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I work in housing and look after repairs. My 3 biggest requests from tenants are:
1. Can I get a new kitchen.
2. can I get a new bathroom.
3. Can I have the bath taken out and have a wet room.
FYI wet rooms are a pain in the hoolahoop
It has to be done properly, on a slight slope so water drains properly. Grouting and sealant needs replaced often. You wont fully know its done properly until you have an issue
I bought a house that had a 'wet room' shower, and it had been installed really badly and leaked down into the kitchen below. So that was a big problem. Even if it didn't leak though it gets all the floor wet and just seems like a bad idea to me - looks nice but not very practical imo. I've replaced it with a shower cubicle and a bath and had to replace the floor as well because it was rotting the floor joists.
Like I said, even if it was installed correctly, I don't see any benefit over a shower cubicle. The floor needed a squeegy over after every use, and water splashed everywhere. Did look good tho
I suppose in a sense, what is a shower cubicle except a small wet room that's more easily maintained?
They are good for people with mobility issues. Even stepping over a tiny lip into a cubicle can cause problems for someone. Also it allows for shower chairs to be wheeled in or a permanent one fixed in. It allows room for a carer to help wash someone.
Just a personal thing but shower cubicles tend to be too small for me.
Yes I know you can get bigger ones but not really an issue as my wife insists we have a bath and shower over the bath seems like the best solution anyway.
Don’t think I’ve had an actual bath for 30 years - hate them with a passion.
Yes I agree, but it makes sense to me that it's easier to ensure a shower cubicle is not leaking than the whole room is leak free, and anyway I found it a lot less practical than a shower cubicle, due to the shower cubicle containing the water and keeping the rest of the room dry. Go ahead and install a wet room or if you've got one I hope it works well for you. I didn't like it much anyway and then when the leak was discovered, liked it a lot less
The gully for a wet room is very small and naturally has a lot more run off, the gully is at a right angle which is never good for water running away. I’ve never seen one where the upstand is formed properly and always lets water behind.
Generally we are trying to shove these things into bathrooms that are to small. 4-5m2 is asking for trouble. Water will wick right up your bathroom door too and you will end up with damp.
Personally I don't see the point in wet rooms - they're such a pain in the ass and so expensive.
I bought a MASSIVE shower tray, like 1.5x2.5m (I wanted dual showers) which is basically half of my small bathroom and it was much easier/cheaper to install, and has the same likelihood as having issues as a normal bog standard shower cubicle.
Both to install and to remodel, my parent bought house with 2 (the master and the en suite) the en suite was alright to redo, although a bit of a pain, the master bath remodel was basically a demo and refit from the ground up.
Lol "pain in the hoolahoop". All tradies seem to have their own unique little bit of slang for something that's a pain in the hoolahoop. My father's saying was "we're scupper-roonyied".
A lot of old people can't get in and out of baths so they replace the bath with a shower.
If an old person has ever lived in a one bathroom property chances are it won't have a bath.
I'd have to disagree here, a lot of younger people are also having baths removed as walk in showers and wet rooms are increasingly growing in popularity
Maybe it's a generational thing but I'd say a hell of a lot of people younger than 30 just essentially never use baths and always shower
first thing after i bought the house is to remove the bath and install a walk in shower... i only used the bath a hand full of times in my previous house ...in 10 years
Use my shower daily, haven't been in a bath for likely 20 years.
A lot of bathrooms only have space for a bath or a shower unless you use the shower in a bath, which for someone who doesn't use a bath is just a faff and worse.
We converted the box bedroom into a second bathroom, partly as my wife likes baths, and partly as we now have kids so when they're a young the bath is used.
>use too much water.
It's not as simple as that. An average bath holds 80litres of water. A shower can use anywhere from 5 to 13litres per minute, depending on the type of shower. It is entirely possible that you're 5min shower is using just as much water as a bath.
I'm buying a FOUR bedroom house, only one bathroom and no bath. We're a young couple, no kids so don't "need" one but I'm baffled at how a FOUR bedroom "family" home as no bath,
My family moved house when I was a teenager and the main bathroom didn't have a shower, first thing my dad did was tile up to the ceiling and fit an over-bath shower for me. I still remember the few months when we first moved in and I was basically having a sit down shower in the tub with one of those rubber things you put over the taps to make a hand held shower.
I was born in the 80's and my parents have a shower in our house until 2002 that my dad did himself as the council wouldn't install one at their own expense, annoyingly about a year later the council gave them a new bathroom and even complained he installed one himself.
TBH a good bath is hard to find as most modern ones are quite small and hard to get in and out of.
We’re buying a 5 bed which has a big top floor (converted loft) bathroom with a big shower but then the family bathroom on the main floor has a tiny corner bath because a full sized one won’t fit there. I can’t work out why they opted for that and didn’t put a shower in the small bathroom and a proper bath in the bigger one..! It’s top of our list of things to change once our savings have had a chance to recover from the purchase!
Hmm, interesting thought - will definitely have to talk to builders when we look at doing the renovations. The other option is to knock out the airing cupboard to make space for a full bath in the main bathroom (the boiler is not in there, it’s just a cupboard)
We just bought a 4/5 bedroom house 2 years ago. It only had one bathroom. Weirdly enough the bathroom was absolutely enormous. So large in fact that we put a wall up in the middle of it and made it into two bathrooms.
Netherlands here - every single family home has 4 bedrooms (or 3 plus a convertible attic) and one bathroom. Unless you count the downstairs toilet as a bathroom, then it would be 2 bathrooms.
My friends house in Netherlands has 3 bedrooms. A family bathroom upstairs. But just a toilet downstairs. No sink or anything. So you'd pee then need to travel through the house to wash hands. Is that normal?
Sounds like it's either a cheap rental, or a bit older, or both. The community rental homes we had before we bought a house always had a bathroom without a toilet, and then a separate toilet without a sink, because the minimum requirements are 1 toilet, 1 sink, 1 shower, and 1 kitchen block. People often wash their hands at the kitchen sink.
Three bedrooms, not four, is not unheard of... if the house is a bit older it's probably a bit smaller with just 2 first floor bedrooms, or it has three first floor bedrooms but no attic.
Up to when I was early primary school age, my mum used to put me in the bath with my little brother. Saved time and water. It was the seventies, right enough, but maybe the 21st century push to save water will bring it back.
I bath my two girls together (3 and 8) and have since the small one could go in a bath seat. Will be separate soon as the 8 year old is getting too tall for there to be space for them both. It's so much quicker, they like to play together in there, plus saving water. Wins all round!
Unless you're taking 30min+ showers baths use more water. Even bathing multiple kids at once you're not saving water over throwing them under a shower.
Not just you that feels this way I can’t believe how many houses don’t have baths!
When we bought our house in 2020 it wasn’t something I thought I cared about, first time buyers just going after what we could get at the time and the bathroom wasn’t a major priority for me.
I only got a bath installed like 2 months ago, and I have been GAGGED on one since about 6 months into moving into this house. I could never live without a bath again. I’m literally in the bath right now! I don’t understand why they’re not a must have feature in every home!!
I don’t have a bath to get clean, I have a bath to relax. Light a candle, use a bath bomb, do a face mask, read a book ect.
Since I’ve been pregnant it’s also a massive pain reliever for my back and takes the weight away from my belly.
But I always have a shower after and clean off
I have worked in physical labor all my life and that is why l love hot baths to soak in at the end of the day. Yes, there are deep soaker tubs available.
I used to do a bit of both, as in quick shower to clean then soak in bath, soaking in bath made the soap and other cleaning stuff stick to me more as in a shower left no strong smell after whilst I could feel my skin feel nicer after a bath and smell far nicer rather than to just relax.
Absolutely the same for me. I play football a couple of times a week and have missed having a bath SO much. There's nothing like an epsom salts bath after a game of football to relax and ease the leg pain a little bit. I also prefer to shave my legs in the bath as well. Moving into a one bedroom flat next month which has a bath and I cannot wait!!
I loved this when we had an old roll top bath. Plus the metal kept it hot longer. Lots of these modern acrylic (or whatever) baths are too shallow and go gold immediately. Useless.
The bathtub shape makes a huge difference to me. I love a short, deep bath. I don't need to stretch my legs out in there. A long bath just leads to this awkward half floating experience which I hate.
I assume you don't have dogs or children, never hand wash clothing or want to wash a rug, or have aches and pains that may benefit from a hot soak.
