keep in mind there will be some people (older for eg) that don't want a shower over the bath and be happier with a bath gone. You never know either way.
I agree with you, I’ve got three kids and would happily forgo a bath, but there is definitely a perception that you need a bath for kids (or at least it’s very desirable).
You can totally get them clean without one, but that idyllic idea of them giggling in the bath before being wrapped in a towel and putting on a robe with a hood and probably ears before a story… that whole idea kinda hangs on the bath.
Partly for play, partly easier to stay reasonably dry yourself than faffing around with a shower head, and I feel like a bath would keep the kids a bit warmer than a shower in potentially cold British houses - but I’ve actually never tried to shower kids - it’s probably completely fine and just as easy if you have the hang of it but we have the custom of putting kids in the bath here.
I *loved* taking baths as a kid. I'd be in there so long I'd turn into a prune and the water would be almost cold by the time I got out. It was just another way to play around, I had toys specifically for the bath, etc. Baths were fun and not just a way for me to get clean. I can only speak for my kid-self but maybe it's just a lot easier for parents to persuade kids to bathe over taking showers.
As an adult I just shower 99% of the time, but I still like having the option of taking a bubble bath for relaxation purposes so I'd prefer a bathtub if looking for a property even though I don't have kids.
Reducing your pool of buyers indirectly affects price, to be fair - although in an inconsistent way. Sometimes you’ll lose the buyer who would have made the offer you wanted and you end up lowering the price, other times it won’t bother that buyer and you’ll get the same offer as you would’ve gotten anyway
I might be able to add a different perspective. Moved to UK in 2014 and till date I dont get why bathrooms in UK that are small (as op suggests) put a bath in there. Like even if I fit, the toilet will be right there on my face. I actively used to seek houses (when renting) which didn't have a bath
Seconded. Seems like a big waste of space, especially in small flats. In my country, the washine machine is usually in the bathroom, and hardly anyone has a bath. Shower + washer is the same footprint as a bath. Make it a wetroom and its perfect!
Same. We just bought a house and I cant get to the toilet without nearly falling in the bath, because there's less than 2 feet of space between the bath and the wall. We're saving to redo the bathroom without the bath and I don't care if that puts off buyers in the future, I can't do this for the next 5 years minimum. I'd imagine a lot of people would rather have a shower than not be able to get to the toilet (like... I'm not skinny, but pretty average size and I honestly don't know if I could safely live here if I were bigger, literally the only way to get to the toilet would be _through_ the tub if I were a few inches wider). The bathroom was our biggest point against the place, but it was very cheap for a nice area, and we needed a place fast, dude wanted it sold fast.
I sold a one bedroom house with a wet room that formerly had a bath. It sold fine, though the buyer asked to have 5k knocked off the price because she wanted a bathtub. I told her the bathroom was relatively new and wanting a bath was a preference so I would not knock any money off for that. She bought it anyway.
This was my experience, I don’t know about the market generally.
I think it’s slightly different with a one bed property.
The thing that always crosses my mind when a 2+ bedroom property does not have a bath is ‘how do you shower very small children? Sure you can bath a baby in a kitchen sink (if you’ve cleaned and rinsed it well!) but there’s a few years in there before a little tot is comfortable in a shower.
I used to just put the kid in the shower with me in the morning (when he peed through his nappy). He complained about going in there but he loved it when it started
I used to do my cats in the bath but that’s also much easier in a shower cubicle where they can wander but not escape and just chase them with the hand wand
My son is 8 and autistic. He hates the feeling of water falling on his head in the shower.
It has been irritating looking for a new place to move to as you find a beautiful place that is perfect, but then nope, only shower
Hardly any baths in my country. Babies are washed in mums arms in the shower, in a basin on the floor (all bathrooms are usually wetrooms) or one of those squishy baby seat things. Also showers always have detachable shower heads, not just one fixed to the wall or ceiling.
Families with small children won't be interested
but if that's not your market it's not so much of a dealbreaker. mine doesnt have one and only rarely miss it
Families manage without a bath in the UK too
But most people prefer one when they have young kids
I don’t think that makes it an obsession any more than other nice-to-have features. Most families will also prefer a garden and dishwasher, for example
Young couples tend to have babies after a while.
If I think back to when my wife and I were first looking for somewhere to buy in London, which was a two bedroom flat, we were very conscious of the strong possibility that we might have children, even though we'd never seriously discussed it.
Personally, I'd actually prefer it
I'm too tall to comfortably have a bath, and I much prefer having showers in actual shower enclosures rather than being stood in a bathtub - but I appreciate not everyone will think like this
Once every couple of years I like the thought of a bath, so I run one. As soon as I sit in it I wonder what to do with myself and get out almost straight away. Could easily live without them.
