Shower Types for Boise Bathroom Remodels
The shower is the centerpiece of modern bathroom design, and the type you choose shapes daily function, accessibility, comfort, budget, and resale value for decades. This is an in-depth Treasure Valley guide to every common shower configuration — with honest Boise pricing, glass and base options, waterproofing that matters in Idaho, and the mistakes we see most often.
Whether you are replacing a worn-out tub/shower combo, building a luxury primary suite, or planning an aging-in-place renovation, the shower you choose defines the bathroom experience long after the remodel is done. In the Boise metro, shower selection is shaped by factors specific to Idaho: hard water that drives glass maintenance reality, cold and exceptionally dry winters that make steam genuinely useful, smaller bathroom footprints in mid-century Bench and Vista-area homes, and a fast-growing 65-and-older population across the Treasure Valley that increasingly wants curbless, accessible design.
At Iron Crest Remodel we install every configuration below — open walk-ins, curbless and wet rooms, alcove, corner and neo-angle units, tub/shower combos, and steam showers — in homes from the North End to Eagle, Meridian, Kuna, Nampa, and Caldwell. This guide breaks down each type with real sizing, honest cost ranges, enclosure and base options, the waterproofing that protects your investment, and the mistakes we most want you to avoid. For the broader project, see our bathroom remodeling and shower remodeling overviews, and if you are weighing a tub against a shower, the walk-in shower vs. bathtub comparison goes deeper on that decision.
Every price in this guide is a planning range based on Iron Crest Remodel project data for the Boise metro and should be treated as a starting point, not a quote. Your actual figure depends on bathroom size, material selections, plumbing scope, and site conditions, and is established in writing only after a free in-home estimate.
The walk-in shower is the single most requested upgrade in Treasure Valley bathroom remodels. In its purest form it is a doorless, walk-around layout: a fixed glass return panel and a generous opening with no swinging door at all. The wet zone is contained by geometry and a careful drain location rather than by a fully enclosed box.
Sizing & Dimensions
A doorless walk-in needs more length than a glass-enclosed shower because there is no door to stop overspray — we plan for at least a 60″ run from the showerhead wall to the open entry, with the head aimed away from the opening. A 36″ × 60″ footprint is the practical floor; 42–48″ × 60–72″ is the comfortable, splash-controlled standard. In Boise homes built in the 1990s and early 2000s, converting a 60″ tub alcove to an open walk-in usually keeps the existing footprint length but trades the tub deck for a wider, deeper wet area.
Key Features & Options
- No door to clean, replace, or trip over — the lowest-maintenance enclosure long term
- Wider opening makes the bathroom read larger and improves daily access
- Fixed glass return panel controls most overspray without a swinging door
- Showerhead and control valve positioned away from the open entry by design
- Pairs naturally with a linear drain set against the back or side wall
- Works with a low curb or a true curbless threshold depending on framing
Treasure Valley Insight: Open walk-ins are popular in North End, Boise Bench, Southeast Boise, and Harris Ranch remodels where homeowners want a hotel-style look. The trade-off Treasure Valley clients should hear honestly: a doorless layout sheds a little heat and is slightly cooler in the colder months than a fully enclosed shower. We compensate with showerhead placement, a deeper wet zone, and sometimes a partial glass wing rather than a full door.
A curbless shower removes the threshold entirely so the bathroom floor flows uninterrupted into the shower. It is the most impactful aging-in-place change you can make to a bathroom, and it is the layout we install most often for Treasure Valley homeowners planning to stay in their home through retirement.
Sizing & Dimensions
Curbless designs need room to manage water without a curb. We plan a minimum 36″ × 60″ wet area, and 48″ × 72″ or larger when a wheelchair turning radius (a 60″ circle) or a caregiver matters. The shower floor — and usually a transition strip of the bathroom floor — must pitch to the drain at roughly 1/4″ per foot. On a wood-framed Boise house that almost always means recessing or building down the joist bay so the finished tile sits flush with the rest of the room rather than on a hump.