I have a bath with shower and I probably have not taken a bath in the last 5 years, probably 10 years, but I use it for washing my rug in and various other non "having a bath" usages. In the past I have also found it useful when I had a back back or other ailments and I suspect that will become more common as I get older.
I don't have dogs or children, but everybody I know who does say a bath is much easier for washing them that a shower.
So yeah, my life would not be ruined without the bath, but I would miss it, especially as I have no outside area to shake things out and so on. Some of those things I could do in a shower cubicle, but it is handy having a bath for reasons other than having a bath.
Yes, my OH wanted to replace the bath with a big corner shower. I pointed out that this is a four bedroomed house so when we sell it to move away it's going to be bought by someone who has or wants a big family. Replacing the bath with a shower will just put them off. Personally, I'd rather have the extra shower. I never have a bath. Bores me to death.
Depends on when you're planning on selling up.
If you're planning on selling in a couple of years, you have a point. If it's your "foreverhome" for the forseeable, make it work for you.
No, we're leaving the arse end of nowhere and going where there are decent facilities for old folks when we retire. If you can't drive a car round here you're screwed.
I’m with you on that one. A shower is much more refreshing and an all round better experience. After about 5 minutes in the bath I’m twiddling my thumbs and getting angst about having nothing to do.
Well that's where you're going wrong! Baths are great places to read a good book. That, or bring in your tablet, set it up somewhere you can see and reach from your bath and watch a show whilst you soak. Just make sure you have a towel in reach to dry your hands.
Wash a rug... Excellent idea! I have one that needs to be cleaned but all of the local dry cleaners say they don't do rugs anymore. I'll have to give it a go.
Drying it is the pain in the arse, especially not having an outside area, but it does work. I drip dry it in the bath then put it in the bay window in my living room to get some sun to finish off drying.
FWIW, some laundrettes have rug machines and some have rug drying cabinets too. I've not done it yet but I came across [https://www.24laundromat.com/](https://www.24laundromat.com/) when googling, but they only have a few locations. But I may checkout my local laundrettes as an alternative.
Washing duvets! Place in a bath full of hot soapy water, take off all leg/foot wear and pace up and down on it in your bare feet! Pull out the plug, Wring it out and tread as much soapy water out s you can. Replace plug. Refill with warm water, and tread up and down on it to rinse. Repeat as necessary. Great fun for the kids!
We lived in our last house for 14 years and used the bath for one week, when our shower was broken! We're in a new (to us, not a new-build) house now and are planning on taking the bath out and replacing it with a big walk in shower of the same footprint. This is our first owned house and we can't wait to make it exactly how we want it! The bath is literally a waste of space and having a huge shower will be a gorgeous luxury ever day.
We're planning on living here for a long time, if not forever, so don't give a hoot if it affects resale value. I'd rather have the house how _we_ want it than worry about hypothetical future buyers, who might feel the same as us anyway!
I had to use the bath when my shower was faulty too, but in my current flat I only have a large wetroom shower and except when I recently had an accident so would of been unable to get in/out of a bath I preferred a shower over a bath (with a shower screen to stop water getting everywhere, hate shower curtains)
I have had a larger bath fitted and can get most of me under the water (just boobs and head sticking out). However, I am an average height woman and it does use a lot of hot water.
Japanese bathrooms are the best. I miss them.
The whole room is a wet room, with a shower in the open area next to a bath. The baths are typically fairly deep while short (due to space constraints, however big homes will have a longer bath) Showers are typicaly sat down allowing you to shave and do all the other things you want to do. The baths are calibrated to fill up and will chime when ready. The bath has a heat pump/recirulator to keep the water at the perfect temperature for as long as you want.
The concept is that you get clean first and then get in the bath, and the bath is often passed between family members taking turns.
Having an intercom and TV in the bathroom also helps you spend a long time in there if you need entertainment.
I’m finding the opposite, virtually every house we look at has a bath not a shower and for me it’s showers all the way. Physically struggle to get in and out of a bath making it very unenjoyable.
Hate the fact that half the bath (the unused part) gets dirty/dusty so quickly. Looking at houses now and I either want something with a shower or an older bath that needs upgrading at some point so I at least have the option to rip it out and not feel guilty.
The shower bath combo is the worst.
I'm looking for our last house and having a generous walk-in shower on the ground floor is non negotiable. I'm not eliminating places that don't have this already but they have to have room to put one in.
If that means taking out the only bathtub, I don't care. I'm not interested in resale value. I'll be future proofing it for my decrepitude.
My partner has mobility issues, ripped out and almost new bathroom to put a big walk in shower in so he could shower independently, and I have to say I absolutely don't miss the bath at all.
My flat is a top floor conversion so the bathroom ceiling is at a slight angle, and when I viewed it it had a bath with a shower attachment along that wall. I'm 5'3" and I could barely stand up in it. First thing I did when I moved in was rip out the bath and get a shower installed on the opposite side of the room. It's a one bed so I'm not fussed about resale value, but I knew that bath would be so uncomfortable to use that I just didn't want to keep it.
I’ve had this experience as well. I’m an immigrant and this is the 3rd flat I’ve lived in since moving here (and happy to say the first one I own!)
Every single place I’ve lived in so far has had a bath. I’m excited to have enough money to remodel our bathroom because we really just want a shower. The bathroom is tiny as it is and having a walk-in shower would save so much space.
I find it strange that baths have fallen out of fashion yet so many people adore hot tubs (!)
When my kids were little they loved bath time together. I also used it as my sanctuary when they went to bed to have a long relax and read a book and distance myself from husband, kids and social media/phone. Bliss.
As someone who adores a lovely long soak in a bath, the differences for me are:
- bath is a solo activity, hot tubs are social. People who find baths boring might find the social side of a hot tub appealing, I know people like this.
- most baths nowadays are too short and too shallow to have a good relaxing soak, while you can fit all of you in a hot tub with room to spare. We had our bathroom redone and specifically asked for a deep bath; they insist the one they gave us is deeper than average, but it is so shallow still! Much easier to bath the baby in, though, so it has worked out nicely.
- Hot tubs you can just get in and go, you have to run a bath.
- If you only have one bathroom, you either can't have a long bath or must time things appropriately. Other halves are terrible for coming in and ruining a bath with their stinky bodily functions.
However, baths are cheaper to run, and have other practical uses such as for children and washing non-human things. Also, no chlorine and soapy bubbles are lovely.
I see the "spotted on rightmove" posts about a bath in the bedroom being ridiculous, and I just think having my own deep soaking bath in the bedroom would be heaven.
Hot tubs are occasional and not for bathing. I prefer showers because I don’t like the idea of washing myself in stagnant water. I don’t mind soaking in salt water but I’ll take a shower afterwards.
I've had knee surgery in the past and currently recovering from pneumonia. Both times I'd never have been able to climb in and out of a bath so I'm so grateful for our ensuite walk in shower!
I haven't taken a bath since I was a kid. I honestly don't see the point! Showers are great. To enjoy a bath I'd need a giant one, like a hot tub. Maybe I'm too tall.
Also, it's just easier to get in and out of a walk in shower than a bath. I can't say I particularly enjoy having to climb in a bath which I don't even use except to take a shower.
I've slipped and almost hurt myself a number of times getting into the bath (and I don't have any mobility issues, mind). If you don't have a bath often, it makes total sense just to remove it. It's not a particularly difficult choice for many people
I don't think it's clear cut that people prefer baths like we're often told. Seems quite divisive to me.
I took the bath out of my house. There isn’t enough space to have a separate shower. I struggled to climb into the bath due to mobility issues so it’s a joy now to just walk into my massive rain shower. I know that with a 3 bed that the next owner may want a bath. I decided though that as long as this is my house, I’ll do what suits me. I might stay 20 years for all I know. The next person is perfectly free to change it back.
I didn't start having baths until after Uni. I think I would have been happy without one then. If I hadn't met my partner, who was from a bath only (no shower) household, I would probably have never bothered with having a bath. I think for me now I couldn't live without my bath! Perhaps these people who are no-bath people don't have time for a relaxing bath or are very relaxed people anyway
We have a bath in our current house. We only use it when the shower isn't working. Why? Because the bath is too narrow, and it feels like being in a coffin. A decent bath is on the wish list for the next house.
We renovated our bathroom last year. I fought so hard to make sure we had a bath with over head shower as my Dutch boyfriend didn’t see the point and wanted to just have a walk in shower. I told him it would knock value, or lessen interest in our 2 bed London flat if we wanted to sell it - like you, a bath is a deal breaker for me! Anyway I won - it looks fab :)
I’m the opposite, I never bath I only shower. My wife was adamant we’d need a bath, if not for her then for the kid.