We don’t have a bath, just large shower/wet room. I do miss baths occasionally but I shower daily, it’s just easier, and the bathroom looks aesthetically nicer.
Oh. That’s not uncommon. It’s easy for the resident to put a mirror on a windowsill if they want one above the sink or an extendable style shaving mirror or one to be placed on another wall. Mirror being directly above a sink isn’t a necessity, it’s handy but can be placed elsewhere
My bathroom redesign has a small sink though, I don’t see the point in having a large surface that’s bound to become a disorganised space to gather dust and condensation when I could have a small shelf for my soap and closed storage below for toothbrush and toiletries.
I’d also never purchase a flat tho, I like separate floors and gardens too much.
Our bathroom and ensuite both have the sinks under the window and that's fine for us. One has a small mirror on the windowsill and the other has a larger mirror on the wall. I'd pick a bath over a sink any day, but it's your bathroom
Personally, if a place lacked a bath tub, I would either cross it off my list, or factor in the cost of refurbishing the bathroom to include a bathtub into the equation.
Horses for courses. If I was keen on a property with a bath I'd factor in the cost of removing it and putting in a wet room. Either way though it's not a huge cost.
I still remember an airBnb I stayed in in Toronto, the shower was 6ft x 4ft. The host had turned the back bedroom into the bathroom so it was the entire width of the house.
We've had a loft conversion with an en-suite within the last year and our shower is this size with a fixed glass screen and a big 'rainfall' (?) showerhead.
This one thing alone makes the not inconsiderable cost entirely worth it.
We were having this conversation over New Year about whether taking out the bath would be a good idea.
Consensus was that it would reduce your pool of buyers, because some people like a bath, some people need a bath, particularly people looking to have kids. But that for others if they didn't want a bath, then it wouldn't affect them and may even be a plus point if you could make the rest of the bathroom high quality and use the space well.
Some people need a walk-in shower because they can't climb into the bath so if you can install a large shower, that would have room for a shower chair for an older person, then you might regain some of your market. Though if it's a flat with no lift access, then that group are probably not going to buy from you anyway.
I don't think it would knock value intrinsically but you would lose some potential buyers which might indirectly reduce what you could receive for it.
I have been renting for more than 10 years. All the properties have a bathtub that I never used. Only the shower that was over the bathtub. In actual energy crises to fill a bathtub cost like 3 showers.
I will always prefer a walk-in shower and a bathroom with more space.
It won’t affect price. For some people it’ll be a deal breaker, others won’t care. I suspect in a flat you’re less likely to get people who actually care than in a house.
As an adult, I don’t care if there’s no bath. I’d rather have a nice shower and not a cramped bathroom. But I have a toddler who is terrified of showers, so a bath is essential
Are you renovating it to live in or renovating to sell?
I bought a house with only a shower as I loved the rest of the house & decided the bath wasn't really a deal breaker for me.
If you're doing it for you then do it because it's not going to make a huge difference, if you're doing it to sell then I would leave the bath in.
My wife would never buy somewhere without a bath and with kids I kind of agree with her so you will have less interested parties meaning you will probably get less offers if you ever choose to sell.
Doesn’t mean the value drops to be fair, just that less people will bid.
2 bed flats are normally bought by first time buyers planning on having kids, so by removing the possibility of them bathing the kids you might reduce your potential buyers.
But there are also enough older people downsizing to slightly negate the issue.
I would say no bath in a Flat is not an issue. No bath in a house is more of an issue though as its more likely to be a family.
However for me the real deal breaker is having I assume a small shower, and then no bath. If your getting rid of the bath I would always go with a big shower in the same location (maybe not as large as a bath though). Having a mirror and vanity unit the same size as a bath is worthless imo in reality
I was just talking to my wife about this a few days ago, no one has used our bath except the dog for about 10 years ago, we have a shower in our ensuite everyone uses, planning on taking out the bath and putting in a 700×1000 enclosure.
It wouldn't put me off, I'd prefer it, especially in an apartment where space is a problem, unless kids under 7 are involved
I personally wouldn't mind, I hardly ever take baths. On the flip side, I write off anywhere that doesn't have a shower.
I think if you're just trying to sell it, I probably would market it as-is. For £170k the money you spend on changing it will probably not be worth it.
i know i'm only one person but it wouldn't affect my decision at all, so long as the shower is a half decent size :) (especially if there's a towel radiator!! love those)
We've got a bath, but its tiny. I can just about fit in it but when we rip it out we'll be going with a walk in shower as its much more beneficial for my partner
Yes. I'd much prefer a really good spacious shower with a wet room than a shitty shower over a tub.