Key Features & Options
- Continuous floor plane — nothing to step over for walkers, wheelchairs, or unsteady feet
- Linear or trench drain at the back wall allows a single-direction floor pitch
- Large-format or mosaic tile sized so the slope reads flat to the eye
- Often combined with a fold-down or built-in bench and blocking for grab bars
- Can integrate a small flush transition or a 1/2″ flexible water dam at the entry
- Compatible with electric radiant floor mats to take the chill off Idaho tile
Treasure Valley Insight: Idaho's 65-and-older population is the fastest-growing age group in the Treasure Valley, and many long-time Meridian, Eagle, and Boise owners remodel specifically to avoid moving. The honest engineering note: curbless only stays dry if the slope and drain are right, which is why this layout costs more than a curbed walk-in — the extra money is structural and waterproofing labor, not finish.
An alcove shower sits in a three-walled recess with a single glass wall and door (or a curtain) on the open side. It is the most common shower footprint in Boise tract and starter homes because it reuses the existing tub alcove, which keeps plumbing and framing changes — and cost — down.
Sizing & Dimensions
The classic alcove is 60″ × 30–36″, taken straight from a removed tub. A 60″ × 36″ alcove is noticeably more comfortable than 60″ × 30″ and is our default recommendation when the wall can move a few inches into a closet or hallway. Because three walls already exist, an alcove conversion is the fastest and lowest-risk shower remodel for most Treasure Valley homes.
Key Features & Options
- Reuses the existing tub recess — minimal framing and plumbing relocation
- Single glass panel and door, sliding bypass doors, or a simple curtain rod
- Niche fits cleanly between studs on the back or end wall
- Tiled pan or a drop-in acrylic / solid-surface base both work well here
- Lowest-cost path from a dated tub/shower combo to a modern shower
- Easy to add a corner bench or a fold-down seat on the dry end
Treasure Valley Insight: For Meridian, Kuna, Nampa, and Caldwell homes built during the 2000s growth boom, the alcove conversion is the workhorse remodel: predictable scope, predictable price, strong everyday function. If this is the home's only full bath, weigh the resale conversation under “Should I keep a tub?” below before removing the last bathtub.
A corner shower tucks into the junction of two walls with two glass sides forming the enclosure — often with a square, pentagon, or neo-angle footprint. It is the go-to layout for small Boise bathrooms, powder-room-to-three-quarter conversions, and basement baths where floor space is the binding constraint.
Sizing & Dimensions
Functional corner units start around 36″ × 36″; 42″ × 42″ or 48″ × 36″ is far more livable and is what we steer clients toward whenever the walls allow. Below 36″ the shower technically works but feels tight and the door swing eats into the room. Corner showers are especially efficient in Boise's older Bench and Vista-area homes where bathrooms were sized small by 1950s–1970s standards.
Key Features & Options
- Smallest practical footprint — recovers floor area in tight bathrooms
- Two glass walls with a pivot, bypass, or round sliding door
- Square, diamond (corner-set), or pentagon base configurations
- Custom tiled corner pan or a prefab corner acrylic base
- Pairs well with a compact vanity — see our vanity types guide
- Door can be hinged to swing out so the small interior stays usable
Treasure Valley Insight: In compact Treasure Valley bathrooms the corner shower frequently makes the difference between fitting a real shower or not. We frequently spec it alongside a floating or 24–30″ vanity to keep the walking path open — the layout trade-offs are covered in our bathroom layouts guide.
A neo-angle is a specialized corner shower with an angled (clipped) front face and a door on the diagonal. The five-sided footprint pushes the door opening away from the corner, which buys usable interior room and a more open entry than a plain square corner unit in the same wall space.
