You need to change out the shower head for something more controllable.

Just a suggestion:

8" Stainless Steel Square Rainfall Showerhead with Solid Brass Extension Arm · More Info

Or a hand-held fitting that you can use for rinsing and control the direction of the spray.

Moen® 26112 Engage 6-function 5.5" Dia. Spray Head Handshower Showerhead, Chrome · More Info

Unfortunately see no way to make that work given that you used a drop-in tub rather than under mount. There is no way to keep water off the deck and nowhere for water on the deck to go. Terminal design flaw. I think the handheld- and keeping water in the tub- is best option.

Safely stepping out of the tub over that "step" looks like it is likely unsafe - a real slip and fall hazard.

Tear it out and start over! Fire the designer - oh, "we" designed it? lol

Pretty tile and materials but as a short person, not sure I could get in! Hope experts have a solution.

Or you could install one of those oval shower curtain rails that is used on a stand-alone tub.

I see how a different shower head might help, but still doesn't eliminate the issue.

Regarding the getting in and out of the tub, it hasn't been an issue, the tub is quite deep, but it was ok for the whole family even my 5' feet kido. We didn't even need to use the grab bar.

I thought about the oval curtain, but complicates access to the niche and ruins the whole design

I was wondering, is there no way, I can put ceramic or quartz to fit the area around the tub, go above it, and have the under mount situation?

What about a glass door in the front to stop the water from coming out. They actually make bi fold shower doors. With all the work that went into the design, I wouldn't get one from Home Depot. Check out a custom shower glass company. I have to say, I couldn't get in and out of that unless I sat on the edge and swung myself around.

One of our favorite new hotels started out with tub/shower combos like yours. After a few years they ripped the tubs out and turned them into just showers. I’m guessing that was the easiest, cheapest fix.

I would be sad if I had to do that,

I just got out from soaking in it, it is really a nice experience.

I must lead a sheltered life cause I’ve never seen anything like that. Looks awkward as heck and claustrophobic for a tub-soaker.

A gentle rain head sounds like the best option if It could be mounted in the peak over the center of the tub.

I also would sit on the edge and swing my legs around to get in.

A tub shower requires an alcove tub with an integral tiling flange. This was not designed correctly, and uses a product incorrectly. That is designed to function as a tub only. It’s doing exactly what you’d expect when used as a shower. Nothing will “fix” the defective design.

Either stop using it as a shower, or force whomever committed malpractice to redo it with an alcove tub with tiling flange. The whole thing. Redo.

What about a glass door?

Glass door well sealed along the bottom.

I feel that the water will still be on the sides even with glass doors .. it might not to to the floor .. but will be on the sides.

So there is no way that I can add slabs of quartz of the right size around the tub, supported with whatever is needed under it, and sealed on all sides?

@Carla - I don't think so.

One other concern: Is that niche on the left actually a window?

No, a regular niche with two spot lights

Even if you could fit a new surround in so the tub becomes an undermount, all sides of the surround would have to be angled in towards the tub so the water would drip into the tub instead of just pooling- which is why just adding a door won't help too much. I've never seen a surround that did that.

A regular shower always has water on the walls, that drips down to the floor. An under mount tub would have helped a bit, but honestly this is a case where a design was implemented before someone thought about the function and practicality of the space. It looks cool, but doesn't function. A glass door and a lot of towels to mop up the water. Was this done by a designer - if so, he/she needs to be held accountable.

G W I'm going to try that, I have to fix it somehow.

Design Girl you're right, there will always be an issue with this.

I suggest consulting a pro before perusing a surround much further. I am not a pro, and was commenting more on the lines of "here's what I think it would take, but I don't think that solution exists."

Along those lines, I wonder if something could be moulded out of solid surface material - though the faucet base might be in the way - that goes all the way around, and attaches both the to vertical tile and to the top of the tub, slanted in.

Carrie B I did think about plexiglass for this, I didn't make it to a store to ask yet.

Do you have something else in mind?

Solid surface might be more moldable than plexi. I think this is a situation for professionals. It's (way past) time to hire a licensed pro.

IMO, anything that is going to be molded, etc is going to ruin the intended look. Either put a door in to keep water off the floor, or rip it our and start again with a solid plan that functions. Do you need a tub?