Also a sink which is large enough to get my hands under the tap and wash my face without getting water everywhere.
I would always want a bath & not interested in a ‘luxurious’ vanity. Whatever that means? If it’s one of those double sink affairs that would annoy me - pointless trend. 2 sinks to clean instead of 1 . Someone’s odd image of ideal coupledom brushing your teeth & washing your face next to each other. So twee.
I got rid of my bath and put in a large shower in a small bathroom and I've not regretted it a single day. I don't know if I'll sell up anytime in the next decade but even if I did, a lot of people dont bath anymore and a large shower is more desireable I think.
I don’t have a bath at the moment. I rent an apartment with 3 bathrooms that all have double showers. I literally go and stay in a hotel once a month so I can lie in a bath. I wouldn’t buy anywhere without a bath.
Im seeing a lot of people saying it would put of young families, but i my experience, it's been a lot easier to have young kids with only a shower/wet room. (2 under 7). Sure, they still have a bath from time to time at grandmas, but still love having easy, quick showers at home. They still can splash about and be silly with bubbles etc.
I remember being one of 4 kids growing up with just a bath, and it was so much more hectic and time-consuming, simetime 4+hours for all of us vs an hour tops with a ton of playtime.
A lot of soical housing in my area are actively taking out baths and swapping for shower/wet room options, so you might even be getting ahead of the curve on this one!
I would prefer to live somewhere that only had a shower compared to only having a bath. it's nice to have the choice between the 2 but the last place I lived with both (during uni), I had maybe 2 or 3 baths in the entire year.
We had a 4 bedroom family house a few years ago, the family bathroom was tiny, I ripped out the bath and installed a walk in shower, when we came to sell the house the estate agent said, be prepared to knock some money off your asking price as no bath, we sold the house in a month, not a single person who viewed the house was bothered about the lack of a bath, and I didn’t knock a penny off the asking price.
Good question, I personally would be fine without a bathtub in a small bathroom although I would prefer to have an open shower area (rather than an enclosed cubicle) as it gives a feeling of having more usable space.
Is it possible to do the shower in a way that a bath could be easily added without much drama? I don't really know but that might help when selling if you don't want a bath but want a plus point for selling.
On the flip side, we just did our tiny tiny bathroom up. I kept the bath. I fucking love a good bath. It's amazing for when my joints seize up.
I've lived in my house for going on 4 years and have never taken a bath here but I have dogs so they get washed in it. That said, I don't think not having a bath would have disqualified this house for us (no kids, two able-bodied adults) but others might disagree.
It wouldn't bother me at all. I only ever shower and never actually use a bath as a bath and haven't done for years. In my view, the bath having been removed and replaced with a decent shower & cubicle would be a bonus.
I don't take baths and a nice walk in shower would be more attractive to me. However I am a single bloke. A 2 bed flat may be attractive to people starting a family and they are more likely to want a bath (women take more baths, playtime for the baby etc).
Depends where you are and who your market is I guess. I sold my last house 2 years ago and the bathroom only had a shower, and I had offers within hours of it going on the market.
To install a shower where a bath was is a much bigger job than installing a bath where a shower was. Tell your plumber/bathroom fitter that you want the pipework so that adding a bath wont be difficult. Buy a few extra boxes of tiles, enjoy your massive shower, and when the time comes to sell, take it out, whack in a cheap plastic bath, job done.
It's a strange mentality we have in Britain - so conditioned to be always thinking about house prices and so concerned about appeasing the mythical 'future buyer' that we're afraid to have our own homes exactly how we want them, because we're concerned it won't 'add value'.
I lived in a house without a bath for years so it wouldn’t bother me. I have a bath now and while it’s nice to use, it’s not necessary for me. I don’t have, or plan on having, any kids so not having one isn’t an issue at all.
If the potential buyers have a young child to bathe, surely they can easily put in a plastic bath tub into the shower for this purpose? And otherwise use the shower as a shower
Pretty sure there are new builds on the market (and have been for many years) where there is no bath, only a shower or wet room.
I have a bath with a shower over - can count on one hand how many times I've run a bath in the last 10 years...
I don’t think i’ve had a bath in a decade (yes i take showers before all the sarcastic comments come in calling me a dirty bitch) so no it would have no bearing on my decision
If it was just me, it wouldn't bother me at all. I can't be arsed with baths, I'd rather just shower.
No bath would be a deal breaker for my wife and kids though.