Sizing & Dimensions
Neo-angle bases are commonly 36–48″ on each wall leg with a 36″-ish wide diagonal door. The angled face needs clear floor space in front for the door swing, so we confirm fixture and vanity clearances before committing. This is a precision-fit layout — the glass is effectively custom to the framed opening, so accurate site measurement matters more than with a standard alcove.
Key Features & Options
- Angled front face creates a wider, more inviting entry in a corner
- More interior elbow room than a square corner unit of equal wall length
- Frameless or semi-frameless glass shows off the geometry
- Custom tiled neo-angle pan or a matched acrylic base
- Good fit for mid-size bathrooms that cannot give up a full wall
- Door typically swings outward to preserve interior space
Treasure Valley Insight: Neo-angle works well in Eagle, Star, and southwest Boise homes with mid-size bathrooms where a full alcove would crowd the vanity but the owner still wants a generous-feeling shower. Because the glass is essentially bespoke, we order it only after the substrate is built and field-measured — a detail that protects the hard-water coating warranty discussed below.
The tub/shower combo pairs a bathtub with a wall-mounted showerhead behind a curtain or glass. It remains the right answer for kids' baths, guest baths, and any home that needs to protect resale by keeping at least one functional tub. It is also the most budget-friendly shower remodel in the Treasure Valley.
Sizing & Dimensions
Standard combos fit a 60″ × 30–32″ alcove — the most common tub opening in Boise homes — so a like-for-like replacement involves minimal plumbing change. A deeper soaking tub can be substituted within the same alcove for a more luxurious bath without moving walls.
Key Features & Options
- Acrylic, fiberglass, or cast-iron tub options
- Surround in acrylic panels, solid surface, or full tile
- Sliding bypass glass doors or a curtain rod
- Single-handle or thermostatic valve with tub spout diverter
- In-wall blocking for current or future grab bars
- Lowest-cost configuration that still preserves a bathtub
Treasure Valley Insight: In the Boise resale market a home with no bathtub at all can sit longer and draw lower offers. The common Iron Crest recommendation: build the walk-in or curbless shower you want in the primary bath, and keep one well-finished tub/shower combo in a secondary bath. Families in Meridian, Star, and Kuna almost always keep the combo in the kids' bathroom for practical daily use.
A wet room treats the entire bathroom — or a fully tiled, fully waterproofed zone of it — as a shower. There is no enclosure box; the floor pitches to a drain and the room itself is detailed to get wet. It is the most design-forward and the most waterproofing-intensive layout we build.
Sizing & Dimensions
A true wet room requires whole-room (or whole-zone) waterproofing and a continuous floor slope, so it is best planned at the studs during a full bathroom remodel rather than retrofitted. A single glass splash panel is usually added to keep the vanity and entry door area drier even though it is not strictly required. Wet rooms reward larger primary baths; in a small bathroom the simpler answer is usually a curbless shower, not a full wet room.
Key Features & Options
- Whole-zone waterproof membrane — floor, lower walls, and transitions
- Floor pitched to a linear or point drain with no curb anywhere
- Optional single fixed glass panel to shield the vanity and toilet
- Wall-hung toilet and floating vanity simplify floor cleaning and waterproofing
- Maximum accessibility — nothing to step over, anywhere
- Strong fit for spa-style primary suites and luxury Treasure Valley builds
Treasure Valley Insight: Wet rooms are still a niche choice in the Boise market — striking and accessible, but they demand flawless membrane work and realistic expectations about everything in the room getting humid. We are candid with Treasure Valley clients: a wet room is a commitment to detailing discipline, not just a look.
A steam shower is a fully sealed enclosure with a dedicated steam generator that fills the space with therapeutic vapor. It is a long-term-owner luxury feature, and Boise's cold, very dry winters make it one of the more genuinely useful upgrades in the high end of the range.
