Whoever thought of the curved shower rod is a genius, because it expands the space in a typical 5-foot bathtub for taking a shower. We first noticed these space-expanding rods used in the small bathrooms of old motels. If you want to stretch the space in a bathtub for a more comfortable shower, this ingenious product eliminates the cave-like feeling in the small confines of a typical bathtub when showering.
The curved rods are sold at home centers and you’ll find them online by typing “curved shower curtain rod” in a search engine. The rod fits a standard 5-foot tub and is installed with mounting brackets and hardware. You’ll find them in a wide selection of styles and finishes, from a basic low profile to double rods that support a liner and curtain. The second rod does double duty as a place to hang wet towels to dry. The rod adjusts to fit an opening 54 inches to 72 inches wide and works with a standard size shower curtain.
You can hire a handyman for the job, which will cost $162 for labor and material to install a good quality chrome curved shower rod. If you have basic DIY skills and tools, you can buy the rod for $45, install it yourself and save 72%. To make the installation, you’ll need a drill, drill bits, a screwdriver and a carpenter’s level. Installation is straightforward; the only difference between this unit and a standard straight rod is the larger wall brackets needed to hold the rod in position. Wall anchors are usually supplied with the rod.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com.
Pro Cost — DIY Cost — Pro time — DIY Time — DIY Savings — Percent Saved
$162 — $45 — 0.3 — 1.3 — $117 — 72%
