New Shower for basement remodel

Hi all, I am in the throws of building out a new bath for a basement remodel in my home. I am seeking advise and comparisons of the plethora of shower modules. I have been most interested in the Swanstone shower kits however it is out of my budget. What are the pros and cons? The best choice for a long lasting and maintenance free shower? Fiberglass and acrlylic ? Tile?

If you can fit a one-piece fiberglass unit into your basement and into the space, you'll have fewer potential probs than a multipiece that relies on caulk to seal the seams.

IMHO, tile looks the best, but the labor will make this the most expensive option. It is also the trickiest to do right (again, IMHO).

If you can do the work yourself, tile will last the longest and look the best. You don't have to buy hugely expensive tile to have a decent shower, and the materials aren't that expensive unless you go high tech. Cement board, thinset, a pvc liner and cement are all pretty inexpensive. Put them together right, and it will last a very long time without problems. For guidance on this, the best place I've found is www.johnbridge.com. If you are going to have this done, then the labor for a tiled shower can be quite large, but again, unless you go out of the way for expensive tile, the actual materials aren't really that much. By far the quicker thing is a fiberglass or acrylic shower (I don't particularly like fiberglass).

If you are leaning towards to the one piece units or multi-piece remodeling units I would strongly recommend acrylic over fiberglass.

Fiberglass today is junk! They have cost reduced......value engineered that product until it is guaranteed to crack in 3-5 years. Acrylic installed properly will last a lifetime...

I look at it that you are saving enough on the DIY aspect that you can afford to upgrade the product. Go acrylic and know the install will last.

Warning

Beware if you go to www.johnbridge.com.
If you go there, you're going to want tile your shower and do it yourself and do it tomorrow.
It's doable and remarkably rewarding, but it may be the end of your marriage...