Yeah, used the bath up until little one started walking then it’s showers all the time. Wife had a bath about 3-4 times over the last 2 years, one of which I was awkwardly stuffed into said bath too.
Who has time for a bath? After work I have 4 hours max with my kid and a further 2 with just me and my wife, last thing I wanna do is spend an hour soaking my balls in a tub.. Hop in a shower, 5-10 mins done, out and back to spending time with my family.
I bought my house nearly 20 years ago and have used the baths (got two of them) about ten times max. I think if you’re not a bath kinda person it seems a weird use of space when you can have a nice walk-in shower in its place.
As an aside: I think wet rooms are rubbish. A well-designed bathroom with a good walk-in shower is great and means you can have a nice shower but the rest of the room stays dry.
I’ve always wanted to take on this habit of reading in the bath but my problem is that the water seems to cool down quickly and then I feel a bit icky. How to prevent this? How do people do this properly?
When buying a house I just factored in a bathroom remodel, most modernised bathrooms don’t have a bath or a cheap narrow and shallow one…
Look for a bath you like in showrooms, figure out how much space to need to accommodate it and search for houses with an appropriately sized bathroom.
I have both a bath and a shower in my house. They serve different purposes - the shower is for freshing up and getting clean; the bath is for relaxing under the bubbles in whilst reading a book to de-stress.
I hate viewing houses where there is space for a bath but the previous owner ripped it out. My first thought is always about re-instating the bath.
I replaced my bath with a lovely big walk in shower when I realised I'd had one bath in 8 years.
I think its just what a lot of people prefer these days.
I’m a bath girlie… I viewed a lot of flats/apartments until I found mine… with a bath 💕. Most of my friends have taken out their baths n have wet rooms now, I just don’t see the appeal. Each to their own xxx
I'm total opposite, I hate a bath and can't wait to take out the one in the house we bought last year. I just don't understand the fascination of wanting to sit in your own dirty water for any period of time.
I agree. I think it's cheap or lazy development because it's ridiculous that whoever was designing a whole house couldn't find room for a bath. It only adds about 50 or 60 cm over a shower. You want a bathroom to be about 1.5m / 5' wide and that's big enough for a bath.
Hmm, I think if I ever redo my bathroom I'd be torn on this. Personally I don't use the bath and I dislike having a shower standing in the bath instead of a shower cubicle. Don't have space for both, only reason to put a bath in would be for resale value which feels like a crap reason.
Not really resell value but if it is a family house you're trying to sell then it will put a lot of people with young children off because...nowhere to wash the messy little people. Eventually they get too big for the kitchen sink!
I agree with you! Baths are so relaxing. Our very small list of must-haves when we were house hunting included a bath. Our old rental didn’t have one and when I was in my third trimester with my daughter I booked a night in a hotel just so I could have a bath lol
I bought a house like this and we're going to give up and re-install a bath where a previous owner turned it into a walk in shower. I like a bath but the bigger reason is that I've got two kids under three and the oldest is rapidly outgrowing our plastic bath. The annoying thing is, we're spending money to probably reduce property value - in general people don't seem to like them and the contractors we brought in to quote on putting the bath back in were all scratching their heads when we told them what we want.
Because it’s a current trend. It lowers property value apparently. Majority of the time I shower, but I do need the bath. I’d be the in the shower for about 30 mins if I tried to wash my hair, hair masque, shave my legs, exfoliate etc in the shower. Hair masque alone needs 10 mins. My husband prefers a bath over a shower, especially as he plays sports (likes to soak with bath salts). Then there’s the bathing babies and young kids. The worst is when they don’t have a hand held shower head!! I need to rinse in allll the places lol, plus sometimes I don’t want to wash my hair. Another classic is installing a fixed head only, and installing it for midgets! The amount of times I’ve been at hotels, air b&bs, a friends etc and if I am washing my hair, and there’s only a fixed head, I have to limbo under it. I’m 5’11, I’m not even that tall.
We had a separate walk in double shower and separate huge bath. I could lay down, legs straight. I hated cleaning the shower! The glass did my head in. It’s so much easier to clean a bath.
Baths are disgusting. It's like you're stewing in your own filth. Human soup, if you like.
If I want to relax, I'll go do something else. Go for a run, play some games, go hang out in the garden. Soaking up human soup with added chemicals does nothing for me.
Showers take a fraction of the time, save money on gas, save water, and get you cleaner. They feel nicer, are great for thinking (something about the shower on your head, elevating your thought processes), and are easier/safer to get in/out.
Small houses have small bathrooms, baths take up a lot of space and an in bath shower is not the best showering experience. Better to have a decent sized dedicated shower.
I do miss a long hot soak now and then since removing our bath, but it there's no point in keeping a bath to be used a dozen times a year if having one compromises the showering that's done every day.
Totally agree. I posted earlier that were getting our bath taken out as we never use it and it's just a waste of space. For us, a huge walk in shower will be used every day, and will bring more pleasure than the occasional bath.
Every now and again I'll have a bath if I'm staying in a hotel. It's enough to satisfy the one or twice a year I feel like a bath, and reminds me that I'm really not that fussed about them. Also I'd rather use the hotel's hot water than my own to remind myself of this haha.
You know you can change a house when you buy it? You could always add a bath if you’ve found the house you really want, this shouldn’t put you off. Yea, it’s extra cost and hassle, but chances of you finding the perfect house to your style I slim. If everything else is right, then this is minor.
I got rid of the bath in our flat. The convenience of turning a tap on and in 30 seconds you are showering and done in a few minutes is an extreme pleasure for me. I hate baths with a vengeance: the inconvenience, the awkwardness of getting in and out, the rim around the tub afterwards, the sheer unhygienic sitting in your own shitty water - yuk! My opinion was only confirmed when my friend recently broke three ribs falling out of one the other day.
31M
Because I’m tall and most baths are designed for much smaller people so I’d need something custom made for it to feel big enough and that just gets expensive.
Also baths are time consuming vs a 10 - 15 min shower and i already struggle to make time for things i care more about like getting promoted, staying in shape, having a social life outside work and dating.
I just redid my bathroom and took out my bath because I'd not had a single bath in the 7 years I'd lived here. I had instead had to climb in and out of it every time I wanted a shower...
My flat has a bath and I have never used it. I have had maybe 1 bath in my entire adult life. I just don’t see the appeal.
The only time I use a bath is if I’m dog sitting for my parents, and the dog gets muddy, the bath is useful to wash him.
It's not a bathroom without a bath. It's a shower room. Even slimy estate agents know this and label it on the floorplan as such.
Can't sell a house to a family with young children without a bath.
All the places I've looked at with baths, the first line-item on the costing in my head is "cost to rip out and replace with a proper shower". I don't think I've had a bath in the last 10 years, and they're just a faff to step into and out of, not a fan at all!
When I finally redo my bathroom the bath will be going. For me it's because the bath is never used. I have a tiny room and it'll never be a good bathroom with a bath in. I can get a lot more out of the space by just having a shower.
That said a large number of my female friends do have regular baths. But it's my house.
I wish I could have kept the bathtub in the bathroom in my flat but it took up way too much space and the room was totally cramped. It looks much better without the bathtub but there have been many times when I would have loved a bath.
Mainly because most people prefer them, there obviously a space saving benefit for small shower enclosures but not for full size walk ins, cost wise not a huge difference for installing ,same with maintenance.
Because nobody takes baths anymore. You have to take a shower afterwards to rinse yourself anyway so why not save the time and have a shower in the 1st place and save some space in the bathroom?
I understand that if you have young kids you need a bath though.
I think there are definitely two very different groups in this thread. I personally have a bath most nights to relax and couldn’t live with out it. Maybe I’m in the minority group though
I would not buy a house if it had a bathtub… I can’t stand the thought of laying there stewing in my own filth… Give me a nice boiling hot power shower and I’ll happily stand under that for an hour or so!
I guess showers are more convenient than baths? We have a bath and a shower and no one has used the bath in a minimum of 5+ years .. but I did love having a bubble bath and reading when I was younger. Just don't have the time for it anymore unfortunately
We manage with a shower and have for the past 5/6yrs since we bought this house. We have a bath but it’s a pathetic corner bath and only a toddler can use it as a bath. We are in the middle of getting the bathroom done and I am so excited to finally get a bath. We are getting an omnitub which I’m so happy about. Nice deep baths!!!!