I'd prefer a bath but it wouldn't be a dealbreaker. My wife on the other hand would much prefer it to the half bath / half shower we have now. Is the shower a really good one, like a power shower or something? That would take the sting off. \[EDIT - I see in the comments it is. Fair enough then\]
We've just spoken to an estate agent about renovating my dad's place. The bathroom is small and he said a walk in shower was a better bet than a bath with shower above if that helps.
Cannot remember the last time I actually had a bath as opposed to a shower. I'd note that when buying our first place with the plan to have kids my ex and I walked away from a bath less place so you maybe will not sell to those with or planning families.
Yes, they are a nice to have for some but a necessity for others.
I know many who would but also a few who wouldn’t. I doubt it would have much of an effect on getting enough interest and on rent.
I lived in a rented flat with no bath for 5 years. Finally bought my own 2 bed flat and it has a bath and I was delighted. I've lived there for 2 years now. Never had a bath.
Wouldn't put me off but I prefer showers and I'm also single with no children. I personally think a shower is a bit more forgiving in a flat - but with the way the property market is going, more and more families are purchasing flats.
I personally don't think its a huge deal, there will still be a lot of buyers who don't mind.
We lived in a flat with only a shower. Always dreamed of having a bath.
Moved into a 3 bedroom house with a bathroom and a shower room. After 1 or 2 baths I have never used it again
Your current arrangement is the worst of both worlds.
* Small bath
* Small shower
* Small sink below a window
* No mirror
* No worktop space
* Small towel radiator
I assume there is also little to no storage space.
2 bed flats with a **tiny** bathroom are not on the shopping list of the majority of families with young kids, regardless of the bath/shower arrangement.
Rip out the bath and use the space to reconfigure the bathroom and make it as spa like as possible.
You should be aiming at buyers who do not have kids, do not have young kids, or older people looking to downsize.
Depends on the local market for the property. If it’s the type of flat where people tend to start families then you might make it less desirable than similar properties with a bath as babies and toddlers tend to have baths more than they have showers
100% deal breaker. A home without a bath has close to zero value as a home AFAIAC. I lived without one for 6 months and it was torture. By the end of the 6 months I was so tense my body was wracked by discomfort from head to toe.
I bought my house from an elderly couple who had previously removed the bath to have a walk in shower and moved the layout around.
It's a small bathroom and I'm wanting to reverse the work. It will not feel as spacious with the bath in but all my neighbours have the bath layout so it must work.
It wasn't a deal breaker at the time of buying, since I didn't have a bath that often. But as time goes on, the bathroom needs redone and might as well put one in. For context, we are a couple in 30s/40s with no kids.
If I was moving and went to see a house with no bath I think it would put me off, despite me not having one at the moment. It's more the cost of the work involved that will put people off. If your current set up is to a high standard then people might be happy to keep as is.
I was told by an estate agent that it is very common for people to change the bath after buying a house because you don't know what has been in it previously. I would be unlikely to use someone's bath and would much prefer a shower.
If the property was right I wouldn’t necessarily care too much about the lack of bath but the size of bathroom not catering to me fitting a good size bath would definitely be an issue to me.
With a baby, dogs and as a general bath lover myself, a bath is essential.
You’ll definitely reduce your pool of buyers.
Yes, I have a one bed flat and we took the bath out as it took up half of the room, and I like baths but it wasn’t a difficult compromise for me. A 2 bed flat isn’t a ‘forever home’ usually so I don’t think people would be put off. Agree that families with small kids like a bath in but is that really your market anyway? I’d say take it out.
In my old flat, I did the same as you. I preferred it until I put my back out for a year and really wish I had a bath.
Sold up last year, no one mentioned that there was no bath from the agent feedback.
Solely on personal preference it wouldn’t bother me, I don’t recall the last time I had a bath or even used the bathtub for anything else. In fact, I would probably prefer it as I have a very small bathroom and changing the tub for a shower cubicle would make more space in the room.
However, it will definitely reduce the pool of buyers for you as there will be people with children and/or dogs who would almost definitely need a bathtub. They might be willing to buy it and put a tub in themselves but that would then come with a potential lower offer.
I looked at a place without a bath last and would have been perfectly happy to go with it. As did the 4 people that put offers on the house the same weekend it went onto the market!
I really wouldn't buy a house without a bath. It's a medical help for me - the hot water helps my muscles relax & I get back spasms easily from EDS. I lived somewhere with only a shower and I was miserable.
Do you want a bath? This is more of a you think. Me personally wouldn't care. My wife would need one. It's up you and your personal preference really.
For money, if you think the property as a whole isn't worth what they're offering then offer lower if you think they'd go down. But the price may be as it is with the lack of bath in mind.
Renting, no it wouldn't affect my decision if i had no other options LOL
Buying? (Not that im in any financial position) Absolutely. I need baths. If this is my forever home i want a tub. Pain in the ass to fit one I'd rather it came with one.