Sizing & Dimensions
Steam showers should be as compact as practical — a 36″ × 48″ to 48″ × 60″ footprint keeps generator size, heat-up time, and operating cost reasonable. The ceiling should stay at or below 8 feet and be sloped (about 1″ per foot) so condensation runs to a wall instead of dripping on the user. Every one of the six surfaces is sealed and vapor-protected; there is no “mostly enclosed” steam shower.
Key Features & Options
- Steam generator, typically 7–12 kW for residential enclosures
- Fully sealed enclosure with a continuous vapor barrier on all six surfaces
- Sloped, fully tiled ceiling to control condensation drip
- Digital control for temperature, session timer, and auto-flush
- Optional aromatherapy and chromatherapy
- Porcelain or natural stone only — no moisture-sensitive finishes
Treasure Valley Insight: From November through March, Treasure Valley indoor humidity routinely drops into the teens, and a steam shower's warm, humid air is real relief from that dryness. Installation needs a dedicated 240V circuit and a cold-water feed to the generator; we typically locate the generator in an adjacent closet, vanity cabinet, or attic space within roughly 25 feet of the enclosure. It adds value in the luxury segment but is not expected in mid-range Boise homes.
The enclosure is the most visible decision in a shower remodel and the one most affected by Boise's hard water. Glass type drives both the look and the long-term maintenance reality, so we walk every Treasure Valley client through these trade-offs before anything is ordered.
Frameless Glass
Thick 3/8″ or 1/2″ tempered glass with no perimeter metal — just minimal hinges, clips, and a header bar where needed. It is the cleanest, most premium look and the easiest large surface to wipe down. The honest trade-offs for Boise: it is the most expensive glass option, it must be field-measured to the finished tile (not ordered ahead), and bare glass shows hard-water spotting fastest without a protective coating.
Semi-Frameless Glass
A light metal frame on the fixed panel with a frameless-style door, or thinner glass (typically 1/4″) with selective framing. It captures most of the open look at a meaningfully lower price than full frameless and is the value sweet spot for many Treasure Valley primary baths.
Framed Glass
Fully framed, thinner glass — the most economical and structurally forgiving option, and the easiest to fit to walls that are slightly out of plumb (common in older Bench and North End homes). The frame channels do collect water and need routine cleaning, and the look is more traditional than the frameless trend.
Glass Coatings & Hard-Water Reality
Treasure Valley tap water is hard, and that is the single most important shower-glass fact for Boise homeowners. Untreated glass develops mineral spotting and, over years, etching that no cleaner fully removes. A factory or shop-applied coating (such as EnduroShield or Diamon-Fusion) makes the surface hydrophobic so most water sheds before it can spot — it does not eliminate cleaning, it reduces it. Coatings wear and are renewable. We tell clients plainly: a daily squeegee plus a coating keeps frameless glass looking new; neither alone is a permanent fix.
Below the tile and glass, the base is where waterproofing risk and cost are decided. There is no single right answer — a custom tiled pan and a quality molded base each win in different situations, and we recommend honestly based on your layout and budget rather than defaulting to the most expensive option.
Tiled Shower Pan (Mud Bed or Sloped Foam Tray)
A site-built pan: either a traditional mortar mud bed or a pre-sloped foam tray (Kerdi-Tray, GoBoard-style), waterproofed and finished with the tile of your choice. It allows any drain location, any size, linear drains, curbless transitions, and a fully custom look. It is more labor and more cost than a prefab base, and the result depends entirely on the slope and membrane being executed correctly.
Acrylic / Solid-Surface Base
A factory-molded base in a fixed size with the slope and drain location built in. It installs faster, costs less, is warm and quiet underfoot, and removes a major waterproofing variable because the pan itself is the waterproof surface. The trade-offs: limited sizes and drain positions, fewer color and texture options, and it cannot do a true custom curbless transition the way a tiled pan can. For alcove and corner conversions on a budget, a quality solid-surface base is often the smarter choice — we recommend it without hesitation when it fits the layout.
