How an Age in Place or Home Access Contractor can Compare Shower Surround Panels

I’ll bet you’ve heard the following saying…..

“One size DOES NOT fit all.”

The same words of wisdom hold true for shower surround panels for age in place or accessible shower remodeling projects. Whether you’re doing a private pay project in an upscale neighborhood for an elderly couple or trying to offer the lowest bid for a waiver job – the needs of your customers, and your wants as a contractor need to be balanced to make the correct shower surround wall panel choice.

And let’s face it, this choice WILL NOT and SHOULD NOT be the same for every project… unless you want to miss profit opportunities or lose jobs you could have won.

However, if you’re confused about the myriad (a fancy word I threw in so you’d think I’m smart, I hope it’s working!) of choices – and when to use what wall panel system, you’re not alone.

In this article I’ll make it clearer (or I’ll give you your money back) which product(s) would be best depending on what criterion is most important. In a perfect world I’d compare every system known to man (and woman, I don’t want to be sexist here, otherwise I’d get in trouble with my wife!) – but then the article would be so long, no one would get to the end.

So, instead I’m going to compare 4 options. They are:

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center.
2. BestBath gelcoat finished, fiberglass shower surround panels over a wood core (and their new line of laminate covered panels called Crestline).
3. Fibo high pressure laminate shower surround panels.
4. PanelPro rigid PVC shower surround panels.

At this point you may be asking, “Mike, do you have any ‘skin’ in this game?” And the short answer is yes, and no. And now (unfortunately) I really DO sound like a politician (and I don’t say that in a positive way – ha! ha!).

My company wholesales to age in place, home access contractors, and retail remodeling contractors the Fibo and PanelPro shower surround lines (2 of the lines mentioned above) and BestBath shower pans (mostly for roll in showers). However, this DOES NOT mean these are always the products even I recommend to my customers.

And that’s because no one of the 4 offerings being compared is THE LINE, which should be used in all situations. And it’s ‘sales malpractice’ – and short-sighted to get ‘married’ to one product because in the long run you’re not offering your customers (and your business) the best choices by being exclusive to just one (IMHO).

So – in this article my goal is be as balanced and give it to you straight. Towards this end, I’ll look at these 4 wall panel alternatives and ‘grade’ them along 7 criterion. At the end, whether you agree (or disagree), with my scores let me have it. Comment or call me at 216-310-1074 to debate (or learn more about) any of these wall surround lines.

Enough with this intro. Let’s dig in!

Criterion #1 – Initial Purchase Price – assuming lowest price is best

Sometimes – much to your chagrin – you’ve got to use the lowest priced product to win a bid. This is truer in waiver programs vs. private pay jobs. And this is where the ‘wafer-thin’ acrylic and fiberglass systems from local home centers can be the big winners (and the right choice, even if they’re sometimes a pain in the rear to install).

However, if you need a ‘better value’ (not the cheapest), higher quality product which is priced competitively, and won’t snap like a green bean, this is where PanelPro rigid PVC panels can be a good option.

And if your customer’s budget is larger this is where Fibo and BestBath can work.

Criterion #1 where the lowest priced system is scored the highest

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. 5 Stars – They’re cheap. Nuff said!

2. BestBath 2 Stars – A quality system, but not a cheap date.

3. Fibo 2 Stars – A quality system, but it’s a higher end, higher priced grout free wall panel.

4. PanelPro rigid PVC. 4 Stars – An excellent bang for your buck.

Criterion #2 – Availability – assuming you need it…..like YESTERDAY

Let’s face it, home access contracting is NOT the same as retail bathroom remodeling where prospects would love to have a new shower to replace their old and grungy one but aren’t desperate to get it done ASAP.

However, in age in place, or accessible bathroom remodels sometimes are urgent especially if a life event (a fall or accident) sends your client (and their family’s) world into a tailspin. This is why in-stock availability is essential. You need a product – like yesterday. Or at least very quickly (even if it’s a ‘custom size’). Here’s how I’d grade these products based on availability (for ‘stock’ AND ‘custom’ sizes)  

Criterion #2 where the quickest availability is scored the highest (for stock AND custom sizes)

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. (stock sizes) 4 Stars Since the inventory at home centers can be spotty – and only focused on the fastest turning sizes, this is why this option doesn’t get five stars. (custom sizes) 0 Stars

2. BestBath (stock sizes) 4 Stars (they offer responsive turnaround of standard sizes in 2 to 3 weeks) (custom sizes) 3 Stars – longer lead times, and very expensive.

3. Fibo high pressure laminate shower surround panels. (stock and custom sizes) 5 Stars– The same panels are used to create standard or custom sized showers, wet rooms, and bathroom walls, and there’s 28 laminate panel patterns to choose from.