Carrie B, I just realized that Solid surface is the name of the material, I thought you meant to find some surface that is solid and moldable at first :)

Design Girl

Yah, the tub is important for me.

Options I can think of include

changing the shower head and/or

changing the location of the shower head and/or

adding triangle tile around the tub to make the tile drain the water back into the tub rather than permit it or channeling it to the floor and/or if any water is getting between tub and wall and/or

adding height to the curb at the opening of the niche on the end -- raising that curb that you must step over to get into the shower by the thickness of a tile and adding a glass door to the opening atop that curb.

Changing the type of shower head could help a bit, but changing the locations can't be done now. All the waterproofing is in place and can not be altered as it will then no longer be watertight. Adding triangle pieces of tile would look awful and there is no way to anchor them to the tub. The best you can do is a shower door and a new shower head. Other than that, it's a redo.

Sadly, this breaks my heart to see. I would get a dual handheld fixed shower head for starters with more narrow stream choices. That is least cost fix. The tiling is pretty but just having a under mount tub so shower water could be slanted into tub would have been much better choice. Do you have photos of the construction of this so we can see what waterproofing was done?

Flo Mangan I don't have pictures, I know they used the Blueskin membranefor waterproofing.

JuneKnow why wouldn't it work if we do under mount with a slope on all sides for the water to go back in the tub?

You can't just tile on a crooked wall. Besides, it will look awful. Someone spent a lot of time on this design. They just didn't think about function. Sloping a wall is not the answer. Once you mess with the walls, the waterproofing is gone and it's a redo.

I still can't get past the spotlights in the niche....that must be some shampoo bottle you're highlighting!

Sorry for the snark, but I'm really pretty horrified that you have children who will be getting in and out of this tub. It doesn't change my mind that you've all managed to do it so far and "didn't even need to use the grab bar".....this IS an injury waiting to happen, without even factoring in wet feet, distracted attention, or soap in the eyes. All in favor of what you think is a cool looking design (I don't agree there either, but that's subjective). I am pleading with you to reconsider this set up, at least with respect to safe access.

The light is because the shower curtain blocks the light from the bathroom into the shower/tub, and I didn't want to put in the ceiling, certainly not to highlight the shampoo :)

As for getting in and out, I would send you privately a video of it, it is really not an issue at all.

I admit it will be an issue when my knees don't work anymore.

All that said, it looks like I might have to redo the whole thing anyways,

JuneKnow I understand. Thank you for the help.

Carla I think it’s very pretty and I’m really sorry you are getting some snarky replies that just put down your tub/shower and don’t offer solutions. Hopefully you can weed through them and pick the helpful ones. If it were me I would focus on what I could control and switch the shower head and put in a curtain that hangs from the ceiling in a circle. Like an old school stand alone tub has when also a shower. It will impact the look but it will also prevent water going everywhere

A S,

Thank you!

Yes, I've been down already about it so thank you for your comment,

This is what I've used this as a temporary solution till I figure out the next step. I just wish there was something that resembles this in a more clean way.

You have a beautiful soaker tub that you enjoy. I hope you can keep it. Can you let it be just that? (Remove the showerhead and it's faucets.)

I’d turn off that breaker.

120 volts in a shower niche. Your kiddos will light up real good with that! (Of course, we could be wrong, and it's a pool light on a 12 volt circuit.)

Yes, the electrical work has been done for a special water use.

Certainly not the regular electricity in there.

irma_stpete_10a unfortunately, my place is very small and this is the only bathroom for a family of 4. I wish I could have separate tub and shower.

Replace shower head with hand held that you can reach while sitting in the tub. Shower elsewhere until you come up with a solution and the money to support the solution.

Did I just read this is your only bathroom for your family? Yikes, sorry, a redo may be your only solution.

the electrical work has been done for a special water use.

By licensed electricians and inspected by the local electrical authority?

A quick Google search shows shower electrocution deaths are not uncommon. For instance, a dozen US soldiers electrocuted serving in Iraq.

Is there space to build a separate shower somewhere nearby (carved out of the rest of the bath or a bedroom or a closet)?