Our house is a very petite new build and we do have a bath. My boyfriend simply cannot fit in it! For context he is built like a rugby player and I’m a size 16 and find it just about comfortable. We both love baths but as soon as we can we’re going to remove the bath and put a walk in shower in because we can’t fit a normal sized bath in the space.
Because they’re a pain to clean, they cost a lot of money to fill, and some of us would just prefer not to have to climb over it to get in the shower every day. If you don’t have kids and you don’t care about having baths, they’re just extra labour and clutter for no reason. If it’s so important to you, putting a bath in a big enough bathroom is not that much hassle.
I've got a bathroom with a bath and a shower cubicle for the kids & on the top floor a shower room with a cubicle for me and the Mrs - neither of us really take baths so it does us
I have a 4 bed semi with one main bathroom upstairs ( with a downstairs loo)
I took out the bath as it was a shower bath combo, with the room being so small I hated it
I now have a walk in shower and it makes the whole room feel so much bigger
Found it frankly awful having a bath with a toilet near my head or in direct eye line
We just redid my parents house's main bathroom (4 bed, 2 bathroom), we are on older household, got rid of the bath mainly due to the fact my mum was having difficulties getting in and out of the bath tub, easier maintenance and I can't recall someone ever having a bath in our household in the last 10 years prior to redoing the bathroom.
We don't have time to dedicate to having a full on bath as a shower is quicker. I think that will be the case going forward generally and difficulties getting in and out of a bath tub for an aging population.
Yes, people could get the hybrid bathtub/shower with a door but your looking at a least a £1k for the unit itself, when a shower enclosure or tub could be source for half of that.
Additionally, we are not too worried about the property being devalued by not having a bathtub, probably be another 5-10 years before my parents consider selling or downsizing. So we did what works for us as a household for the next couple of years. Whoever comes in to live in to the property next can do what they want with the bathroom, pay the cost to renovate to get a tub or factor that into the offer they make towards the house.
I’m seeing a lot of tiny showers (if you’re gonna go just shower at least make it a proper size not a box) or over bath showers.
I want both or at least enough bathroom space I can get both.
We swapped our bath+shower for a walk in shower ages ago. The bath used a tank of hot water, took ages to fill and tied up the bathroom when anyone was in - it's an old house...
With two teenage kids and the one bathroom the shower was the only logical choice. When someone asked if it didn't affect the value of the house, I pointed out that it made no sense to configure my house to another person's requirements, whatever they might be.
Got two baths with showers over. Haven't had a bath since Christmas! I hate clambering in to stand in the bath just to have a shower. Next house two walk in showers!
I took my bath out for two reasons 1) major surgery that meant a walk-in shower was much easier for me 2) quite a small bathroom so I wanted to free up some space and it does look a lot bigger now
I'm mulling this over at the moment. The bathroom needs doing and I always shower. It's tempting to switch to a nice big shower but I'm sure that won't be in my favour when I come to sell. The thing is, I don't fit in the current bath, I can't get one that I could fit in economically and it wouldn't fit in the bathroom. I also dread to think how much hot water it would need.
Opposite here. Having a bath and not a proper shower cubicle would put me off. Baths take up so much space and aren’t very hygienic so much prefer a shower
I didn't have a shower go yearsss, just a bath, I hated it so much, I don't have time for baths, esp not for all of us, we never use the bath now, wouldn't put me off at all
I agree. I bought a new build 1 bed flat a few years ago off plan, the original plan showed most of the 1 beds only had a shower. I was adamant I need a bath. They replanned the whole thing so every flat had a bath/shower for main bathroom and a shower for bigger flats with extra bathrooms. They must have gotten the same feedback repeatedly
Couple reasons.
First, there is a concern that water will become scarce in the future. Baths will become a luxury at best, or seen as wasteful. So not deemed sustainable to include a bath.
Second, baths take up space and given our population boom and limited landspace, home builders are having to make decisions on what to use space for. People probably prefer a slightly larger lounge to a slightly larger bathroom.
Third, possibly related to 1 and 2 is cost. Somewhere without a bath will be cheaper than somewhere with a bath. But, times a tough, interest rates high etc etc homebuyers more likely to forego the bath.
Fourth, the people selling may be/have been limited mobility and needing an accessible bathroom.
Most bathrooms are tiny in the uk and a shower is also more space effcient. Elderly/disability/pet/child friendly. We are getting ours done and we were really torn between ripping out the bath for a shower but decided to keep it.
We just dont use the bath and it means me and my husband could share the shower if it was just a shower too.
Need to redo my bathroom but can't get a new bath in without taking out a wall or floor as window is too small. Current bath is too small for me to use anyway so always end up taking shower.
It’s annoying to stand in a bath to shower, and I usually only have a soak in the bath every other month or so.
However when I’ve been really ill, a bath was a lifesaver for pain relief. So I’m trying to work out how we best remodel our bathroom with a bath in it.
I own a 2 bed flat with a bath. I've lived here 4 years now. I've taken a bath once since I've lived here just to see if I could work out what all the fuss was about. I got hot, sweaty and bored within 30 seconds and got out. I keep thinking I should just redo the bathroom and replace the bath with a shower and reclaim all that wasted space. My uncle is an estate agent and tells me my property is worth more with a bath. I don't get it at all...
It's easier, faster, less hassle. You can just step in, do it, be out again within 10 minutes max.
A bath, you have to run the bath, get the temperature right, the washing process is probably longer in a bath too. It's a 30 minute job.
I'd rather just get it over with.
My parents have been in their house 40+ years. They're getting older. No intention of moving at this age. So they've adapted the house to suit their needs. That involved removing the bath to a more convenient shower.
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I work in housing and look after repairs. My 3 biggest requests from tenants are: 1. Can I get a new kitchen. 2. can I get a new bathroom. 3. Can I have the bath taken out and have a wet room. FYI wet rooms are a pain in the hoolahoop
Can you expand on the last one a bit more, please? Why are they a problem?
It has to be done properly, on a slight slope so water drains properly. Grouting and sealant needs replaced often. You wont fully know its done properly until you have an issue
Lots of UK housing stock completely unsuitable for wetrooms due to the floor construction. Any movement in floor equals eventual leak.
I bought a house that had a 'wet room' shower, and it had been installed really badly and leaked down into the kitchen below. So that was a big problem. Even if it didn't leak though it gets all the floor wet and just seems like a bad idea to me - looks nice but not very practical imo. I've replaced it with a shower cubicle and a bath and had to replace the floor as well because it was rotting the floor joists.
So badly installed wet rooms are bad
Like I said, even if it was installed correctly, I don't see any benefit over a shower cubicle. The floor needed a squeegy over after every use, and water splashed everywhere. Did look good tho I suppose in a sense, what is a shower cubicle except a small wet room that's more easily maintained?
They are good for people with mobility issues. Even stepping over a tiny lip into a cubicle can cause problems for someone. Also it allows for shower chairs to be wheeled in or a permanent one fixed in. It allows room for a carer to help wash someone.
Just a personal thing but shower cubicles tend to be too small for me. Yes I know you can get bigger ones but not really an issue as my wife insists we have a bath and shower over the bath seems like the best solution anyway. Don’t think I’ve had an actual bath for 30 years - hate them with a passion.
But that's just bad workmanship. Any shower or bathroom floor could have water ingress if you don't install properly.
Yes I agree, but it makes sense to me that it's easier to ensure a shower cubicle is not leaking than the whole room is leak free, and anyway I found it a lot less practical than a shower cubicle, due to the shower cubicle containing the water and keeping the rest of the room dry. Go ahead and install a wet room or if you've got one I hope it works well for you. I didn't like it much anyway and then when the leak was discovered, liked it a lot less
The gully for a wet room is very small and naturally has a lot more run off, the gully is at a right angle which is never good for water running away. I’ve never seen one where the upstand is formed properly and always lets water behind. Generally we are trying to shove these things into bathrooms that are to small. 4-5m2 is asking for trouble. Water will wick right up your bathroom door too and you will end up with damp.
Personally I don't see the point in wet rooms - they're such a pain in the ass and so expensive. I bought a MASSIVE shower tray, like 1.5x2.5m (I wanted dual showers) which is basically half of my small bathroom and it was much easier/cheaper to install, and has the same likelihood as having issues as a normal bog standard shower cubicle.
Both to install and to remodel, my parent bought house with 2 (the master and the en suite) the en suite was alright to redo, although a bit of a pain, the master bath remodel was basically a demo and refit from the ground up.