4. PanelPro rigid PVC shower surround (stock and custom sizes) 5 Stars– the same panels can be used to create standard or custom sized showers, wet rooms, and bathroom walls with 8 patterns (in matte and polished stone finishes) to choose from.

Criterion #3 – Ease of Installation – with the quickest installation (and most complete shower system – including window trim kits, niches, and panels which reach the ceiling) being the best

As anyone knows who’s had a customer who bought a ‘bargain basement’ plumbing fixture from a home center – sometimes the ‘cheapest’ line can be a PITA to install. Cheap initial purchase prices (with inferior shower panels which are thinner, crack when you look at them and don’t reach the ceiling, requiring more finishing time for you) aren’t the best.

Then throw in a window inside the tub to shower conversion– or walls which are funky and out of plumb, that’s when a difficult to install shower wall panel system can become your undoing (and cause profits to go ‘south’ quicker than you can say Taco Tuesday!).

Check out the ease of installation grades on our four wall surround systems below.

Criterion #3 where the easiest, tallest, and most complete shower wall panel systems are scored the highest

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. 3 Stars – obviously, there are many choices of fiberglass and acrylic systems in home centers, and their ease of installation varies. And while there are simple to install panel and full shower wall systems in home centers they often don’t come with sealant, adhesives, finishing edge pieces, or window trim kits. In addition, they’re usually short – and don’t reach the top of an 8’ ceiling, leaving more finishing work for you. They’re generally fair – but not great to install.

2. BestBath 4 Stars – Many home access contractors have been installing BestBath shower surrounds for years – and have the process of doing these showers down like the back of their hand. However, what causes them to NOT get 5 stars is they can be challenging when walls are our of square. In addition, the majority of their panels don’t reach the ceiling (although with their newer, high-end Crestline combined with a BestBath pans can reach an 8’ ceiling). Also, when it comes to custom sizes, BestBath systems are not a cheap date.

3. Fibo 3 Stars – These ‘click lock’ laminate shower surround panels are very cool to look it, but it does take time to get ‘rockin’ and rollin’ with their installation. Since they’re a rigid wood backed product, and the panels are 23.6” wide x 94.4” high, there are 4 ‘click locks’ in a tub to shower conversion. It can take more time to line up joints between panels. The good news is you will get complete replacement shower kits (with the sealants and trims you need) with a Fibo kit. And when you put them on a shower pan they’ll reach the top of an 8’ ceiling. There’s also an excellent network of trainers to help with installation advice.

4. PanelPro rigid PVC. 5 Stars – If speed and ease of installation are critical to your project profitability, this is where PanelPro These 36” x 96” tongue and groove panels only require 4 panels to do a tub to shower conversion. And with the inside corner trims, you won’t even see sealant in the corners! Customers love this. Also, since it’s a ‘glue up’ system, and there’s flexibility to these panels, they’re simpler to install than ‘stiff’ systems like BestBath and Fibo. Throw in window trim kits, niches, and the ability to make any custom size by putting together as many 36” wide panels as you need on each wall, and this system is the clear winner for ease of installation.

Criterion #4 – Ability to customize, work around windows, reach the ceiling, and do custom sizes

Much as you might wish all jobs were ‘standard’ tub to shower conversions, and weren’t crazy showers built by some DIY’er or custom builder years ago, this IS NOT the reality of bathroom remodeling. In remodeling (especially if you’re in an older town or install in a lot of ‘these Old Houses’) the following ‘equation’ is true……

Bathroom Remodeling = WACKINESS!

So, if you need to make a custom shower, which shower surround system is best (and no, a BestBath pun is NOT intended here)

Criterion #4 where the ability to easily customize, work around windows, reach ceilings, and make custom sizes are scored the highest.

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. 1 Star – If you’re looking for what’s in stock to do a custom size, good luck. It ain’t happen’! Some home centers can order custom sizes, but they’ll take a long time to get, and good luck finding someone at the home center to lead you through technical questions or helping you to find parts to trim edges or finish around a window.

2. BestBath 2 Stars – They can make custom products, but the prices aren’t for the faint of heart.

3. Fibo 5 Stars – These click together 3/8” thick laminate panels can be used to make any sized shower, bathroom, or wet room. Even home access contractors ‘married’ to BestBath for common sizes will use Fibo when they have a wet room or funky job. Plus, they look uber cool.

