Best shower enclosure for rental home?

[Natalya Murphy]

We just bought a house that we will occupy for about a year and then rent out for 5-6 years while my husband is in the military.  The current bathrooms have a 70s decor and need to be updated.  

Since we need to do the update, I want to put in the most durable and easy-to-clean material on the shower walls and floor.  

What would you suggest?

[Marcia Maynard]

Originally posted by @Roy N.:

I usually agree with @Marcia Maynard sage advice, but not this time ... sorry Marcia.

While I prefer tiled tub and shower surrounds and we still use them in a few higher end rentals, I find the 1-2-piece shower and 3-piece acrylic tub & surround to be less expensive (installed price) and far less maintenance.   We have moved to these in all of our student rentals and many of our family units.

No worry! Many choices for different applications! We've used plastic, acrylic, and tile tub/shower surrounds. We've used the ones you mention and they are fine for many applications. Still holding up well in some of our properties.

Our difficulty with the acrylic and plastic surrounds occurred when they discolored from tenants burning candles, by being really grimy, or just with age. Plastic handles molded into the surround have been broken and sharp objects can sometimes scratch into the surface.  Had a couple of tenants manage to crack the soap holder. Also had to often replace the acrylic caulking between the plastic or acrylic surround and the porcelain or enameled metal tub. 

Our difficulty with the tile came by needing to periodically replace or reseal the grout, but a newer grout came on the market that cleans easier and doesn't need resealing... an epoxy type grout. However this is best used with non-porous tile such as ceramic or porcelain. No problem, since that is what we favor for bath and kitchen use.

Our new standard for tub surrounds is the six-inch square white porcelain tile, as they make a good timeless statement in our vintage properties. We've also used white subway tile for kitchen back splashes. Prospective tenants are attracted to the look and we've had good feedback from our long term tenants.

For bathroom floors, we do commercial grade vinyl sheets or luxury vinyl tile (LVT), because they hold up well. We would consider doing a slip resistant durable tile on the floor too, just haven't yet.