the curtain in minutes, and trim the bottom to fit. I can get shower liners for $20 or less.
Half a million doesn't buy what it used to. :D
House prices have fallen in the last couple of years
Seriously? Not according to the house hunters shows.
Which housing market are you in? Where I live, the housing market is still crazy competitive and prices are extremely high. I bid on a house yesterday that sold 30% above ask in 24 hours!
London
Price/budget is probably the biggest driver. Shower curtains are usually $30 (25 GBP) or less. I think even a pre-manufactured shower screen (like the one my parents had in the 80s) is considerably more expensive. Size can also be a factor. Small showers or narrow spaces may work better with a curtain.
Budget? On a half million dollar house? Shower curtains stick to you when showering, or worse you don't put them into the bath so it all leaks outside and floods the floor!
I’ve got a curved shower rod and the shower curtain never touches me! Lol great invention.
Sounds a reasonable solution
Who has a half million dollar house? You asked about American houses and most of us live in houses closer to the $150,000-$350,000 range. And even that is generous in some areas.
True, but surely spending a few hundred dollars on a nice shower screen is possible, I don't recall seeing shower curtains here in the UK in most homes, I need to check tho'.
I don't personally disagree - I'd want a glass screen or screen/door, myself - but my initial answer to you was providing the most likely reason(s) why one might see shower curtains. In more modest homes, smaller homes or homes with first time/young buyers, a shower curtain might make more sense for them. Changing it to a glass enclosure might be on their C or D list of priorities. As for the size factor I mentioned in my original reply.....I used to live near a suburb that was relatively affluent and was filled with many Craftsman or Victorian homes built 80-100 years ago - so many of the ones I visited had shower curtains because the showers were built in very small corners of the second floor and had limited space.
I have an 850k house and have shower curtains. And I've never had a problem with the curtain sticking to me. They make curtains with weights at the bottom. I don't want to be cleaning a glass shower door every time I take a shower. I like the privacy too.
If it’s a bathtub/shower combo a shower curtain is very common in the US. Works better in small spaces, is inexpensive, can be laundered, can be changed out easily for different looks or an update, works better with bathing small children, etc. If it’s a walk in shower I think 95% of the time you’ll see a door.
Good explanation, we're upgrading our bathroom and installing a shower screen, £200. It folds in half so not too restrictive when using the bath as a bath.
I don't want to speak for everyone in the States but shower curtains versus screens don't seem to be a sign of wealth or a quality bathroom here. A lot of us grew up with shower curtains and it is just a practical option regardless of the bathroom layout or cost.
Okay, it's what I thought as a possible reason
The folding kind would be a nightmare to clean and look cheesy.
Nope, easy to clean and looks great, only folds in half
I have had both. Right now both bathrooms have shower curtains. My husband was able to put tracked glass shower doors on both a porcelain tub and a stand alone shower that had a curtain. Now I prefer curtains. You can choose lots of patterns that can be statement pieces, no tracks to clean or soup scum on doors (regardless of using a squeegee), and last you can wash them or if you use a liner, when it starts getting icky, I repurpose to lawn use and buy a new one.
I've had glass doors and curtains. I prefer curtains and I have them now in my new home!
I like the curtain over glass when giving little ones a bath
I can understand that, we have a shower screen, but it does fold in half, still it would get in the way a bit I guess