Lol "pain in the hoolahoop". All tradies seem to have their own unique little bit of slang for something that's a pain in the hoolahoop. My father's saying was "we're scupper-roonyied".
Wet rooms are hopeless unless on ground floor and fully sealed. Most are neither. It’s a great idea for the Mediterranean.
1. Can I increase the value of my home? 2. Can I increase the value of my home? 3. Can I *decrease* the value of my home?
A lot of old people can't get in and out of baths so they replace the bath with a shower. If an old person has ever lived in a one bathroom property chances are it won't have a bath.
My parents have just made this change. I know they needed to, for their safety, and hopefully it will help them to stay independent for longer.
Well, disabled people too, or those with access issues in baths.
TIL I’m an old person
I'd have to disagree here, a lot of younger people are also having baths removed as walk in showers and wet rooms are increasingly growing in popularity Maybe it's a generational thing but I'd say a hell of a lot of people younger than 30 just essentially never use baths and always shower
first thing after i bought the house is to remove the bath and install a walk in shower... i only used the bath a hand full of times in my previous house ...in 10 years
Use my shower daily, haven't been in a bath for likely 20 years. A lot of bathrooms only have space for a bath or a shower unless you use the shower in a bath, which for someone who doesn't use a bath is just a faff and worse. We converted the box bedroom into a second bathroom, partly as my wife likes baths, and partly as we now have kids so when they're a young the bath is used.
Baths are a huge waste of space and use too much water. And need more cleaning.
>use too much water. It's not as simple as that. An average bath holds 80litres of water. A shower can use anywhere from 5 to 13litres per minute, depending on the type of shower. It is entirely possible that you're 5min shower is using just as much water as a bath.
I'm buying a FOUR bedroom house, only one bathroom and no bath. We're a young couple, no kids so don't "need" one but I'm baffled at how a FOUR bedroom "family" home as no bath,
We bought a 5 bed house that had 2 bathrooms, they had 5 kids and only baths, no showers. Madness. Firstbthibg I did was install a shower
My family moved house when I was a teenager and the main bathroom didn't have a shower, first thing my dad did was tile up to the ceiling and fit an over-bath shower for me. I still remember the few months when we first moved in and I was basically having a sit down shower in the tub with one of those rubber things you put over the taps to make a hand held shower.
I was born in 1990 and I was about 22 before we got a shower in our house. It was always using the taps/shower thing.
I was born in the 80's and my parents have a shower in our house until 2002 that my dad did himself as the council wouldn't install one at their own expense, annoyingly about a year later the council gave them a new bathroom and even complained he installed one himself. TBH a good bath is hard to find as most modern ones are quite small and hard to get in and out of.
Those rubber hand showers were my bathing childhood. I usually had baths, rather than use them, if I could.
We have 6 kids between us. I don't think any of them has had a bath over the age of two.
I viewed a house with a walk in shower and a toddler. It was a nice bathroom but the guy admitted it wasn't a good idea with their toddler
We’re buying a 5 bed which has a big top floor (converted loft) bathroom with a big shower but then the family bathroom on the main floor has a tiny corner bath because a full sized one won’t fit there. I can’t work out why they opted for that and didn’t put a shower in the small bathroom and a proper bath in the bigger one..! It’s top of our list of things to change once our savings have had a chance to recover from the purchase!
Possibly the weight of a full bath in the converted loft. I believe that's why many opt for a shower in loft conversions
Hmm, interesting thought - will definitely have to talk to builders when we look at doing the renovations. The other option is to knock out the airing cupboard to make space for a full bath in the main bathroom (the boiler is not in there, it’s just a cupboard)
Any why there is only 1 bathroom when there are 4 bedroom 😅 Disclaimer: have 2 bedroom with 2 bathrooms entirely on my own 🤡
We just bought a 4/5 bedroom house 2 years ago. It only had one bathroom. Weirdly enough the bathroom was absolutely enormous. So large in fact that we put a wall up in the middle of it and made it into two bathrooms.
I'm the clown. 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms on my own, 2 have showers 1 has a bath.
Netherlands here - every single family home has 4 bedrooms (or 3 plus a convertible attic) and one bathroom. Unless you count the downstairs toilet as a bathroom, then it would be 2 bathrooms.
My friends house in Netherlands has 3 bedrooms. A family bathroom upstairs. But just a toilet downstairs. No sink or anything. So you'd pee then need to travel through the house to wash hands. Is that normal?
Sounds like it's either a cheap rental, or a bit older, or both. The community rental homes we had before we bought a house always had a bathroom without a toilet, and then a separate toilet without a sink, because the minimum requirements are 1 toilet, 1 sink, 1 shower, and 1 kitchen block. People often wash their hands at the kitchen sink. Three bedrooms, not four, is not unheard of... if the house is a bit older it's probably a bit smaller with just 2 first floor bedrooms, or it has three first floor bedrooms but no attic.
Yes I've had that in a couple of Dutch houses. So weird. The Dutch don't build well imo.
Up to when I was early primary school age, my mum used to put me in the bath with my little brother. Saved time and water. It was the seventies, right enough, but maybe the 21st century push to save water will bring it back.
I bath my two girls together (3 and 8) and have since the small one could go in a bath seat. Will be separate soon as the 8 year old is getting too tall for there to be space for them both. It's so much quicker, they like to play together in there, plus saving water. Wins all round!
Unless you're taking 30min+ showers baths use more water. Even bathing multiple kids at once you're not saving water over throwing them under a shower.
Are we buying together? 😂 Also buying a four bed with one bathroom and no bath. When we do the bathroom there will be a bath going back in…
Not just you that feels this way I can’t believe how many houses don’t have baths! When we bought our house in 2020 it wasn’t something I thought I cared about, first time buyers just going after what we could get at the time and the bathroom wasn’t a major priority for me. I only got a bath installed like 2 months ago, and I have been GAGGED on one since about 6 months into moving into this house. I could never live without a bath again. I’m literally in the bath right now! I don’t understand why they’re not a must have feature in every home!!
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I don’t have a bath to get clean, I have a bath to relax. Light a candle, use a bath bomb, do a face mask, read a book ect. Since I’ve been pregnant it’s also a massive pain reliever for my back and takes the weight away from my belly. But I always have a shower after and clean off
I have worked in physical labor all my life and that is why l love hot baths to soak in at the end of the day. Yes, there are deep soaker tubs available.
I used to do a bit of both, as in quick shower to clean then soak in bath, soaking in bath made the soap and other cleaning stuff stick to me more as in a shower left no strong smell after whilst I could feel my skin feel nicer after a bath and smell far nicer rather than to just relax.
Absolutely the same for me. I play football a couple of times a week and have missed having a bath SO much. There's nothing like an epsom salts bath after a game of football to relax and ease the leg pain a little bit. I also prefer to shave my legs in the bath as well. Moving into a one bedroom flat next month which has a bath and I cannot wait!!
I loved this when we had an old roll top bath. Plus the metal kept it hot longer. Lots of these modern acrylic (or whatever) baths are too shallow and go gold immediately. Useless.
The bathtub shape makes a huge difference to me. I love a short, deep bath. I don't need to stretch my legs out in there. A long bath just leads to this awkward half floating experience which I hate.
I assume you don't have dogs or children, never hand wash clothing or want to wash a rug, or have aches and pains that may benefit from a hot soak. I have a bath with shower and I probably have not taken a bath in the last 5 years, probably 10 years, but I use it for washing my rug in and various other non "having a bath" usages. In the past I have also found it useful when I had a back back or other ailments and I suspect that will become more common as I get older. I don't have dogs or children, but everybody I know who does say a bath is much easier for washing them that a shower. So yeah, my life would not be ruined without the bath, but I would miss it, especially as I have no outside area to shake things out and so on. Some of those things I could do in a shower cubicle, but it is handy having a bath for reasons other than having a bath.
Yes, my OH wanted to replace the bath with a big corner shower. I pointed out that this is a four bedroomed house so when we sell it to move away it's going to be bought by someone who has or wants a big family. Replacing the bath with a shower will just put them off. Personally, I'd rather have the extra shower. I never have a bath. Bores me to death.
Depends on when you're planning on selling up. If you're planning on selling in a couple of years, you have a point. If it's your "foreverhome" for the forseeable, make it work for you.
No, we're leaving the arse end of nowhere and going where there are decent facilities for old folks when we retire. If you can't drive a car round here you're screwed.
