Roll-in showers · Phoenix, Tucson and statewide
A shower with no step at all.
Roll-in and barrier-free showers let you walk, roll or be helped in without lifting a foot. Here is how to choose one that fits your home.
Direct answer: A roll-in shower is a curbless, barrier-free shower you can enter on foot, with a walker or in a wheelchair. Walk In Tubs Arizona, an Aging Safely Baths company, installs Bestbath (made in the USA) and ANZZI roll-in showers anywhere in Arizona, often in as little as one day, or ships them supply-only. Roll-in showers are also the kind of bathroom change ALTCS lists for home modifications.
Who it is for
When a roll-in shower is the safer choice
A walk-in tub still has a small step and asks you to sit and stand from a seat. For many people that is fine. For others, any step is one step too many.
A roll-in shower is a shower with no curb at the entry. The floor of the shower meets the bathroom floor, so you can walk in, push a walker in, roll a wheelchair in, or be wheeled in on a shower chair by a caregiver. Nothing to lift your foot over and nothing to climb out of.
It is usually the better pick if you use a wheelchair, if you shuffle rather than lift your feet, if a caregiver helps you bathe, or if you simply prefer showers to baths. If you love a long soak, compare it with a walk-in tub with a built-in seat before you decide.
Shower safety matters because the bathroom is where many falls happen. A CDC study of emergency room visits found that bathroom injury rates were highest in or around the tub or shower.
Source: CDC MMWR on bathroom injuries.
- No step, so wheelchairs and walkers roll straight in
- Sloped floor that guides water to the drain
- Fold-down seat or room for a rolling shower chair
- Handheld shower on a slide bar
- Grab bars placed where your hands reach
- Smooth wall panels with few grout lines
Two entry styles
Curbless or low-threshold?
Both are far easier than a tub. The right one depends on how you move.
| Question | Curbless roll-in | Low-threshold walk-in |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Level with the floor, no lip | A small, low lip to step over |
| Wheelchair or shower chair | Rolls straight in | Hard or not possible |
| Walker or cane | Easy | Usually fine |
| Water control | Floor slope plus a water dam or trench drain | The lip holds water back |
| Install work | May need the base recessed into the floor | Often a simpler swap |
If you walk on your own today but expect to need a wheelchair later, a curbless base is the one you will not outgrow.
ADA vs. home
ADA showers and residential showers are not the same thing
You will see "ADA shower" in many ads. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) sets exact size and grab bar rules for public places like hotels and clinics. A private home does not have to meet those rules.
That is good news. It means your shower can be built around your body instead of a rulebook. An ADA-style base is a sound choice if you want maximum space. But a residential base sized to your existing tub alcove is often just as usable and much easier to install.
What matters most at home is turning space. If you use a wheelchair, think about the whole path: the bathroom door, the space between the toilet and vanity, and whether you can turn to face the shower. Measure that clear floor area before you choose a base. We look at it with you, from photos or a visit, before anything is ordered.
If a caregiver helps you bathe, plan room for two people. A wider base, a seat that faces out toward the open side, and a handheld shower your helper can reach without stepping in all make bath time easier and calmer for both of you.
Want the full checklist? The roll-in shower buying guide covers sizes, slopes and drain types in depth.
Shower seat
A fold-down seat at the height you can stand from. Ask for a padded or teak-style seat if you sit for long.
Handheld shower
On a slide bar so it adjusts for seated or standing use, with a long hose for a caregiver.
Grab bars
Anchored into solid backing, placed for your stronger hand, by the seat and by the entry.
Brands we carry
Bestbath and ANZZI showers
Bestbath
Made in the USA. Bestbath builds roll-in and low-threshold shower bases and wall systems in many sizes, including tub-replacement sizes, with options for seats, grab bars and water dams.
ANZZI
Offers shower bases, enclosures and accessible fixtures that suit many budgets and bathroom styles, including handheld shower sets and accessories.
Comparing on your own first? You can also shop shower kits online to get a feel for sizes and styles before you call.
Tight spaces
Narrow doors and hallways? Panel kits solve that
Many Arizona homes have narrow bathroom doors, tight hallway turns or a small guest bath. A one-piece shower may not fit through. Shower kits often come in panels: the base and walls arrive in sections that carry through a normal doorway and join together in place.
Panels also mean less demolition. In many tub-to-shower conversions the old tub comes out, the panels go up over prepared walls, and the job is done in as little as one day. See how that works in barrier-free showers installed in as little as a day, or read our own page on what happens on installation day in Arizona.
Prefer your own contractor? We can ship the kit with supply-only delivery to your home.
Measure these before you call: the bathroom door width, the narrowest hallway turn, the tub or shower alcove from wall to wall, and the clear space in front of it. Phone photos help too.
Paying for it
Why roll-in showers fit ALTCS and VA programs well
ALTCS (the Arizona Long Term Care System, part of AHCCCS) can cover home modifications that have a specific adaptive purpose, based on a needs assessment and written into your service plan. Roll-in showers and walk-in showers with handheld showerheads are the kind of bathroom change the policy lists. Walk-in tubs are not typically listed.
So if you are an ALTCS member, a roll-in shower is usually the option to ask your case manager about. Our step-by-step ALTCS roll-in shower guide explains the process. Veterans may also qualify for VA grants. See every option on the Arizona funding page.
For budgeting, our cost guide explains what goes into an installed price. Every quote is free and written, with no in-home sales pitch. When you are ready, ask us a question or request a quote.
Source: AHCCCS AMPM Policy 1240-I.
- Installed anywhere in Arizona
- Often done in as little as one day
- Supply-only delivery available
- VA grants accepted
- Free written quote, no pressure
Buy online
Prefer to order online?
Shop walk-in tub showers, roll-in showers and barrier-free shower kits at Showers4Less, an Aging Safely Baths store, shipped to your Arizona door. Questions first? Call 1-888-779-2284.
FAQ
Roll-in showers, answered
Will water spill onto my bathroom floor with no curb?
A well-built roll-in shower slopes gently toward the drain, and many include a collapsible water dam or a trench drain at the entry. A weighted curtain or a half-height door also helps. Proper slope set by the installer is what keeps water in.
Can a roll-in shower replace my existing bathtub?
Yes. Many roll-in shower bases come in a 60-inch length, which fits the same space as a standard tub. The installer removes the tub, adjusts the drain and sets the new base and walls, often in as little as one day.
What is the difference between a roll-in shower and a walk-in shower?
A roll-in shower has no curb, so a wheelchair or rolling shower chair can go straight in. A walk-in shower usually has a small, low threshold that most people can step over but a wheelchair cannot cross easily.
Do I need a fold-down seat or a separate shower chair?
A wall-mounted fold-down seat stays put and folds away when others shower. A rolling shower chair lets a caregiver wheel you in and out. Many people use a fold-down seat; wheelchair users often prefer a rolling chair.
Is a roll-in shower easier to clean than a tub?
Usually, yes. Solid-surface or acrylic wall panels have few or no grout lines, so there is less place for hard water scale and mildew to settle. A quick wipe after showering keeps Arizona mineral spots down.
Can I add a roll-in shower on a concrete slab?
Yes. Many Arizona homes sit on a slab, and shower bases are made to work with them. The installer may need to recess the base or adjust the drain in the concrete to get a level, curbless entry, and that is listed in your quote.
Bathe safely again, without leaving home.
Get a free, no-pressure Arizona quote for a walk-in tub or roll-in shower, installed or supply-only.