Bathroom Pods Vs Shower Pods: The Pros and Cons

Bathroom Pods Vs Shower Pods_ The Pros and Cons

If you're looking to install a new shower room to any residential space – whether student flats or a new build housing project, modular pods are fantastic solutions. A pre-fab pod can speed up construction, provide a reliable benchmark of quality, and help standardise construction requirements in multiple builds.

There are two types of pod – shower pods and full bathroom pods. Bathroom pods and shower pods can be installed alone, fitted around, or combined with other pods and other bathroom features. Each has different features and capabilities, so it's essential to pick the right design. At Advanced Showers, we deal exclusively with shower pods, as these are the most versatile and cost-effective solution for most types of build – but we're often the differences between the two. Please read on to find out more:

Bathroom Pods

Bathrooms pods include everything you might expect to find in a bathroom - toilet, sink, bath (optional), handrails, and a free-standing shower. Pods ship with appliances ready to be plumbed in, reassembling into a full-sized room once unpacked and bolted to the walls. Bathroom pods can be tiled or plastic coated (laminated) for protection against spills and condensation. Pods can be built with 'one-piece' floors, adding protection against grime build-up and improving drainage.

Advantages

Combined panel and drainage enclosure reduces the need for tiling
Can be safely alcove and partition mounted
Pods provide better mould and limescale resistance than most wetrooms.
Excellent for temporary buildings and remote locations due to pre-fab construction

Disadvantages

Rectangular and cube designs can limit ease of installation and slow down construction in oddly-shaped spaces
Not ideal for disability-friendly flats and houses
Condensation is often an issue in poorly ventilated models
The large footprint of a bathroom pod makes them unsuitable for many confined layouts
The ‘all-in-one’ design limits design flexibility – especially regarding plumbing and electrical infrastructure

Shower Pods

Shower pods contain a shower only, and consist of a modular enclosure and base. Greywater waste traps come as standard on most models, and they are adaptable to most shower brands. While much smaller and more limited in what they can do, they're also highly versatile. Elevated feet and a self-contained, insulated, leakproof design mean that they can install inside a wide range of domestic and commercial spaces.

Advantages

Easily fit into and around existing bathrooms, tiny alcoves, and recesses
Minute size, adjustable mounts, and removable panels make pods easy to remodel and retool
Can be fitted with a wide range of heaters and water control units
Easy-to-clean, low-maintenance, and fully insulated
Collapsable doors and curtains help reduce physical footprint
Fast installations - setting up usually takes less than half a day to complete

Disadvantages

Limited functionality by design – shower pods don't include a bath, sinks, or extras (such as mirrors)
Greywater drainage only, units may struggle with heavy-flow solid waste disposal (e.g. dirt particles) or intense use

Shower Pod solutions from Advanced Showers

Advanced Showers are specialist UK suppliers of self-contained shower pods. We pride ourselves on our leakproof, low-maintenance, easy-to-setup designs – suitable to most building layouts. Get in touch today for a quote or to discuss your project requirements.