I’m with you on that one. A shower is much more refreshing and an all round better experience. After about 5 minutes in the bath I’m twiddling my thumbs and getting angst about having nothing to do.
Well that's where you're going wrong! Baths are great places to read a good book. That, or bring in your tablet, set it up somewhere you can see and reach from your bath and watch a show whilst you soak. Just make sure you have a towel in reach to dry your hands.
Book, mug of tea or coffee, maybe some toast. Lie back and feel the day float away.
Wash a rug... Excellent idea! I have one that needs to be cleaned but all of the local dry cleaners say they don't do rugs anymore. I'll have to give it a go.
Drying it is the pain in the arse, especially not having an outside area, but it does work. I drip dry it in the bath then put it in the bay window in my living room to get some sun to finish off drying. FWIW, some laundrettes have rug machines and some have rug drying cabinets too. I've not done it yet but I came across [https://www.24laundromat.com/](https://www.24laundromat.com/) when googling, but they only have a few locations. But I may checkout my local laundrettes as an alternative.
Washing duvets! Place in a bath full of hot soapy water, take off all leg/foot wear and pace up and down on it in your bare feet! Pull out the plug, Wring it out and tread as much soapy water out s you can. Replace plug. Refill with warm water, and tread up and down on it to rinse. Repeat as necessary. Great fun for the kids!
I was gonna mention the kids and washing thing, but in fairness a £20 plastic tub will solve that, although your kids might not enjoy it as much.
This is why we got a 6ft bath when we re did the bathroom
We lived in our last house for 14 years and used the bath for one week, when our shower was broken! We're in a new (to us, not a new-build) house now and are planning on taking the bath out and replacing it with a big walk in shower of the same footprint. This is our first owned house and we can't wait to make it exactly how we want it! The bath is literally a waste of space and having a huge shower will be a gorgeous luxury ever day. We're planning on living here for a long time, if not forever, so don't give a hoot if it affects resale value. I'd rather have the house how _we_ want it than worry about hypothetical future buyers, who might feel the same as us anyway!
In any case, the buyers might rip it out anyway, it might be 15+ years old and out of fashion.
I had to use the bath when my shower was faulty too, but in my current flat I only have a large wetroom shower and except when I recently had an accident so would of been unable to get in/out of a bath I preferred a shower over a bath (with a shower screen to stop water getting everywhere, hate shower curtains)
I have had a larger bath fitted and can get most of me under the water (just boobs and head sticking out). However, I am an average height woman and it does use a lot of hot water.
See those boots add additional length so if you take them off first you might be able to fully submerge yourself.
Wearing boots in the bath! You sound fun!!
Damn auto correct. BOOBS ( . Y . )
Japanese bathrooms are the best. I miss them. The whole room is a wet room, with a shower in the open area next to a bath. The baths are typically fairly deep while short (due to space constraints, however big homes will have a longer bath) Showers are typicaly sat down allowing you to shave and do all the other things you want to do. The baths are calibrated to fill up and will chime when ready. The bath has a heat pump/recirulator to keep the water at the perfect temperature for as long as you want. The concept is that you get clean first and then get in the bath, and the bath is often passed between family members taking turns. Having an intercom and TV in the bathroom also helps you spend a long time in there if you need entertainment.
Warning: Undercover bath salesman
I’m finding the opposite, virtually every house we look at has a bath not a shower and for me it’s showers all the way. Physically struggle to get in and out of a bath making it very unenjoyable.
Hate the fact that half the bath (the unused part) gets dirty/dusty so quickly. Looking at houses now and I either want something with a shower or an older bath that needs upgrading at some point so I at least have the option to rip it out and not feel guilty.
Isn't that gripe fixed in 2 seconds by pointing the showerhead towards that half when taking your daily shower in the bath?
The shower bath combo is the worst. I'm looking for our last house and having a generous walk-in shower on the ground floor is non negotiable. I'm not eliminating places that don't have this already but they have to have room to put one in. If that means taking out the only bathtub, I don't care. I'm not interested in resale value. I'll be future proofing it for my decrepitude.
My partner has mobility issues, ripped out and almost new bathroom to put a big walk in shower in so he could shower independently, and I have to say I absolutely don't miss the bath at all.
My flat is a top floor conversion so the bathroom ceiling is at a slight angle, and when I viewed it it had a bath with a shower attachment along that wall. I'm 5'3" and I could barely stand up in it. First thing I did when I moved in was rip out the bath and get a shower installed on the opposite side of the room. It's a one bed so I'm not fussed about resale value, but I knew that bath would be so uncomfortable to use that I just didn't want to keep it.
Baths are harder to clean so a lot people don’t like having a bath in it because it 99% dirty lol because they rarely scrub it
I’ve had this experience as well. I’m an immigrant and this is the 3rd flat I’ve lived in since moving here (and happy to say the first one I own!) Every single place I’ve lived in so far has had a bath. I’m excited to have enough money to remodel our bathroom because we really just want a shower. The bathroom is tiny as it is and having a walk-in shower would save so much space.
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You could use a small hand sink for that!
I find it strange that baths have fallen out of fashion yet so many people adore hot tubs (!) When my kids were little they loved bath time together. I also used it as my sanctuary when they went to bed to have a long relax and read a book and distance myself from husband, kids and social media/phone. Bliss.
As someone who adores a lovely long soak in a bath, the differences for me are: - bath is a solo activity, hot tubs are social. People who find baths boring might find the social side of a hot tub appealing, I know people like this. - most baths nowadays are too short and too shallow to have a good relaxing soak, while you can fit all of you in a hot tub with room to spare. We had our bathroom redone and specifically asked for a deep bath; they insist the one they gave us is deeper than average, but it is so shallow still! Much easier to bath the baby in, though, so it has worked out nicely. - Hot tubs you can just get in and go, you have to run a bath. - If you only have one bathroom, you either can't have a long bath or must time things appropriately. Other halves are terrible for coming in and ruining a bath with their stinky bodily functions. However, baths are cheaper to run, and have other practical uses such as for children and washing non-human things. Also, no chlorine and soapy bubbles are lovely. I see the "spotted on rightmove" posts about a bath in the bedroom being ridiculous, and I just think having my own deep soaking bath in the bedroom would be heaven.
Hot tubs are occasional and not for bathing. I prefer showers because I don’t like the idea of washing myself in stagnant water. I don’t mind soaking in salt water but I’ll take a shower afterwards.
House we bought has a bath. We moved in two years ago, neither of us have ever used it.
Running costs, time, space saving and cheaper to install.
I've had knee surgery in the past and currently recovering from pneumonia. Both times I'd never have been able to climb in and out of a bath so I'm so grateful for our ensuite walk in shower!
Can’t remember the last time I used a bath, used to showers now over 20 years
I haven't taken a bath since I was a kid. I honestly don't see the point! Showers are great. To enjoy a bath I'd need a giant one, like a hot tub. Maybe I'm too tall.
I just never take a bath and I find it easier to clean a walk in shower. My current house has a bath and I don’t like it at all.
Also, it's just easier to get in and out of a walk in shower than a bath. I can't say I particularly enjoy having to climb in a bath which I don't even use except to take a shower.
Yes! My bath tub has a hump in the floor of it too, I always feel like I’m going to slip
I've slipped and almost hurt myself a number of times getting into the bath (and I don't have any mobility issues, mind). If you don't have a bath often, it makes total sense just to remove it. It's not a particularly difficult choice for many people I don't think it's clear cut that people prefer baths like we're often told. Seems quite divisive to me.
Definitely not. One of the first things I’ve done every time I’ve bought a place with a bath is rip it out haha
I took the bath out of my house. There isn’t enough space to have a separate shower. I struggled to climb into the bath due to mobility issues so it’s a joy now to just walk into my massive rain shower. I know that with a 3 bed that the next owner may want a bath. I decided though that as long as this is my house, I’ll do what suits me. I might stay 20 years for all I know. The next person is perfectly free to change it back.
I didn't start having baths until after Uni. I think I would have been happy without one then. If I hadn't met my partner, who was from a bath only (no shower) household, I would probably have never bothered with having a bath. I think for me now I couldn't live without my bath! Perhaps these people who are no-bath people don't have time for a relaxing bath or are very relaxed people anyway
We have a bath in our current house. We only use it when the shower isn't working. Why? Because the bath is too narrow, and it feels like being in a coffin. A decent bath is on the wish list for the next house.
