More than a Luxury: How Steam Showers Can Win Over Home Buyers

Selling a home is no easy feat, especially in a buyers market where competition is fierce. You need to use effective marketing and outside-the-box strategies to bring home buyers to your door. And this includes putting in features and amenities that add both splendor and functionality to wow potential buyers.

And what might that be, you ask? Well, if you are a builder or contractor in the process of adding or renovating a bathroom, the obvious answer is a home steam shower.

We know that you may need to battle the perception that steam is a luxury item, something only the wealthy add to their homes. Perhaps they think it’s too expensive, too much trouble to install, too costly to operate or requires too much maintenance. The most common question, however, may be, “What will a steam shower do for me anyway?”

We’re here to help you answer these questions and convince homeowners  to install an amenity that many other MrSteam users have called life-changing and transformative. And we’re certain that once you do install the steam shower, home buyers will fall in love with it, and better understand the overall benefits of a home steam shower.

Isn’t it too much trouble to install?

This might be a question you’re asking yourself – after all, you’re the one installing it. Why propose something that ultimately makes more work for you? But the truth is that the installation is not all that difficult – and the result will be a deeply satisfied (some might say exhilarated) client.

Installing a steam shower takes less work than you might imagine. If there is an existing shower space, it simply needs to be sealed off, the space waterproofed and a steam head and generator installed. If you’re building from scratch, it’s even less trouble, especially as you’ll be planning for it from the very beginning. We recommend builders work with professional plumbers and electricians – particularly those with previous steam experience – but there are ample resources out there to help you through the process. And your homeowner will experience very little disruption, which is always a factor in a building project!

Isn’t it too expensive?

In our blog post, Breakdown the Costs: What an In-Home Spa Will Cost You Over Time, we demonstrate that most steam shower projects add a mere 25% increase to a renovation or new addition. Of course, there are variables that are completely within the homeowner’s control, such as:

• Shower stall size. A larger shower naturally requires a more powerful steam generator and additional construction materials.
• The type of material chosen. If more porous materials are selected, such as marble, shale, granite, glass block, or concrete, they dissipate heat more quickly, requiring a more powerful generator to compensate for heat loss. But with nonporous materials like ceramic, porcelain or acrylic, a smaller generator is adequate.
• More or less sophisticated steam shower controls. At MrSteam, for example, we provide a full range of steam shower controls that vary based on functionality and features. The blog post Which MrSteam SteamShower Control Is Right for You? helps both you and the homeowners choose the right level of control for their needs and preferences
• Additional therapies, such as AromaTherapy, MusicTherapy, and ChromaTherapy, as well as such add-ons as in-shower seats, in-shower lighting, towel warmers, and more. These are certainly options to consider, as they add to the feeling of a home spa.

But in addition to the initial cost, your customer should recognize the benefit of a steam shower when it comes time to sell the house. According to Zillow, listing descriptions that mention “steam shower” have earned sellers a 31% higher sale price than listings without the term. Steam showers can bring value to home buyers long after the installation.

Isn’t it too costly to run?

Here’s the big surprise: the energy cost of a typical steam session is $1. For a 20-minute session, steam showers will use roughly two gallons of water, compared to nearly 80 gallons used for a standard whirlpool tub. Not only is it less costly than a high-end shower or deep tub bath, but it is also the more environmentally sound choice.

What will a steam shower do for me, anyway?

This question is incredibly easy to answer! If you download MrSteam’s 40 Plus Benefits of Steam brochure, you’ll be able to educate home buyers on the many ways that steam showers can enhance their lives. These include:

• Health benefits, such as possibly helping reduce stress, promoting deep, restful sleep and combat congestion.
• Fitness benefits, may include loosening stiff muscles, reducing soreness, and helping to break down lactic acid in the muscles. Steam may also help improve circulation and boost metabolism, helping to burn calories
• Beauty benefits, may include detoxing the skin, leaving bathers with a healthy glow. Sessions in a home steam shower may also help combat acne and treat other skin conditions.
• Environmental benefits, helping to conserve water and energy, as stated above.

Aside from all these benefits, a steam shower is an affordable luxury, something the homeowner will look forward to before or after everyday activities – without the expense of having to join a gym or spa. As a home-based escape from the rest of the world, it will bring untold hours of enjoyment to your customer.

But what about maintenance?

Again, this is an easy concern to address if you are a builder or contractor. It will reassure home buyers to know that all MrSteam generators, controls, and accessories come with a limited lifetime warranty, allowing for free service for two years after purchase. Generators also include free parts for a lifetime.

In addition, you can make some recommendations to minimize the need for maintenance, as outlined in the Top 3 Steam Shower Generator Maintenance Tips from MrSteam.

These three tips include:

• Installing an AutoFlush system
• Adding a water softener system to your home
• Performing a manual cleaning of your steam room generator every few years

These steps will minimize the need to call in a professional to maintain the newly installed shower system – and again, will help you win over reluctant home buyers.

We know that it can be challenging to convince a customer to install a steam shower. You’ll have to address commonly held misconceptions and demonstrate  that steam is more than a luxury - it’s an addition that yields endless benefits and value for home buyers. Once you do, we’re confident that not only will you win them over, but you’ll gain a customer for life.