4.PanelPro rigid PVC. 5 Stars – Just join the 36” x 96” tongue and groove panels to do any type of bathroom job. Like Fibo this product is nice enough to use ‘beyond the alcove’ and into the bathroom as full walls, wainscoting, or for a wet room. Plus, you don’t need to order ‘custom wall panel sizes’ to do it. Buy enough 36” x 96” panels for each wall and you’re ready to roll (no accessible shower base pun intended). You can even around windows!

Criterion #5 – Warranty, Durability, and Expected Life Span  

If your customer is demanding a longer installation warranty (or have to deal with the job site problems with shower panels which crack on site, or cause delays when they arrive broken during shipping), this is where a supplier’s warranty, durability, and material composition will make or break profitability.

And while buying the cheapest stuff can (in the short run) sound like a good idea, if you’re ‘fighting’ the installation, or panels are cracking easier than a Pringle’s chip, you might express a few ‘choice words’ when you have to return to the job site to ‘re-install’ and your watching your profits go down the drain.

This is why researching warranties, durability, and the expected life span of products (after all what you install IS your reputation) is important.

So, which panel system scores best along these criteria? See below.

Criterion #5 where the longest warranty, most durable material and longest expected life span is scored the highest

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. 1 Star – Usually thin, cheap, and flimsy best express the stuff you’ll get at Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards. And when it comes to warranty, they’ll range from short to non-existent.

2. BestBath 4 Stars – This company makes a durable shower surround system. It’s backed by a 30 year warranty and a company which’ll stand behind it.

3. Fibo 5 Stars – These panels were invented in Norway 41 years ago and have a lifetime warranty. They’re 3/8” thick, rigid, and ship well. And as a matter of fact, since my company has been selling Fibo we’ve only had 1 warranty claim on one wall in the 8 years we’ve sold the product!

4. PanelPro rigid PVC. 5 Stars – While these panels are not as thick as Fibo (at 3/8” thick) or BestBath (at 3/8” thick) they’re incredibly dense. These .2” thick panels have the same weight per square foot as the Fibo panels even though they aren’t as thick. There’s also a lifetime warranty. They’re a proven product which was invented in Belgium over 30 years, although they’re made in the United States today. They’re time-tested, like Fibo and BestBath.

Criterion #6 – The waterproofing, ‘seam design,’ and degree of difficulty in ‘selling’ the panel system  

Are the seams and corner waterproofing design a big problem in wall panels? Yes, no, and maybe. How’s that for a ‘P.C.’ (Politically Correct) answer?

Wall surround systems with poorly designed seams and corners can be a problem – and should be avoided. This is one reason some remodelers only want to use ‘full-sized’ panels on every wall.

However, there’s negatives to ‘full sized’ 60” panels which are big, bulky, flimsy, heavy, and/or prone to cracking in installation and/or during shipment. And to learn more about the pros and cons of ‘full sized vs. shower panel’ systems read The Pros and Cons of Click Together – or Seamed- Shower Wall Panels vs. Full Sheets.



Which system is best for your projects will vary (and systems with more seams may need to be explained as to how they’re 100% waterproof, because, after all, that’s a key reason to use grout free shower panels vs. tile). Here’s how our 4 systems grade along this category.

Criterion #6 where less seams, a better corner design, and it being easy to sell the system are scored the highest

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. 3 Stars – With ‘store bought’ systems you’ll find ‘full panel’ (up to 60” wide) and small shower panel (or even individual waterproof tile-like systems like Palisades) Some systems are butted together in the corners (without waterproof corner trim pieces) and aren’t great. Some use materials which are so flimsy the ‘click-lock’ edges fall off practically when you look at them (an exaggeration, but not always!). Don’t buy at the store – or on-line, a system until you’ve seen and touched it. There’s some junk out there which could become YOUR problem!

2. BestBath 4 Stars The BestBath system has been around quite a while. It’s well designed for waterproofing, although some don’t like that it’s seamed horizontally along the back wall.

3. Fibo 3 Stars – While Fibo is uber-reliable, you’ll have 4 seamed sections in a 60” x 32” tub to shower conversion because the panels are 23.6” wide x 94.4” high. And while it uses a marine grade plywood backing (which even if you immerse these panels in water continuously for 6 months, it WILL NOT be a problem, just try it) – the integrity of the waterproofing will (in some cases) have to be sold. There are installation videos and testimonials on this product, but it will have more seams. Although in most patterns I dare you to find them!

4. PanelPro rigid PVC. 5 Stars – This system in a standard tub to shower conversion only has one seam, which is on a vertical joint in the back. From a waterproofing standpoint there’s also inside corner trims, so an owner does not see the sealant in the corners. In addition, I’d rather have a vertical seam with PanelPro, than the horizontal seam in the BestBath alternative.