The following table reflects typical installed costs for shower projects in the Boise metro area as of 2026. Ranges include demolition, waterproofing, tile, glass, fixtures, and labor. Material upgrades, structural modifications, and plumbing relocation move a project toward the higher end of each range.
| Shower Type | Cost Range | Typical Timeline | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tub/Shower Combo | $3,500 – $9,000 | 3 – 6 days | Kids' baths, guest baths, resale protection |
| Alcove Shower | $5,500 – $13,000 | 5 – 8 days | Tub-to-shower conversions, predictable scope |
| Corner Shower | $5,500 – $14,000 | 5 – 9 days | Small baths, basement & half-bath conversions |
| Neo-Angle Shower | $6,500 – $15,000 | 6 – 10 days | Mid-size baths that cannot lose a full wall |
| Walk-In (Open / Doorless) | $6,000 – $16,000 | 6 – 12 days | Primary baths, modern open aesthetic |
| Curbless / Zero-Entry | $10,000 – $24,000 | 8 – 14 days | Aging-in-place, accessible design |
| Wet Room | $14,000 – $30,000+ | 12 – 20 days | Spa primary suites, full accessibility |
| Steam Shower | $12,000 – $28,000+ | 12 – 20 days | Long-term owners, luxury wellness |
All figures are planning estimates based on Iron Crest Remodel's 2026 project data for the Boise metro area. Actual pricing depends on bathroom size, material selections, plumbing scope, and site conditions. Request a free in-home estimate for a detailed quote tailored to your project.
Every shower type involves trade-offs. The right choice depends on who uses the bathroom, your budget, your accessibility needs, and how long you plan to stay in your Treasure Valley home.
Walk-In / Open (Doorless)
Advantages
- Lowest long-term maintenance — no door hardware or track
- Makes the bathroom feel larger and more open
- Highly customizable tile, glass, and fixture layout
- Strong resale appeal in updated Boise primary baths
Considerations
- Sheds heat — slightly cooler in Idaho winters than an enclosed shower
- Needs more length to control overspray than an enclosed shower
- Removes the tub if it replaces the home's only bathtub
Curbless / Wet Room
Advantages
- Full walker and wheelchair access — nothing to step over
- Eliminates the leading bathroom fall hazard (the tub/curb step)
- Sleek continuous floor plane and rising resale demand
- Future-proofs the home for aging in place
Considerations
- Highest cost — structural and waterproofing labor, not finish
- Dryness depends entirely on correct slope and drain placement
- Best planned at the studs, not retrofitted
Alcove / Corner / Neo-Angle
Advantages
- Most cost-effective path from a dated tub combo to a modern shower
- Reuses existing framing and plumbing — predictable scope
- Corner and neo-angle recover floor space in small baths
- Works with budget acrylic bases or fully custom tiled pans
Considerations
- Less dramatic than an open walk-in or wet room
- Smaller footprints can feel tight if undersized to save money
- Neo-angle glass is essentially custom and must be field-measured
Tub/Shower Combo
Advantages
- Preserves a bathtub for children, soaking, and resale
- Lowest-cost shower remodel in the Treasure Valley
- Fits the standard 60″ alcove with minimal structural work
- Wide range of surround options from budget to premium
Considerations
- Less visually impactful than a walk-in or curbless layout
- Stepping over the tub wall is a fall risk for older adults
- Limited customization compared to a built shower
Steam Shower
Advantages
- Genuine relief from dry Idaho winter air
- Spa-quality wellness routine at home
- Compact — does not require a large bathroom
- Differentiates a home in the luxury segment
Considerations
- Among the highest-cost options
- Needs a dedicated 240V circuit and generator location
- Ongoing generator maintenance and auto-flush care
- Sealed box cannot double as an open bathing space
Waterproofing is the most critical — and most invisible — component of any shower installation. Once tile is set, the membrane behind it is inaccessible. A failure means mold, structural rot, and a costly tear-out. In Idaho's dry climate, moisture that penetrates behind tile dries extremely slowly, so a small defect becomes hidden damage instead of something that quietly air-dries. This is why we never value-engineer the waterproofing system on any shower type, from a basic alcove to a full wet room.