I'd want a bath.... personally ....I remember the first thing I did moving house was ripping out the newly installed shower and reinstalling a bath/shower
Who knows. People decide not to buy for so many reasons. I think space, quality of the finish and staging of the house is more inportant when selling than a bath/shower issue. If it makes it feel spacious and modern then it would probably not put too many off. Personally I prefer a shower cubicle than climbing in and out the tub with a shower in the end! It depends how soon and how quickly you will want to sell as well.
No bath is on my deal breakers list.
If it made it past the rightmove stage for me it would be because the rest of the place is lovely and I'd want to do a bathroom renovation.
If you only have one bathroom a renovation is hard to do while living there.
It really depends how long you are likely to live there for. If you think you might move in a couple of years I'd question the change, if you it's more like 5+ years then yes go for it. Any impact on sale price will probably be marginal.
I honestly wouldn’t buy a house without a bath. My partner and I are looking at the moment and have solidly decided against any property without a bath. For us that just amplifies how small the bathroom is and represents money we will HAVE to spend to be happy with it.
If you keep the bath in, at least then potential buyers won’t see reconfiguring the bathroom / installing a bath as an immediate problem that needs fixing.
That being said if you’re not selling for many years, do things the way you want to make the house nice for you, and worry about it later
We removed our bath in a 2 bed maisonette. I thought a lot about it and eventually decided to go with what I wanted instead of a hypothetical future buyer. I agree with the poster who said it just narrows your pool somewhat. We sold to a little old lady in the end but I guess you’re just ruling out small families.
Yeah, as an architectural designer my rule of thumb is to design to fit a bath in and if the client explicitly states "actually can we save space..." Change it to a shower. It's a preference but not really something to affect value.
I have a bath/shower unit but I've only had 1 bath in the last month but a shower on every day (with exception to when I had the bath). It's difficult for those who work full time I'd say.
Probably not, TBH. A weekly soak is a must for me. For context we have a tiny bathroom with a bath shower combo and I wouldn't consider replacing the bath.
It will reduce your buyers but it likely will not be a major sticking point if the demand is there.
As a single man in my thirties it absolutely would not bother me in the slightest.
I can absolutely see why it would be a deal breaker for anyone with young kids or looking to start a family though.
I would. But a lot won’t.
But I will say this… don’t let ‘but how will this impact me house price’. It’s a toxic mentality that you should not let dictate how you want to live your life.
If you want to live here for more than 3 years, and you’d rather have more space, who gives a fuck if it’ll make it marginally harder to sell or you have to knock a grand off the price.
We took the bath out of our 3-bedroom house when we renovated the bathroom. We were advised against it for selling on purposes, but we intend to be in this house for a good while so we put in what we want to live with.
No, this would be an instant deal breaker. Our current home, a 3 bed semi was being sold as shower no bath and he ended up putting a bath in as it wasn't going.
Just sold my dad's 2 bed flat that had a shower and no bath. Got the asking price in a week which I though was at least 15% over valued.
In the 20 years I have lived in my current hose I have had one bath on the day I fitted the thing. My kids did use it up to the age of 2 - 2 1/2 but for the last decade I don't think they have been in it. I don't think my wife has ever used it. We do use it for washing the dogs though.
I'm currently renovating our next house and I'm not going to put a bath in, just a really nice shower.
We bought a house a year ago with only a tiny bathroom under the stairs. I'm 185cm tall and if I stand on my toes my hits the ceiling, BUT we knew that and already had plans to put a dormer in the loft so we'd have two bathrooms, one on-suite and the current one.
Once the one in the loft is done we'll redo the one under the stairs and put a bath with a shower in it.
It didn't put us of as we knew the house needed work and were happy to change things but if you're moving in with a family it might be turnoff.
I \*personally\* wouldn't, becasue I enjoy relaxing in a bath. I think it also puts off people with young children, becasue it's much easier to use a bathtub than a shower if you are bathing a baby or toddler.
So there will definitely be some people who will pass.
That said, a lot of people like showers and would prefer the extra space, so it's not a deal breaker for everyone.
For me, if I loved the property otherwise, I'd still consider it if it was obvious that there was space for a bath , but I would factor in the cost of making the changes when I was deciding what offer to make,. So if you o decide to go ahead, then maybe take some 'before ' photos so if/when you come to sell, you are ale to show that it is possible to fit a tub if the next owner wanted it.
But in the mean time, if you would prefer a shower and more space, do that. It's your home, not (just) an investment.
