Luxury, durability and safety in one curbless step

Easy installation and water damage prevention take the spotlight with KurbX

With an annual snowfall of over 300 inches per season, Breckenridge, Colo. has plenty of moisture on the outside, however for the Panorama Idea Home, managing that water on the inside is what counts. With the specification of KurbX curbless shower systems and structural drain pans the home can keep the flow of water under control with an extra touch of comfort and beauty.

Six bedrooms and eight bathrooms spread comfortably over 6,632 square feet make up the Panorama Idea Home, the combination of alpine luxury, environmental responsibility, and energy efficient durability. When it came time to specify bathroom detail, curbless showers were the perfect solution to create a spa-like appearance and craft a home with an eye toward an aging in place population.

“Curbless shower pans are not just for the elderly, they’re cool,” said Gene Myers, founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Thrive Home Builders, who are building the Panorama Idea Home. “These curbless units go in fast, and my [subcontractors] love that they can just tile the bathroom floor right over it. The customer never knows that a drain pan is installed.”

The curbless systems are installed in four steps. First, the subfloor is removed, and basic backing is put in place. Unlike traditional curbless shower pan systems that require up to a 6” drop to accommodate a pan, the KurbX design does not require any demolition of the floor joists and no structural modifications beneath the KurbX pan are required. The pre-sloped pans are mounted flush with the existing subfloor and designed structurally to span typical 16 O.C. joists. Next, the pan and drain are secured, then the area is waterproofed. The final step is the placement of tile over the top, a process that can happen the same day as pan installation. The quick install and waterproof methods allow for a shorter build schedule and less traffic from trades on the jobsite.

Preparing for the winter

High altitude home building comes with a unique set of risks. At 9,600 feet, the Panorama Idea Home is susceptible to storm-related power outages. With an average winter temperature of 28 degrees during the day and 15 degrees at night, the loss of power can quickly lead to frozen pipes and major water damage. For Thrive, the solution to worst-case scenario water management required a strategy on multiple fronts. 

First, a thoughtful design of the home’s back-up battery power system was created to keep the home from icing up during storm-related power outages. Next, ensuring power was maintained to a robust series of water detection devices was critical. But Myers was also concerned about potential moisture issues from the home’s appliances, and from normal occupant use.

“If you have a leak, it can be catastrophic, particularly in this climate zone,” said Myers. “So, controlling water at every possible point is very important.”

The solution was to create a water mitigation strategy inside the home for every source of bulk water, and to that end, Thrive specified KurbX drain pans throughout.

“These drains pan are way faster to install than traditional drain pans. We have them under the washing machines, utility sinks, in the mechanical room for condensate drains, in the bathrooms, and even a double-panel in the steam room. Basically, any place there is a chance that water might leak, we use these drain pans to keep the home safe.” says Myers.

While single-family luxury homes are the bread and butter of Thrive, the KurbX structural drain pans are flexible enough for direct installation to joints, above concrete slabs and even second floor and higher concrete buildings.

For more information, visit KurbX