Sheet Membrane (Schluter Kerdi-style)
A polyethylene sheet membrane bonded to the substrate with unmodified thinset, with integrated components for corners, seams, niches, benches, and drains. It creates a continuous, crack-bridging barrier and needs no cure time before tiling, which shortens the project. It is our preferred system for curbless, wet room, and steam showers where the waterproofing has to be flawless and continuous across complex transitions.
- Continuous barrier with integrated corner, seam, and drain pieces
- No cure time — tile can be set the same day
- Strong system warranty when installed as a complete assembly
- Our default for curbless, wet room, and steam enclosures
Liquid Membrane (RedGard-style)
A liquid-applied membrane rolled or sprayed onto cement backer board in two coats. Color-change products shift from pink to red when properly cured, giving a visual confirmation of coverage thickness. It conforms easily to irregular surfaces, is more economical than sheet systems, and is widely accepted by Treasure Valley inspectors — a reliable choice for many alcove, corner, and standard walk-in showers.
- Lower material cost than sheet membranes
- Conforms easily to irregular surfaces and complex geometry
- Color-change indicator confirms proper application thickness
- Readily available throughout the Boise metro area
Substrate & Slope: Why It Decides Everything
The substrate is the surface the membrane bonds to. Cement backer board (Durock, HardieBacker) is the proven, economical standard and requires a separate membrane over it. Foam board (Kerdi-Board, GoBoard-style) is lightweight, waterproof by nature, and can serve as substrate and waterproofing in one step — excellent for niches, benches, and curbs. Both are accepted by Boise-area inspectors; the choice is project-driven.
Slope is the other half of the equation. Every shower floor must pitch to the drain at a minimum of 1/4″ per foot. For curbless layouts and wet rooms, that slope has to extend across the entire wet zone and transition smoothly to the bathroom floor — which is why those layouts require recessing the floor structure during framing rather than building up on top of it. We verify slope with a level at multiple points before any membrane or tile goes in.
After years of Treasure Valley shower projects, the same avoidable regrets come up again and again. None of these are about spending more — they are about spending in the right place. Here are the ones we most want clients to hear before the first wall comes down.
Undersizing the shower to save a few hundred dollars
The most common regret we hear in the Treasure Valley is a shower that is technically code-legal but feels cramped every day for the next 20 years. The cost difference between a 32″ and a 36–42″ shower is usually a small fraction of the project, but the daily-life difference is enormous. Size for comfort first, then trim finish if the budget needs it.
Choosing frameless glass without planning for hard water
Boise water will spot untreated frameless glass quickly, and homeowners who were not told this are unhappy within months. The fix is not avoiding frameless — it is budgeting for a glass coating and committing to a daily squeegee. We raise this before the glass is ordered, not after.
Treating waterproofing as a place to cut corners
The membrane is invisible once tile is set, which makes it tempting to economize. It is also the one failure that means a full tear-out. We never value-engineer the waterproofing system; we value-engineer finishes instead.
Attempting a curbless or wet room as a quick retrofit
Curbless layouts depend on recessing the floor structure and a continuous slope. Done as an afterthought on top of an existing subfloor, you get a hump, a lip, or water that escapes the zone. Curbless is a design decision made at the framing stage.
Forgetting blocking for grab bars and a future bench
Adding in-wall blocking during the remodel costs very little; adding a grab bar later into tile and unknown framing is expensive and ugly. Even clients who do not want grab bars today should have us install blocking — it is the cheapest insurance in the whole project.
Picking a niche or bench location without the framing in mind
A niche should land in a stud bay and stay clear of plumbing; a bench has to be structurally tied in and waterproofed as part of the pan, not added on. These are framed in before tile, not improvised — deciding late forces compromises.
