The consumer mindset around bathing is evolving to view showering as far more than a simple rinse to get clean, but rather as a time to relax, unwind and wash away the day-to-day stresses of life. In fact, consumers are making purchases to support this shift. According to a recent survey commissioned by GROHE, more than 65% of respondents are enhancing their time in the shower with various add-ons, such as soothing aromas, music and gentle rain shower products to elevate their “me time.”

As consumers continue to invest in new ways to improve their showering experience in order to make it a more relaxing — or rechargeable — moment of their daily routine, there is a big opportunity for contractors to tap into innovative products and techniques to meet this demand. The following five tips will help contractors guide their customers through the process of creating their own dream shower experience, offering their unique methods to strategically recommend products and features to help homeowners achieve their unique visions.

GROHE’s Room Create tool features interactive look galleries and augmented-reality software to allow plumbing contractors to help customers comprehensively visualize their remodeling projects.

Tip No. 1: Help your customer visualize their dream shower

Whether working on a luxury retrofit or starting from scratch with a brand-new build, homeowners are looking for a trusted resource to guide them through the visualization process. Help walk them through the basic design process: What inspires them, their favorite color schemas, specific water features they would like to see, how they envision entering the space, etc. These questions will not only demonstrate your expertise, but also help customers express their unique design vision in a way that’s most helpful to you, the contractor.

Leverage this opportunity to direct customers toward high-quality and high-performing products with thoughtfully engineered systems that will leave them happy and reduce your callbacks — saving time, money and energy on your behalf.
 

GROHE’s Rainshower Aqua Body Spray and GROHE Hand Shower.

Tip No. 2: Lean into customization — show customers how showers and spray patterns affect the experience

It’s important to determine your customer’s unique showering preferences so you can best outline which products will produce their desired water flow. A great place to start is asking if your customers are seeking a relaxing or invigorating shower experience. Are they looking for full-body coverage? Who will be using this shower? Does it need to be big enough for multiple people to shower simultaneously?

Help your customers delineate the difference between a relaxing and cleansing shower experience. Relaxing options typically include products that provide large and soft drops from a gentle showerhead with relaxing water pressure. If your customer is an avid athlete who could benefit from innovative jets to loosen tense muscles after a workout, try installing product with a massage pattern spray. For multiple users and various preferences, we recommend installing a showerhead capable of offering both types of water flow. If they’re looking for a spa-like experience, try suggesting wall-mounted body sprays that target the entire body.

Additionally, it’s critical to consider user height when setting the heights of shower outlets. For reference, the average measurements for female and male heights are 5’3” and 5’9” respectively. For taller users, you may want to consider a ceiling-mounted shower, while children and seated users can be accommodated with a height-adjustable hand shower bar.

For complete height flexibility, consider installing a hand shower. Hand showers are often a secondary outlet in addition to a showerhead, but can be used in place of a showerhead as well. They’re excellent multi-purpose outlets that allow users to easily rinse children or pets, clean shower walls and floors, shower without getting their hair wet, take seated showers and more.

GROHE’s Grohtherm SmartControl Thermostatic Trim.

Tip No. 3: Introduce customers to thermostatic showering technology

Beyond rain showering products, another sought-after premium shower feature worth mentioning to your customers is thermostatic technology, which automatically reaches a preset water temperature and keeps it there for the duration of the shower for ultimate convenience and safety.

Your typical shower trim has one lever that turns the water on and then this same lever is manually adjusted until the right temperature is achieved. Thermostatic trims have a dedicated knob for setting the temperature and separate buttons or dials to control water flow. Users can set their desired temperature once, and the next time they shower they can simply turn the water on and their perfect temperature is achieved, automatically. With thermostatic showering products your customers will waste less time fiddling to get the temperature right, which can also potentially save water and energy.

The GROHE RAINSHOWER 310 Mono Shower Head, GROHE GROHE RAINSHOWER SmartActive Hand Shower, GROHE RAINSHOWER Aqua Body Sprays and GROHTHERM SmartControl Thermostatic Trim are pictured in brushed cool sunrise finish.

Tip No. 4: Explore a variety of finishes to seamlessly blend with your customer’s bathroom

In addition to selecting the type of products that best suit your customer’s unique showering needs, identifying products that match their preferred design aesthetic is equally as important. As their guide through this renovation process, you can encourage your customers to explore a variety of different finishes to ensure the new product blends seamlessly with the rest of the space.

It’s important to express that there are faucet options expertly crafted with designs styled to look beautiful in any kind of home, whether they’re looking for a classic chrome finish that casts their bathroom in a special light and never goes out of style, or for something bold that offers a strong contrast or elegant pairing with their paint color or other hardware. Matte or brushed finishes may help hide fingerprints and depending on water hardness, it may help reduce water spots.

The DXV Modulus LED Backlit Mirror and DXV Modulus Sink, faucet, vanity and lighting.

Tip No. 5: Elevate the many additional bathroom accessories customers should consider

In tandem with installing thoughtfully engineered showering products, you should go the extra mile to help your customers create a desired luxury escape by suggesting methods to enhance the space’s lighting and sound.

While there are many ways to do this, a particularly unique way is to brighten the room with a backlit mirror to achieve a glowing reflection. Additionally, customers could consider installing a built-in wall speaker so they can listen to soothing sounds while they bathe. A playlist we like, in particular, is called Spa Serenity, which is a collection of exceptionally engineered tonal soundtracks designed by Diego Stocco, inspired by bathroom products and the sound of flowing water.

Conclusion

The industry’s most competitive contractors are constantly familiarizing themselves with consumer trends and shifts in the home space, then applying their newfound expertise to their day-to-day customer interactions. By serving as an educated resource, contractors can elevate their businesses while providing an unmatched service in helping customers create their dream shower experiences.