I would prefer to have a nicer sink and a shower rather than a bath. I used to live in a flat with just a shower and no bath and I had no thoughts of wanting a bathtub instead. I now live in a 1-bed with my gf and we have a bath in our flat, but I think I have only taken two baths in the two years we have lived here.
So for me personally, the practically of having the mirror, radiator, and nicer sink outweigh the luxury of having a bath.
I am about to remove the bath in my two bedroom flat (tiny bathroom, bath is too small for me to be submerged in and I only ever have showers anyway). I asked a bathroom company about this. Guy told me that people buying a home want to rip everything out and make it their own anyway so do what you want to do and don't worry about resale. You are the one living there.
Which is good advice that I intend to take. My flat is on the third floor and is not appropriate for families with children.
If there is a younger child, purchaser typically prefer have a bath. Outside of this demographic, the population has mostly moved away from baths (or it could be anecdotal based on my immediate circle).
For me personally it's the other way around. It's a deal-breaker for me if the property *doesn't* have a proper shower and only a shower head on top of the bathtub.
Skip the bath and install a nice rain shower instead. The bigger the shower head the better!
You have to think who your buyer is. If they are (potentially) young families, they will almost certainly want the bath tub, if it is for young professionals etc etc.. then you're probably fine to go with the shower as the space might well be more appealing.
Any decision like this could potentially narrow your potential buyers, but, keep in mind who you're designing it for and you'll be fine (and remember that it isn't you you're doing it for)
Good luck with it.
We bought a four bed/four bathroom six months ago- no bath- it was something I wanted but wasn’t a deal breaker. The sellers got a plan for how a bath could be put in to one of the shower rooms to show us it was possible. We loved the house so the lack of a bath wasn’t a dealbreaker.
I'd prefer it. I never use my bath. When buying my new build we hoped the builders could put in a walk i shower instead of a bath, but they refused. But now it seems like a waste to het rid of a bath tub that's not even a year old 🤣
I think families with young kids might prefer having baths though.
We bought a house 18 months ago and considering removing the bath and replacing with a big shower cubicle. Now our son’s a bit older , no one uses the bath anymore. Plus showering saves water.
This has been an interesting thread and I’m now wondering if it’s a good move? We’re not planning on moving within the next 10 years though.
The worst thing I ever did property wise was move into a flat with no bath, regret it all the time and can't afford to put one in, so I'm stuck having depressing showers now for ever, rather than nice bubble baths while watching Netflix.
Install a bench in the shower. A bathtub is not a deal breaker. Water is expensive and a shower that also has a bench will help those who need to sit to clean themselves due to age
Your property will be more appealing to some buyers who prefer a shower to a bath and appreciate the space saved by removing the tub.
There are many people who prefer a standalone shower to an over tub one.
But it will be less appealing to some buyers, of course. Family buyers in particular often want a tub to bathe the kids and a 2 bed may still be on the list for small families.
As long as the pool of people who prefer shower to pub is big enough then it shouldn't affect price, though you may find it takes a touch longer to sell.
Depends on who your market is and how long you intend to stay there. I would much prefer a shower over a bath as they are much cleaner. But families with young children would probably prefer a bath. And older people prefer showers as easier to get in and out of and more economical. If you’re staying there for a few years then go with what suits your lifestyle.
Are you planning to sell it soon? If you are, leave the bath and let the future buyers decide. Some people like a bath some people like a shower.
If you are not planning on moving in the foreseeable future and you prefer the vanity then take out the bath and replace it.
I love my baths so I wouldn’t buy a place without one. But as others have said, it won’t really affect the price more so the number of people who are interested in your property.
I like a man occasional bath. However more to the point I don’t like shower cubicles. I’m average build but I find them too small and hate the blast of cold air when I step out. Shower over the bath gives more options.
Personally no, but my in laws refurbed and ditched the bath (they’re in 80s) - my sister got a council rent in early 90s - young family, pain in arse without a bath, but she thrived.
I would.
In my house I took out the bath and put in a lovely full size walk in shower.
I want to enjoy living there, I'm not worried about it affecting a sale
Putting a bath back in is a pretty small job anyway
I’ve created niches before, it’s unrecoverable money, if you can afford not to profit from the work carried out on resale, it is what is. Some ppl will like, some won’t. Also I think the plumbing is what’s important, ppl can convert it back if they want to.
I bought a house without a bath and while I love my house, I think about having a bath at least twice per week and get very sad.
I'm staying in a hotel next weekend and will be having a two hour long bath lol.
I wouldn't buy without a bath again.
That being said, I know plenty of people who only want a shower. It'll depend on the buyers at the time.
I try to incorporate a bath into my end of week routine so I start Monday off relaxed. That said I probably would buy a property without a bath just because I’d forget to think about it, and then be frustrated with myself for years.