Honest answers to the questions Treasure Valley homeowners ask most about shower types, costs, glass, waterproofing, and installation.
What is the most popular shower type in Boise bathroom remodels?
The open or doorless walk-in shower is by far the most requested layout for Treasure Valley primary bathrooms. Homeowners are consistently converting dated tub/shower combos into spacious walk-in showers with frameless or semi-frameless glass, custom tile, and modern fixtures. For everyday family and guest baths, the tub/shower combo and the alcove conversion remain the practical, budget-conscious favorites. The right answer depends on the room and who uses it — we walk every client through this during a free in-home estimate.
What is the difference between a curbless shower and a wet room?
A curbless shower is still a defined shower area — usually with a glass panel — that simply has no threshold to step over, with the floor pitched to a drain inside that zone. A wet room treats the whole bathroom (or a large zone of it) as a waterproofed, drainable space with no enclosure box at all. Curbless is the more common and more economical accessible solution in Boise; a wet room is a design-forward, more waterproofing-intensive choice best planned during a full down-to-the-studs remodel.
Which shower type is best for a small Boise bathroom?
For a genuinely small bathroom, a corner or neo-angle shower usually recovers the most usable floor space, and a curbless layout can make a tight room feel larger because the floor reads as one continuous plane. We size the shower as generously as the walls allow — even a few inches matter — and often pair it with a compact or floating vanity. Layout trade-offs by room size are covered in our bathroom layouts guide.
How much does a curbless (zero-entry) shower cost in the Treasure Valley?
A curbless shower in the Boise area typically runs about $10,000 to $24,000 depending on size, tile, and complexity. It costs more than a curbed walk-in because the added money is structural and waterproofing labor — recessing or building down the floor framing and waterproofing the entire wet zone and transition — not fancier finishes. Every figure on this page is a planning range; your written quote comes from a free in-home estimate.
Why does shower glass spot so badly in Boise, and what can be done?
Treasure Valley tap water is hard, so minerals left behind as water evaporates create spotting and, over years, permanent etching on untreated glass. The practical mitigation is a hydrophobic glass coating (such as EnduroShield or Diamon-Fusion) applied at the factory or shop, combined with a daily squeegee. The coating makes most water sheet off before it can spot and is renewable as it wears. We are candid that this reduces cleaning rather than eliminating it — no glass treatment makes hard water disappear.
Should I choose a tiled shower pan or an acrylic / solid-surface base?
A tiled pan allows any size, any drain location, linear drains, and a true curbless transition, with a fully custom look — but it is more labor and the result depends on correct slope and membrane work. A molded acrylic or solid-surface base installs faster, costs less, is warm underfoot, and removes a major waterproofing variable because the pan is the waterproof surface. For many alcove and corner conversions a quality solid-surface base is the smarter value; for custom walk-in and curbless designs a tiled pan is usually required.
What waterproofing system do you use, and why does it matter in Idaho?
Every shower we build gets a code-compliant membrane behind the tile — commonly a Schluter Kerdi sheet system or a liquid-applied membrane such as RedGard, selected to the project. It matters more than people expect in Idaho because our dry climate means any moisture that gets behind tile dries extremely slowly, so a small membrane defect becomes hidden rot and mold rather than something that quietly air-dries. Waterproofing is the one part of a shower we never value-engineer.
Sheet membrane or liquid membrane — which is better?
Both are reliable when installed correctly. Sheet membrane (Kerdi-style) bonds a continuous polyethylene barrier with integrated corner, seam, and drain pieces and needs no cure time before tiling, which is why we favor it for curbless, wet room, and steam showers. Liquid membrane (RedGard-style) is rolled on in two coats, conforms easily to irregular shapes, and is more economical. The deciding factors are geometry, schedule, and budget — we recommend the right one per project rather than defaulting to one for everything.
Where should the niche, bench, and grab bars go?