Criterion #7 – Appearance and realistic-looking design styles  

Why shouldn’t age in place and accessible remodeling be fun, fashion-forward, and NOT look like ‘Grandma Lives Here?’

This is an area IMHO many home access contractors and age in place contractors miss the boat. They’re used to simply offering a ‘functional and safe’ shower and forget people (even those who are older or need accessibility) don’t want institutional (white, glossy, generic – YUCK)! Many contractors take the ‘path of least resistance.’ They sell the same stuff approved for waiver jobs to their private pay clients. And some wonder why they lost sales to retail remodelers who closed the job they also quoted at FAR higher prices. And here’s why.

They were showing white. They were showing glossy. They were showing plasticky, ugly and geriatric-looking molded wall surrounds. Ask yourself, would you want your house to look like a patient room at a hospital?

If you answered no, I’m 100% with you. I’ll admit my wife and I like our surroundings (and we think it’s only smart we spend down some of our kid’s inheritance before they can get it – ha! ha!). And that’s why when my wife Rose and I remodeled we used stylish, yet age in place friendly (even though we’re waaaay too young for that…OK, I lied!), grout free Fibo walls in our new bathroom. And if you don’t believe me, read 15 Lessons You Can Learn from my Safer, Simpler, and More Stylish Master Bathroom.

So, if you’re looking for a way to improve your average sale, grow profits per crew per job, and have people excited about not only the function – but also the looks of their new accessible or age in place shower, then pay attention to the scores below. Plus, with some waiver programs losing funding, isn’t it time to notch-up the number of private pay jobs you do?

Criterion #7 where the coolest looks, most design options, and up-to-date and realistic looking wall panels are scored the highest

1. Acrylic or fiberglass systems you buy at your local home center. 1 Star – Blah, ugly, and ‘pedestrian’ describe many ‘home center’ bought shower surrounds. Styles are getting better – but these stores specialize in cheap, cheap. And did I say cheap?

2. BestBath 2 Stars and 4 Stars (Crestline) – Most BestBath systems look like molded gel-coated fiberglass walls (which is what they are). Yes, they offer colors, and tile-in-lays which has kicked up their offering a bit, but they’re still not the most exciting IMHO, because they’re molded fiberglass. BestBath has introduced Crestline which is a knock-off of the Fibo design (laminate over wood) system. This product looks better – but it’s pricey, heavy, and only available in 4 designs.

3. Fibo 5 Stars – Why is it the Europeans are fashion leaders? After all you see cool tiles coming from Spain and Italy (and of course good pasta as well, says this Italian!). When it comes to wall panels one of the wonderful things about Fibo is they use CNC’s (Computer Numerical Control equipment) to create realistic looking faux grout joints in up to date designs. There are over 700 options. Innovate Building Solutions inventories 28 patterns. You can find styles to fit traditional, transitional, and contemporary homes. They’re cool. They’re stylish. They can be used in any sized job, and you can even mix and match patterns on the same job.

4. PanelPro rigid PVC. 5 Stars – If you want eye-popping looks check out the ‘Polished stone’ series in PanelPro PVC panels. They’re not only uber-easy to install and durable– but they’re stylish enough to be used in bathrooms (and not simply ‘hidden’ inside a shower alcove behind curtains).

So – which should shower surround system is right for your next age in place or accessible project? How can I assist you?

Even if you don’t agree with my scoring of any particular wall panel system– if you only take one thing from this article, I hope it’s that ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. And this is true whether you’re buying a sweater, a pair of shoes, or shower surround panels for an accessible or age in place shower.

And while there’s more to choosing a shower surround panel than the 7 criterion above (for example you need the right base, accessories, or even a shower door in some cases), what is always smart (especially if you’re not knee-deep in the bathroom remodeling business…. or at least not yet) is to seek advice.

So – if you’re looking to do more tub to shower conversions, shower to shower conversions etc. and want help quoting, specifying, or getting your arms around bathroom modification products, me and my team would love to help. And here’s how.

To learn more about the Innovate Building Solution’s PanelPro dealership program or Fibo dealership program and how to successfully implement them in your business, or just how to quote the next (or your first) job, take these steps:

• Call 888-467-7488 and ask for Mike. We’ll talk about our about our bathroom modifications dealership program and your specific project(s).
• Request free Fibo or PanelPro samples. .
• Fill out our PanelPro become a dealer or Fibo become a dealer

Thanks for reading and learning more about shower surround options – and for putting up with my crazy personality along the way. I look forward to assisting you – Mike.

 

Mike Foti,

President, Innovate Building Solutions

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In addition, if you’d like to connect on LinkedIn, you’ll find me at

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefoti/