Shower Over Bath Ideas: The Best of Both Worlds for Your Bathroom

Why a shower over bath might be perfect for your bathroom

A lot of Australian bathrooms are a bit on the small side. And if you have only got one bathroom in your house (kids need baths, parents just need a shower), that shower bath combination looks a lot more like a smart option than a compromise. It has two functions in one space, the little ones can have their bath, you can have your shower in the morning and nobody fights over the fixtures. If your house has a single bathroom, for example under 6 square metres, it is the only way you can fit both and not have it feel cramped. One set of plumbing connections costs less than two, which makes sense when you are renovating on a budget and costs keep skyrocketing once you start picking out the tiles.

Choosing your setup: screen options, curtains and bath shapes

A screen changes your whole experience for the shower over bath. A fixed, frameless glass panel is the most popular solution at the moment, keeps the water inside without making you feel boxed in. Shower screen components start at $130 and can go up to $2,550, it all depends on whether you choose a framed, semi-frameless or a full frameless option.
Shower curtains are the more budget-friendly solution. A good quality, weighted shower curtain that runs along a curved shower rod is perfectly practical but much cheaper than a glass panel. The problem is with longevity, curtains get worn out, they get mouldy and they do not always look as finished.
If we are talking shower over bath ideas, bath shape makes all the difference to what you pick. A regular rectangular shaped bath is a solid choice, flat bottom, straight sides and predictable water flow. Corner shaped bathtubs start from $958 and range up to $2,085 and they are harder to fit a shower over (angled walls make the shower screen trickier to install), but that does not mean it cannot be done with the right setup.

Bath sizing and what works best with a shower overhead

Size does matter. Ideally you are after at least 1500 mm in length, that is the shortest a bath can be and still be practical to bathe in, and you will need at least 700 mm in width to be able to stand up and have a shower. It feels more like a phone booth than a shower in anything smaller than this.
A flat-based bath is necessary for shower use. Some beautifully sculpted shaped tubs that look lovely for soaking are incredibly dangerous when you are trying to stand up under a running shower. Anti-slip mats or surfaces are worth every single cent. I see bathroom shower ideas on the internet that have a bath with a contoured base, they look fabulous up to the point where a person has to stand in one of them.
Drop-in bathtubs range from $312 to $1,184 so they are the most affordable option. Back to wall bathtubs are priced at $938 to $2,085 and have a clean modern look, as one side of the bath is flush against the wall with flat edges.

Installation, waterproofing and the details that matter

This is where shower over bath ideas go from idea to reality. One of the major points, the National Construction Code requires that all of the shower walls must be waterproofed to at least 1800 mm from the bottom of the substrate (NCC 2022, ABCB Housing Provisions, Part 10.2). The code specifies that a bath does not need to be waterproofed above 150 mm from the rim of the bath (NCC 2022, ABCB Housing Provisions, Part 10.2), but this is only required if you are using it as a bath. If you use it as a shower you would have to meet the higher standard. The waterproofer is the one to put on the membrane. It is not something you can DIY anywhere in Australia and is not worth failing on, in terms of water damage, mould problems and ripping the whole bathroom out.
If you are considering the scenario where the bath will double as a shower, then think about tap placement carefully. Wall-mounted mixers located higher up, so that controls are within reach for both sitting in the bath as well as standing in the shower. Twin rail showers ($269 to $1,784) allow you to have both a fixed overhead as well as a handheld, which can be handy for kids and cleaning the bath. Make sure to check the profile of the shower bath tubs you are looking at fits your desired shower glass screen before purchasing.

Making a shower-over-bath setup look intentional (not cramped)

There are three key design decisions that need to be made if you want your shower over bath to be considered and not a makeshift situation. The first thing is the screen. A glass screen that is frameless says planned. A framed shower screen that has aluminium frames around the top and the bottom says that it was planned on a budget, even if it does exactly what it needs to.
Secondly is considering the continuity of tiles. If you have the choice, to use the same tile from floor to ceiling on the bath wall will give a really smooth finish and a feeling of spaciousness. Anything else that breaks up tiles at bath height tells you it was the shower that came last.
Lastly is the vanity. A wall-hung vanity will give you a clean look as well as allow easy cleaning beneath. If you are working with a smallish compact corner tub then you could pair this up with a bathroom drawer vanity to make sure they balance in terms of scale. Wall-hung vanities range from $50 to $2,828 depending on size and style. In a bath vs shower debate, the combination does offer the best of both.

References

National Construction Code 2022, ABCB Housing Provisions, Part 10.2 Wet Areas