A shower niche should sit in a clear stud bay away from plumbing, at a height that suits the primary user (we often set it slightly lower for everyday reach). A bench must be structurally framed and waterproofed as part of the pan, not bolted on afterward. Grab bars require solid in-wall blocking placed before tile — we install blocking even when clients do not want bars yet, because it is inexpensive now and costly to retrofit later.
What shower valve and fixture types do you install?
We install pressure-balancing valves as a baseline and thermostatic valves where clients want precise, scald-protected temperature control or a multi-function shower with several outlets running at once. Common fixture configurations include a single wall-mounted head, a fixed head plus a handheld on a slide bar (the most flexible everyday setup and a strong aging-in-place choice), rain heads, and body-spray systems. Multiple simultaneous outlets require the plumbing and water heater to support the combined flow — we confirm that during design rather than after.
Do I really need to keep a bathtub somewhere in my home?
In the Boise resale market, a home with no bathtub at all tends to sit longer and draw lower offers, and many buyers with young children consider a tub essential. The common Iron Crest recommendation is to build the walk-in or curbless shower you want in the primary bath and keep one well-finished tub/shower combo in a secondary bath. If the home has only one full bathroom, talk through the resale trade-off with us before removing the last tub.
Is a steam shower worth it in the Treasure Valley?
If you will stay in the home long term and value a daily wellness routine, a steam shower delivers real benefit here — Boise winter indoor humidity often falls into the teens, and the warm, humid air is genuine relief. It is a luxury-segment feature: it adds value in higher-end homes but is not expected in mid-range Boise houses, and it requires a dedicated 240V circuit, a sealed enclosure, and ongoing generator care. We give an honest read on payback for your specific situation during the estimate.
How long does a shower remodel take, and how disruptive is it?
Most shower-only projects in the Boise area run roughly 3 to 14 working days depending on type — a like-for-like tub/shower combo on the short end, a custom curbless or wet room on the long end — plus tile and waterproofing cure windows where applicable. Timelines on this page are typical planning ranges, not guarantees; your project schedule is set in writing after a free in-home estimate.
Are your shower installations licensed, warrantied, and guaranteed?
Yes. Iron Crest Remodeling Group LLC (Iron Crest Remodel) is licensed and insured in Idaho, registered contractor RCE-6681702, and every shower we install is backed by a 5-year workmanship warranty in addition to manufacturer product warranties. Estimates are free and performed in your home so the scope, materials, and price reflect your actual bathroom. Call (208) 779-5551, Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM.
Your shower type works in concert with the rest of the bathroom. These companion guides go deeper on the decisions that surround it.
Vanity Types
Stock, semi-custom, and custom vanity options with Boise pricing.
Learn MoreBathroom Layouts
Layout configurations by bathroom size and function.
Learn MoreWalk-In Shower vs. Bathtub
The tub-versus-shower decision, with Boise resale context.
Learn MoreShower Remodeling Service
Our full shower remodeling service overview and process.
Learn MoreExplore the rest of our bathroom planning resources, see where we work, and find out how to get a free in-home estimate for your shower project.
Bathroom Remodeling
Full bathroom remodel service overview
Shower Remodeling
Our dedicated shower remodeling service
Walk-In Shower vs. Bathtub
Which makes sense for your Boise home
Bathroom Layouts
Plan the floor plan around your shower
Guides Library
All Iron Crest remodeling planning guides
Areas We Serve
Treasure Valley communities we work in
Get a Free Estimate
Request your personalized shower quote
Contact Iron Crest Remodel
Call (208) 779-5551, Mon–Fri 7 AM–6 PM
The following government agencies, industry organizations, and official resources provide additional information relevant to your remodeling project.
Ready to Choose the Right Shower?
Schedule a free in-home consultation and we will help you choose the shower type, glass, and base that fit your Treasure Valley home and budget. Licensed and insured, RCE-6681702, with a 5-year workmanship warranty.