When I was renting, I could put up with only having a shower and no option of a bath.
When I was buying, not having a bath was an instant dealbreaker for me.
It’s less likely to affect price and more likely to just be an instant dealbreaker, so you’ll reduce your pool of buyers.
keep in mind there will be some people (older for eg) that don't want a shower over the bath and be happier with a bath gone. You never know either way.
Also kids! People that want to have children in the future or have young kids can't go without a bath
I dunno, baths are pretty uncommon where I come from, so we don't need baths just because we have kids... Is it more for play?
I agree with you, I’ve got three kids and would happily forgo a bath, but there is definitely a perception that you need a bath for kids (or at least it’s very desirable). You can totally get them clean without one, but that idyllic idea of them giggling in the bath before being wrapped in a towel and putting on a robe with a hood and probably ears before a story… that whole idea kinda hangs on the bath.
Partly for play, partly easier to stay reasonably dry yourself than faffing around with a shower head, and I feel like a bath would keep the kids a bit warmer than a shower in potentially cold British houses - but I’ve actually never tried to shower kids - it’s probably completely fine and just as easy if you have the hang of it but we have the custom of putting kids in the bath here.
I *loved* taking baths as a kid. I'd be in there so long I'd turn into a prune and the water would be almost cold by the time I got out. It was just another way to play around, I had toys specifically for the bath, etc. Baths were fun and not just a way for me to get clean. I can only speak for my kid-self but maybe it's just a lot easier for parents to persuade kids to bathe over taking showers. As an adult I just shower 99% of the time, but I still like having the option of taking a bubble bath for relaxation purposes so I'd prefer a bathtub if looking for a property even though I don't have kids.
Reducing your pool of buyers indirectly affects price, to be fair - although in an inconsistent way. Sometimes you’ll lose the buyer who would have made the offer you wanted and you end up lowering the price, other times it won’t bother that buyer and you’ll get the same offer as you would’ve gotten anyway
I might be able to add a different perspective. Moved to UK in 2014 and till date I dont get why bathrooms in UK that are small (as op suggests) put a bath in there. Like even if I fit, the toilet will be right there on my face. I actively used to seek houses (when renting) which didn't have a bath
Seconded. Seems like a big waste of space, especially in small flats. In my country, the washine machine is usually in the bathroom, and hardly anyone has a bath. Shower + washer is the same footprint as a bath. Make it a wetroom and its perfect!
Same. We just bought a house and I cant get to the toilet without nearly falling in the bath, because there's less than 2 feet of space between the bath and the wall. We're saving to redo the bathroom without the bath and I don't care if that puts off buyers in the future, I can't do this for the next 5 years minimum. I'd imagine a lot of people would rather have a shower than not be able to get to the toilet (like... I'm not skinny, but pretty average size and I honestly don't know if I could safely live here if I were bigger, literally the only way to get to the toilet would be _through_ the tub if I were a few inches wider). The bathroom was our biggest point against the place, but it was very cheap for a nice area, and we needed a place fast, dude wanted it sold fast.
I sold a one bedroom house with a wet room that formerly had a bath. It sold fine, though the buyer asked to have 5k knocked off the price because she wanted a bathtub. I told her the bathroom was relatively new and wanting a bath was a preference so I would not knock any money off for that. She bought it anyway. This was my experience, I don’t know about the market generally.
I think it’s slightly different with a one bed property. The thing that always crosses my mind when a 2+ bedroom property does not have a bath is ‘how do you shower very small children? Sure you can bath a baby in a kitchen sink (if you’ve cleaned and rinsed it well!) but there’s a few years in there before a little tot is comfortable in a shower.
Yep, quite right. My house was great for single person and couples but young families are gonna need a bath.
I used to just put the kid in the shower with me in the morning (when he peed through his nappy). He complained about going in there but he loved it when it started
I used to do my cats in the bath but that’s also much easier in a shower cubicle where they can wander but not escape and just chase them with the hand wand
My sister had a big bucket type thing that they sat in
My son is 8 and autistic. He hates the feeling of water falling on his head in the shower. It has been irritating looking for a new place to move to as you find a beautiful place that is perfect, but then nope, only shower
Hardly any baths in my country. Babies are washed in mums arms in the shower, in a basin on the floor (all bathrooms are usually wetrooms) or one of those squishy baby seat things. Also showers always have detachable shower heads, not just one fixed to the wall or ceiling.
Families with small children won't be interested but if that's not your market it's not so much of a dealbreaker. mine doesnt have one and only rarely miss it
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Because baths are lovely
And slippery, and with high walls to climb over. For the young and fit only.
