News and insights on accessible bathrooms for homes and facilities.
In case you haven’t tuned in yet, the Best Bath Systems YouTube channel is up and running. We have a wide range of videos that cover the full line of safe and accessible showers and walk-in tubs for seniors and those with limited mobility. Watch bathtub and shower installation demonstrations, customer testimonials and informative pieces on independent living and aging in place for families.
You can find our ever-growing collection of videos at: http://www.youtube.com/user/BestBathUSA
Rocky Mountain Manor, an assisted living facility for seniors in Powell, Wyoming, needed a hand. They required funding for a major remodeling project, so they approached the Powell City Council to sponsor a community block grant. Another organization focused on affordable housing, Mountain Spirit Habitat for Humanity, was also in dire need of funds – but there was only enough for one. While Rocky Mountain received the funds, another grant was sought out and, in the end, both organizations got the money they needed to continue to provide quality, affordable living options for area residents in need.
You can read an article about the projects at the Powell Tribune website.
Best Bath Systems is pleased to have been chosen as the supplier of bathroom shower units for the Rocky Mountain Manor. Marla Pierson, Manager of the Manor chose Best Bath showers for their structural integrity, new construction look and visual appeal.
“We didn’t have to build in supports or backing, and the showers provide a system that gives us a long-term fix for bathing,” Pierson explained. Additionally the units included a custom built shower base to align with the drains, saving additional on-site fabrication time and costs. She also commented on the ease of installation, saying “installation, including removal of the existing tub took a day to a day and a half to complete. Two contractors were used in our project of nearly 50 installs and they completed them all well under deadline.”
We came across this handy guide on designing a home that is accessible for people of all abilities. Published by the South East Metro Seniors Agenda for Independent Living in St. Paul, MN, it provides excellent recommendations on site planning, step-free entries, flooring and window choices, and features and specifications for the bathroom, kitchen and other rooms of the house.
For the bathroom, they recommend the following specs:
The guide provides plenty of other tips on how to make bathrooms safe with the right accessories, including grab bars. They recommend reinforcing the walls around the bath and toilet with ¾” plywood panels. Coincidentally, all Best Bath shower surrounds have these plywood panels already built in, saving you that critical step for proper grab bar installations.
Here is a link to the report.
An independent study conducted by RSMeans Company has determined that the installation of Best Bath Systems one-piece roll-in fiberglass shower surrounds takes significantly less time and money than ceramic tile and fiberglass mud set shower surrounds.
RSMeans, a division of Reed Construction Data, is a leading supplier of construction cost and materials pricing information. Developers, architects, engineers and contractors in North America rely on their products and services to project and control the cost of both new construction and renovation projects.
The 2009 study measured the average installation time and labor costs for seven Best Bath Systems one-piece shower surrounds in a continuing care retirement community in Massachusetts. Labor was based on the average wages in 30 major U.S. cities. They determined benchmark average costs of installation at:
Best Bath one-piece roll-in commercial shower surrounds are pre-leveled and require no additional mud set material. Designed for durability with a wood core, fiberglass and a gelcoat surface, they are ideally suited for the bathing needs of hospitals, independent living communities, university dormitories and condominiums where safety and accessibility are of the utmost concern.
Installing ceramic tile surrounds entails hanging cement backer boards, mixing and applying thin set mortar, laying tile, adding reinforced plywood bracing (hidden from view) for safety bars, grouting and grout sealing. Best Bath one-piece surrounds merely require adhesive to secure the unit. Comparing the two by installation time, ceramic surround installation averages 11.75 hours vs. 1.72 hours for the Best Bath surround.
Conventional fiberglass shower assemblies have a cavity that must be filled with a mud set to bond the unit into place. Installation time on average is 2.44 hours or 30% longer than Best Bath, plus the additional material and mixing cost.
Findings of the study revealed that the Best Bath surround installation resulted in a cleaner job site, reduced training costs and easier installation of safe bathing accessories such as shower grab bars and seats at a later date.
Read the complete report by clicking here.
We are pleased to announce that all Best Bath shower products are now backed by a 30 year limited warranty. All showers are manufactured with durable plywood cores, composite materials and tough gelcoat finishes, and are warranted to be free from all manufacturer defects under this expanded 30 year warranty.
“It is incredibly important to us that our customers have the security of knowing that their shower investment is built to last for the life of the building,” stated Jeff Mooney, VP of Sales for Best Bath Systems.
Best Bath commercial products are manufactured to match the life of the building and exceed ANSI standards for strength and durability. They are ideally suited for the bathing needs of private residences, hospitals, independent living communities, and university dormitories where safety and accessibility are of the utmost concern.
All bathing units are designed and manufactured using extremely durable materials. Walls are comprised of six layers. Two layers of composite laminate surround a plywood core. A skin laminate is laid and covered by a barrier coat. The surface is a hard-wearing gelcoat finish. Shower pans are built on a self leveling base and layered with a composite laminate, skin laminate and barrier coat with a gelcoat finish. The plywood reinforcement throughout all walls eliminates the need for additional backing during construction and allows for easy installation of safety grab bars, shower seats and other accessories during installation or at a later date.
Our products are manufactured either as one-piece units, ideal for new construction or as multi-piece units for quick installation in bathroom remodeling projects. All seams are completely waterproof and pre-leveled floors eliminate mud setting and ensure that the building will be safe from water damage.
Prefabricated showers also eliminate the many steps necessary when installing ceramic tile: hanging cement backer boards, applying thin set mortar, laying tile, adding reinforced bracing for safety bars, grouting and grout sealing. Best Bath showers merely require screws, adhesive and, in the case of multi-piece units, a line of caulk at the seams. All installation materials are included with the shower. This significantly reduces labor costs, and virtually eliminates the pitfalls that come with tile surrounds, including grout degradation, difficult safety bar installs and relocation, inadequate floor slopes and unseen water leaks. Gelcoat walls are grout-free, easy to clean and maintain and do not attract dangerous bacterial growth.
To view the complete warranty, click here.