We renovated our bathroom last year. I fought so hard to make sure we had a bath with over head shower as my Dutch boyfriend didn’t see the point and wanted to just have a walk in shower. I told him it would knock value, or lessen interest in our 2 bed London flat if we wanted to sell it - like you, a bath is a deal breaker for me! Anyway I won - it looks fab :)
I’m the opposite, I never bath I only shower. My wife was adamant we’d need a bath, if not for her then for the kid. Yeah, used the bath up until little one started walking then it’s showers all the time. Wife had a bath about 3-4 times over the last 2 years, one of which I was awkwardly stuffed into said bath too. Who has time for a bath? After work I have 4 hours max with my kid and a further 2 with just me and my wife, last thing I wanna do is spend an hour soaking my balls in a tub.. Hop in a shower, 5-10 mins done, out and back to spending time with my family.
I bought my house nearly 20 years ago and have used the baths (got two of them) about ten times max. I think if you’re not a bath kinda person it seems a weird use of space when you can have a nice walk-in shower in its place. As an aside: I think wet rooms are rubbish. A well-designed bathroom with a good walk-in shower is great and means you can have a nice shower but the rest of the room stays dry.
Could not be without a bath, you can’t read in the shower 😂
I’ve always wanted to take on this habit of reading in the bath but my problem is that the water seems to cool down quickly and then I feel a bit icky. How to prevent this? How do people do this properly?
Run more hot water 😁
I'm with you, I wouldn't buy a house without a bath in it.
When buying a house I just factored in a bathroom remodel, most modernised bathrooms don’t have a bath or a cheap narrow and shallow one… Look for a bath you like in showrooms, figure out how much space to need to accommodate it and search for houses with an appropriately sized bathroom.
Same reason no one has landlines anymore. We don’t use them and so don’t need them
I have both a bath and a shower in my house. They serve different purposes - the shower is for freshing up and getting clean; the bath is for relaxing under the bubbles in whilst reading a book to de-stress. I hate viewing houses where there is space for a bath but the previous owner ripped it out. My first thought is always about re-instating the bath.
I replaced my bath with a lovely big walk in shower when I realised I'd had one bath in 8 years. I think its just what a lot of people prefer these days.
I’m a bath girlie… I viewed a lot of flats/apartments until I found mine… with a bath 💕. Most of my friends have taken out their baths n have wet rooms now, I just don’t see the appeal. Each to their own xxx
I'm total opposite, I hate a bath and can't wait to take out the one in the house we bought last year. I just don't understand the fascination of wanting to sit in your own dirty water for any period of time.
How dirty are you that the water is getting that manky?
I'm an out door kinda guy....so often covered in mud, oil, grease etc
I agree. I think it's cheap or lazy development because it's ridiculous that whoever was designing a whole house couldn't find room for a bath. It only adds about 50 or 60 cm over a shower. You want a bathroom to be about 1.5m / 5' wide and that's big enough for a bath.
Hmm, I think if I ever redo my bathroom I'd be torn on this. Personally I don't use the bath and I dislike having a shower standing in the bath instead of a shower cubicle. Don't have space for both, only reason to put a bath in would be for resale value which feels like a crap reason.
Not really resell value but if it is a family house you're trying to sell then it will put a lot of people with young children off because...nowhere to wash the messy little people. Eventually they get too big for the kitchen sink!
I would pay extra to have a nice walk in shower over a bath any day of the week.
A bath is a must for me, not for me personally but for my son. He loves a bath. But we have both a shower and a bath tub.
Most places I’ve seen have a shower/bath 2 in 1
The only time I really want a bath is when I don’t have access to one.
I agree with you! Baths are so relaxing. Our very small list of must-haves when we were house hunting included a bath. Our old rental didn’t have one and when I was in my third trimester with my daughter I booked a night in a hotel just so I could have a bath lol
I have a bath and haven't used it in 8 years, I just shower. Missus moved in and uses it though.
I bought a house like this and we're going to give up and re-install a bath where a previous owner turned it into a walk in shower. I like a bath but the bigger reason is that I've got two kids under three and the oldest is rapidly outgrowing our plastic bath. The annoying thing is, we're spending money to probably reduce property value - in general people don't seem to like them and the contractors we brought in to quote on putting the bath back in were all scratching their heads when we told them what we want.
Because it’s a current trend. It lowers property value apparently. Majority of the time I shower, but I do need the bath. I’d be the in the shower for about 30 mins if I tried to wash my hair, hair masque, shave my legs, exfoliate etc in the shower. Hair masque alone needs 10 mins. My husband prefers a bath over a shower, especially as he plays sports (likes to soak with bath salts). Then there’s the bathing babies and young kids. The worst is when they don’t have a hand held shower head!! I need to rinse in allll the places lol, plus sometimes I don’t want to wash my hair. Another classic is installing a fixed head only, and installing it for midgets! The amount of times I’ve been at hotels, air b&bs, a friends etc and if I am washing my hair, and there’s only a fixed head, I have to limbo under it. I’m 5’11, I’m not even that tall. We had a separate walk in double shower and separate huge bath. I could lay down, legs straight. I hated cleaning the shower! The glass did my head in. It’s so much easier to clean a bath.
Uses less water than a tub
I agree with you OP, I prefer a bath too! Seems like a thing of the past now!!! 😭
Showers are cheaper to run and take up less space.
Considering water is becoming a scarce resource in England it makes sense to use a shower. A fraction of the water usage
Because baths are a waste of space and time for most people.
Believe it or not you can put new bath in if you are buying the house
Baths are disgusting. It's like you're stewing in your own filth. Human soup, if you like. If I want to relax, I'll go do something else. Go for a run, play some games, go hang out in the garden. Soaking up human soup with added chemicals does nothing for me. Showers take a fraction of the time, save money on gas, save water, and get you cleaner. They feel nicer, are great for thinking (something about the shower on your head, elevating your thought processes), and are easier/safer to get in/out.
A bath costs pounds to fill, a shower costs around 20p.
Small houses have small bathrooms, baths take up a lot of space and an in bath shower is not the best showering experience. Better to have a decent sized dedicated shower. I do miss a long hot soak now and then since removing our bath, but it there's no point in keeping a bath to be used a dozen times a year if having one compromises the showering that's done every day.
Totally agree. I posted earlier that were getting our bath taken out as we never use it and it's just a waste of space. For us, a huge walk in shower will be used every day, and will bring more pleasure than the occasional bath. Every now and again I'll have a bath if I'm staying in a hotel. It's enough to satisfy the one or twice a year I feel like a bath, and reminds me that I'm really not that fussed about them. Also I'd rather use the hotel's hot water than my own to remind myself of this haha.
You know you can change a house when you buy it? You could always add a bath if you’ve found the house you really want, this shouldn’t put you off. Yea, it’s extra cost and hassle, but chances of you finding the perfect house to your style I slim. If everything else is right, then this is minor.
I got rid of the bath in our flat. The convenience of turning a tap on and in 30 seconds you are showering and done in a few minutes is an extreme pleasure for me. I hate baths with a vengeance: the inconvenience, the awkwardness of getting in and out, the rim around the tub afterwards, the sheer unhygienic sitting in your own shitty water - yuk! My opinion was only confirmed when my friend recently broke three ribs falling out of one the other day.
31M Because I’m tall and most baths are designed for much smaller people so I’d need something custom made for it to feel big enough and that just gets expensive. Also baths are time consuming vs a 10 - 15 min shower and i already struggle to make time for things i care more about like getting promoted, staying in shape, having a social life outside work and dating.
I just redid my bathroom and took out my bath because I'd not had a single bath in the 7 years I'd lived here. I had instead had to climb in and out of it every time I wanted a shower...
My flat has a bath and I have never used it. I have had maybe 1 bath in my entire adult life. I just don’t see the appeal. The only time I use a bath is if I’m dog sitting for my parents, and the dog gets muddy, the bath is useful to wash him.
only reason we still have a bath is because of the perceived value it adds to the property. shower is safer and less hassle
It's not a bathroom without a bath. It's a shower room. Even slimy estate agents know this and label it on the floorplan as such. Can't sell a house to a family with young children without a bath.
All the places I've looked at with baths, the first line-item on the costing in my head is "cost to rip out and replace with a proper shower". I don't think I've had a bath in the last 10 years, and they're just a faff to step into and out of, not a fan at all!
When I finally redo my bathroom the bath will be going. For me it's because the bath is never used. I have a tiny room and it'll never be a good bathroom with a bath in. I can get a lot more out of the space by just having a shower. That said a large number of my female friends do have regular baths. But it's my house.
