We get a lot
of people contacting us, here, at American Glass & Mirror, undertaking a
bathroom remodel, who want the modish design of a frameless shower, but don’t
want to invest an exorbitant amount of money in it. I offer these customers a
few simple pieces of advice that can keep prices from ballooning.
First, go with clear glass. It’s drastically less expensive than pattern glass, but that’s just half the story. I can’t tell you how many customers have come to the sobering realization that they want to show off the brilliant tile they’ve lined the shower enclosure with, only AFTER they shelled out for obscure glass (and even after we warned them!) Pattern glass can create an amazing effect, but think long and hard about the end result it will produce in your bathroom.
Second, make
sure walls, seats, and curbs are plumb. Costs can grow considerably when doors
and panels need to account for imprecise framing. Square panels are simpler to
manufacture, so the cost of labor is cheaper and you’ll see that on your end.
Third, keep
fabrication to a minimum. Here again, the less labor intensive the job, the
more you’re going to save. We can help you design your frameless shower to
reduce the number of claps, hinges, etc. that require special notches to be cut
in the glass and drive up cost.
Lastly, use 3/8”
over ½” glass when possible. Customers are often curious whether there are
benefits to one thickness over the other. Mostly, it is a matter of personal
taste. Some people like the look of a thicker panel; others value a lighter
door that requires less effort to swing open. One case, however, where ½”
should be used over 3/8” glass, is when an enclosure contains large panels (45”
to 60” wide), because thicker glass has reduced flexibility and is less
susceptible to roller distortion (a wave-like aberration occasionally found in
very large panels.) Special circumstances aside, if you want to save money on
your frameless glass enclosure, 3/8” is the obvious choice at roughly 20
percent less the price of ½” glass per square foot.
You don’t
need to pawn the toilet in order to afford your ideal shower enclosure. Keep
these valuable tips in mind and you’ll have a unit that was reasonably priced
but looks like a million bucks.
