A bathroom remodel is one of the most data-rich projects a homeowner can take on. A 2023 survey of nearly 2,000 homeowners who were planning, mid-way through, or just finishing a bathroom renovation provides hard numbers on where the money goes: shower space leads the list, followed by bigger footprints, water-saving fixtures, and layouts that work for every age and ability. Those figures translate into usable benchmarks for square footage, feature preferences, and budget priorities, whether the project is a full gut or a fixture swap. Before committing to a floor plan, review how accessible bathroom design and construction handles door widths, turning radius, and grab-bar placement, because those choices become expensive to reverse once plumbing is set. The sections below walk through the survey numbers and turn them into practical guidance for a shower-first remodel.
What the Bathroom Remodel Survey Shows
The study covered owners at every stage of a renovation, which makes it more useful than a preference poll: respondents reported what they actually built, not what they admired. The headline pattern is a shift toward larger, simpler wet areas and away from decorative extras. Owners enlarged primary bathrooms, grew their showers, and spent the savings on fixtures that use less water and electricity.
The survey also asked what triggered the work. Worn fixtures, outdated finishes, and changing household needs all ranked as common reasons, and buyers often renovate before listing while owners renovate for themselves. Knowing the trigger helps set scope: a pre-sale refresh rarely needs the same plumbing moves as a forever-home remodel.
Key findings at a glance
Six numbers drive most planning conversations, and they hold up across regions and budget levels.
| Upgrade | Share of homeowners |
|---|---|
| Enlarged primary bathroom | 22% |
| Primary bathroom at 100 sq ft or more after remodel | 59% |
| Increased shower square footage | 61% |
| Shower size up more than 50% | 20% |
| Chose at least one sustainable option | 87% |
| Added universal design elements | 66% |
Reading the numbers like a contractor
For builders, the survey explains the current demand for bigger wet areas and lower-threshold entries. Surface choice drives both cost and schedule, which is why many remodelers specify grout-free engineered stone shower panels: large-format panels install in a fraction of the time tile requires and remove most of the waterproofing risk from the job. Material selection belongs in the budget conversation early, because it changes labor hours more than it changes the look.
Where the Extra Bathroom Space Comes From
Owners who enlarged primary bathrooms did not add square footage to the house; they borrowed it from the rooms next door. Closets gave up the most space at 44%, bedrooms followed at 24%, and hallways contributed 7%. Each source comes with different trade-offs in framing, finishes, and cost, and the choice affects the construction sequence as much as the final floor plan.
Sourcing square footage without moving the house
- Walk-in closet: the easiest conversion, one partition wall and no window changes.
- Bedroom: needs relocated framing, insulation, and often a new header over the opening.
- Hallway: widens the bath but shrinks circulation space and may require moving a door.
What a larger footprint costs in construction terms
Renovation surveys consistently show that practical upgrades prevail over luxury add-ons, and this study repeats the pattern: owners traded closet storage for a larger shower rather than adding a second tub or a sauna. The dollars follow the same logic. Pulling space from a closet means one partition wall, patched flooring, and extended plumbing lines, while a bedroom conversion adds framing, insulation, and a structural header.
Expect the plumbing rough-in to drive the critical path in either case, because supply and drain lines have to be repositioned before any finish work begins. A toilet that moves more than a few feet needs a new vent and drain rework, and a relocated shower trap changes the floor build-up. Budget for the unseen work behind the walls, not just the square footage gained.
Shower Styles and Features Homeowners Pick
Shower configuration is the first decision in a bathroom remodel because it sets the floor plan. The survey found four dominant layouts, with the two easiest-to-clean options at the top.
Four configurations dominate the market
- Low curb: 43%, a shallow step-over at floor level with easy cleanup.
- Alcove: 42%, a three-wall enclosure that is the most economical to tile.
- Curbless: 24%, a flush entry that pairs naturally with universal design.
- Corner: 21%, a compact footprint that frees wall space for storage.
Premium fixtures worth the line item
Rainfall heads and dual showers
Rainfall heads appeared in 54% of projects, and 20% of owners installed dual showers so two people can shower at once. Both features add flow rather than pressure, so check the supply line size and water heater capacity before committing; a bigger head on an undersized line delivers a disappointing stream.
Body sprayers and thermostatic mixers
Body sprayers showed up in 16% of remodels and thermostatic mixers in 14%. A thermostatic valve holds water temperature steady when another fixture draws supply, which makes it a safety upgrade for households with children or older adults, and body sprayers let a shower serve multiple users without a second head position.
Owners who want the spa feel without a full redesign can compare the 15 shower systems for a spa-like bathroom experience, from simple retrofit kits to steam-ready enclosures, before settling on a layout. Matching the system to the available space and water pressure prevents the most common post-install complaints.
Sustainable Choices and Universal Design
Sustainability was not a niche preference in this survey: 87% of owners chose at least one sustainable option. The top picks read like a practical checklist rather than a premium upgrade menu, which suggests the definition of green has widened from exotic materials to everyday efficiency.
The five most common green upgrades
- LED lightbulbs: 62%
- Water-efficient fixtures: 46%
- Timeless design: 44%
- Energy-efficient features: 34%
- Light dimmers: 34%
Water-efficient fixtures earn their place through simple math. A standard shower head can flow at 2.5 gallons per minute, while low-flow models in the 1.5 to 1.8 range cut usage by a third without a noticeable drop in pressure, and dual-flush toilets save several thousand gallons a year per household.
Timeless design counts as a sustainable choice because it postpones the next remodel. A bathroom built around durable proportions and neutral materials stays current longer than one committed to a trend color or a boutique finish, and each year of delay avoids the landfill cost of a full tear-out.
Designing for a lifetime of use
Universal design reached 66% of projects, up from 54% in 2021, which makes it one of the fastest-growing parts of a bathroom plan. Curbless entries, blocking behind walls for grab bars, and lever handles cost little at rough-in and a great deal to add later, so the cheap insurance is deciding on them before the wallboard goes up.
Green upgrades do not have to push a budget past its limit; a budget bathroom renovation can be completed for under $2,500 when the plumbing layout stays put and the work focuses on fixtures, paint, and lighting. The survey numbers suggest the same discipline at every price point: spend on the wet area first, then layer efficiency upgrades in the order they pay back.
Planning a Shower-First Remodel
The survey numbers become a plan when you set them against your own space, budget, and household. The order of decisions matters more than the total spend, because each choice constrains the ones that follow.
Steps to turn the data into a plan
- Measure the existing bathroom and set a target footprint against the 100 sq ft benchmark.
- Choose the shower configuration first, since it drives the floor plan.
- Pick fixtures that meet style and water-use goals together, not separately.
- Price surfaces with labor included, not just material cost.
- Confirm rough-in locations for supply, drain, and electrical before drywall.
Hiding plumbing for a cleaner look
The move toward open, spa-like showers has pushed more owners to conceal the hardware. A concealed shower hides pipework and valves behind the wall, but access panels and valve placement have to be decided before the wall closes, and the rough-in order changes when the mixing valve sits behind tile rather than on a visible deck.
Electrical and plumbing checks before drywall
Wet areas have strict rules about where cables and outlets can run, and the restrictions vary by region. Reviewing bathroom electrical safe zones during planning prevents a rough-in that fails inspection and forces the wall to be opened again, which is the kind of rework the survey data never counts.
A shower-first remodel works because it concentrates the most expensive trades in one place: plumbing, waterproofing, and tile. Fix the footprint, set the shower style, choose fixtures with water use in mind, and protect the work with code-compliant electrical and plumbing rough-ins, and the finished bathroom matches both the budget and the trends the data describes.