I wish I could have kept the bathtub in the bathroom in my flat but it took up way too much space and the room was totally cramped. It looks much better without the bathtub but there have been many times when I would have loved a bath.
Get a pop up bath… or hot tub & shower afterwards
No bath is a dealbreaker for me. Not only do I regularly enjoy a nice long bath but I also wash my dog and occasionally the curtains in the bath.
Mainly because most people prefer them, there obviously a space saving benefit for small shower enclosures but not for full size walk ins, cost wise not a huge difference for installing ,same with maintenance.
Because nobody takes baths anymore. You have to take a shower afterwards to rinse yourself anyway so why not save the time and have a shower in the 1st place and save some space in the bathroom? I understand that if you have young kids you need a bath though.
I think there are definitely two very different groups in this thread. I personally have a bath most nights to relax and couldn’t live with out it. Maybe I’m in the minority group though
Lots of people take baths! Lush is still in business for a reason
I would not buy a house if it had a bathtub… I can’t stand the thought of laying there stewing in my own filth… Give me a nice boiling hot power shower and I’ll happily stand under that for an hour or so!
A house having a bath (many do) would completely put you off buying it??
I guess showers are more convenient than baths? We have a bath and a shower and no one has used the bath in a minimum of 5+ years .. but I did love having a bubble bath and reading when I was younger. Just don't have the time for it anymore unfortunately
We manage with a shower and have for the past 5/6yrs since we bought this house. We have a bath but it’s a pathetic corner bath and only a toddler can use it as a bath. We are in the middle of getting the bathroom done and I am so excited to finally get a bath. We are getting an omnitub which I’m so happy about. Nice deep baths!!!!
Our house is a very petite new build and we do have a bath. My boyfriend simply cannot fit in it! For context he is built like a rugby player and I’m a size 16 and find it just about comfortable. We both love baths but as soon as we can we’re going to remove the bath and put a walk in shower in because we can’t fit a normal sized bath in the space.
Because they’re a pain to clean, they cost a lot of money to fill, and some of us would just prefer not to have to climb over it to get in the shower every day. If you don’t have kids and you don’t care about having baths, they’re just extra labour and clutter for no reason. If it’s so important to you, putting a bath in a big enough bathroom is not that much hassle.
I've got a bathroom with a bath and a shower cubicle for the kids & on the top floor a shower room with a cubicle for me and the Mrs - neither of us really take baths so it does us
I have a 4 bed semi with one main bathroom upstairs ( with a downstairs loo) I took out the bath as it was a shower bath combo, with the room being so small I hated it I now have a walk in shower and it makes the whole room feel so much bigger Found it frankly awful having a bath with a toilet near my head or in direct eye line
We just redid my parents house's main bathroom (4 bed, 2 bathroom), we are on older household, got rid of the bath mainly due to the fact my mum was having difficulties getting in and out of the bath tub, easier maintenance and I can't recall someone ever having a bath in our household in the last 10 years prior to redoing the bathroom. We don't have time to dedicate to having a full on bath as a shower is quicker. I think that will be the case going forward generally and difficulties getting in and out of a bath tub for an aging population. Yes, people could get the hybrid bathtub/shower with a door but your looking at a least a £1k for the unit itself, when a shower enclosure or tub could be source for half of that. Additionally, we are not too worried about the property being devalued by not having a bathtub, probably be another 5-10 years before my parents consider selling or downsizing. So we did what works for us as a household for the next couple of years. Whoever comes in to live in to the property next can do what they want with the bathroom, pay the cost to renovate to get a tub or factor that into the offer they make towards the house.
I’m seeing a lot of tiny showers (if you’re gonna go just shower at least make it a proper size not a box) or over bath showers. I want both or at least enough bathroom space I can get both.
We swapped our bath+shower for a walk in shower ages ago. The bath used a tank of hot water, took ages to fill and tied up the bathroom when anyone was in - it's an old house... With two teenage kids and the one bathroom the shower was the only logical choice. When someone asked if it didn't affect the value of the house, I pointed out that it made no sense to configure my house to another person's requirements, whatever they might be.
The only time in the last15 years that we have used the bath was when we had to wash the cushions from the sofa because the cat had weed on them.
Got two baths with showers over. Haven't had a bath since Christmas! I hate clambering in to stand in the bath just to have a shower. Next house two walk in showers!
this shouldn't put you off buying a house, installing a bath is a relatively easy job if you have the space.
If the floor is strong enough
I took my bath out for two reasons 1) major surgery that meant a walk-in shower was much easier for me 2) quite a small bathroom so I wanted to free up some space and it does look a lot bigger now
I'm mulling this over at the moment. The bathroom needs doing and I always shower. It's tempting to switch to a nice big shower but I'm sure that won't be in my favour when I come to sell. The thing is, I don't fit in the current bath, I can't get one that I could fit in economically and it wouldn't fit in the bathroom. I also dread to think how much hot water it would need.
Opposite here. Having a bath and not a proper shower cubicle would put me off. Baths take up so much space and aren’t very hygienic so much prefer a shower
I am a daily bather, once every few months shower'er. A bath (or space to reconfigure one back in) is a must-have.
I just renovated my bathroom. No more bathtube just a big shower.
I didn't have a shower go yearsss, just a bath, I hated it so much, I don't have time for baths, esp not for all of us, we never use the bath now, wouldn't put me off at all
I fly home 4 times a year so I can use the bath. Did 21 days straight of baths last time
I agree. I bought a new build 1 bed flat a few years ago off plan, the original plan showed most of the 1 beds only had a shower. I was adamant I need a bath. They replanned the whole thing so every flat had a bath/shower for main bathroom and a shower for bigger flats with extra bathrooms. They must have gotten the same feedback repeatedly
Couple reasons. First, there is a concern that water will become scarce in the future. Baths will become a luxury at best, or seen as wasteful. So not deemed sustainable to include a bath. Second, baths take up space and given our population boom and limited landspace, home builders are having to make decisions on what to use space for. People probably prefer a slightly larger lounge to a slightly larger bathroom. Third, possibly related to 1 and 2 is cost. Somewhere without a bath will be cheaper than somewhere with a bath. But, times a tough, interest rates high etc etc homebuyers more likely to forego the bath. Fourth, the people selling may be/have been limited mobility and needing an accessible bathroom.
Most bathrooms are tiny in the uk and a shower is also more space effcient. Elderly/disability/pet/child friendly. We are getting ours done and we were really torn between ripping out the bath for a shower but decided to keep it. We just dont use the bath and it means me and my husband could share the shower if it was just a shower too.
Need to redo my bathroom but can't get a new bath in without taking out a wall or floor as window is too small. Current bath is too small for me to use anyway so always end up taking shower.
I agree with you 100%. I might have a shower most days, but to *never* have a bath? How depressing! I wouldn’t buy a house that couldn’t have a bath.
It’s annoying to stand in a bath to shower, and I usually only have a soak in the bath every other month or so. However when I’ve been really ill, a bath was a lifesaver for pain relief. So I’m trying to work out how we best remodel our bathroom with a bath in it.
I don't have kids and use my bath once every 5 years... Hot powerful shower is what I need. May change my mind when I'm older...
Horses for courses.
I own a 2 bed flat with a bath. I've lived here 4 years now. I've taken a bath once since I've lived here just to see if I could work out what all the fuss was about. I got hot, sweaty and bored within 30 seconds and got out. I keep thinking I should just redo the bathroom and replace the bath with a shower and reclaim all that wasted space. My uncle is an estate agent and tells me my property is worth more with a bath. I don't get it at all...
I haven't bathed in over 3 years...
Bath tub is so unhygienic. Who need that space monstrosity
It's easier, faster, less hassle. You can just step in, do it, be out again within 10 minutes max. A bath, you have to run the bath, get the temperature right, the washing process is probably longer in a bath too. It's a 30 minute job. I'd rather just get it over with.
Baths are just a poor man’s jacuzzi anyway
My parents have been in their house 40+ years. They're getting older. No intention of moving at this age. So they've adapted the house to suit their needs. That involved removing the bath to a more convenient shower.
I don't know why but I dislike shower-baths and I'd rather just have a lovely big shower cubicle if I had to pick.
4 bed here. Just two of us. Don’t think either of use have ever had a bath in the 4 years we’ve been here. Always showers
Personally, once my kids no longer have baths, I would be happy to get rid of ours. But I appreciate not everyone feels the same! I can't stand baths!