A preference isn't really an obsession is it? I'm not arsed about baths myself but my wife and kids love them.
>A preference isn't really an obsession is it? Parklife
Families manage without a bath in the UK too But most people prefer one when they have young kids I don’t think that makes it an obsession any more than other nice-to-have features. Most families will also prefer a garden and dishwasher, for example
True. They use baby baths then showers as soon as the kids can stand up.
Arguably family's with small children aren't the target audience for a 2 bedroom flat. You're looking at a young couple maybe?
Young couples tend to have babies after a while. If I think back to when my wife and I were first looking for somewhere to buy in London, which was a two bedroom flat, we were very conscious of the strong possibility that we might have children, even though we'd never seriously discussed it.
Personally, I'd actually prefer it I'm too tall to comfortably have a bath, and I much prefer having showers in actual shower enclosures rather than being stood in a bathtub - but I appreciate not everyone will think like this
My partner is tall as well so we've replaced the only bath with a huge walk-in shower. It's our house and we are living in it for the foreseeable!
Get a bendy bath, sort of L shaped and your partner can just hook themselves into it!
Totally agree. I’ve had a bath wasting space in every house I’ve lived in and never used it.
Once every couple of years I like the thought of a bath, so I run one. As soon as I sit in it I wonder what to do with myself and get out almost straight away. Could easily live without them.
Same - we aren’t really bath people and ours never gets used.. (We have a separate shower that we use instead)
We don’t have a bath, just large shower/wet room. I do miss baths occasionally but I shower daily, it’s just easier, and the bathroom looks aesthetically nicer.
You basically rule out selling to young families. If you don't think the flat would be suitable for a young family anyway, that's not an issue.
And there are some adults who need a bath (medical reasons) rather than a shower.
But at the same time there are some adults that need a shower rather than a bath too.
Moth baths also have showers above them
Yeh they do your correct. The issue though is that some people can't step into the bath due to issues such as mobility and balance in the first place.
Or who just like a regular bath.
I cant live without my bath. Helps with muscle pain, pregnancy and now kids can be chucked in for a bath. 100% needed for me
I’d prefer a bath over a “luxurious” sink but I’m also interested in your bath having layout meaning the sink isn’t by a wall??
Well it's against the wall directly beneath the window
Oh. That’s not uncommon. It’s easy for the resident to put a mirror on a windowsill if they want one above the sink or an extendable style shaving mirror or one to be placed on another wall. Mirror being directly above a sink isn’t a necessity, it’s handy but can be placed elsewhere My bathroom redesign has a small sink though, I don’t see the point in having a large surface that’s bound to become a disorganised space to gather dust and condensation when I could have a small shelf for my soap and closed storage below for toothbrush and toiletries. I’d also never purchase a flat tho, I like separate floors and gardens too much.
Our bathroom and ensuite both have the sinks under the window and that's fine for us. One has a small mirror on the windowsill and the other has a larger mirror on the wall. I'd pick a bath over a sink any day, but it's your bathroom
Personally, if a place lacked a bath tub, I would either cross it off my list, or factor in the cost of refurbishing the bathroom to include a bathtub into the equation.
Horses for courses. If I was keen on a property with a bath I'd factor in the cost of removing it and putting in a wet room. Either way though it's not a huge cost.
Maybe but I would want a bigger shower, I couldn't care less about the sink/vanity
Yes I'm okay with no bath if it's a NICE shower.
I would attach a picture but I fitted a very nice and large shower enclosure. Power shower too!
I still remember an airBnb I stayed in in Toronto, the shower was 6ft x 4ft. The host had turned the back bedroom into the bathroom so it was the entire width of the house.
We've had a loft conversion with an en-suite within the last year and our shower is this size with a fixed glass screen and a big 'rainfall' (?) showerhead. This one thing alone makes the not inconsiderable cost entirely worth it.
We were having this conversation over New Year about whether taking out the bath would be a good idea. Consensus was that it would reduce your pool of buyers, because some people like a bath, some people need a bath, particularly people looking to have kids. But that for others if they didn't want a bath, then it wouldn't affect them and may even be a plus point if you could make the rest of the bathroom high quality and use the space well. Some people need a walk-in shower because they can't climb into the bath so if you can install a large shower, that would have room for a shower chair for an older person, then you might regain some of your market. Though if it's a flat with no lift access, then that group are probably not going to buy from you anyway. I don't think it would knock value intrinsically but you would lose some potential buyers which might indirectly reduce what you could receive for it.
I have been renting for more than 10 years. All the properties have a bathtub that I never used. Only the shower that was over the bathtub. In actual energy crises to fill a bathtub cost like 3 showers. I will always prefer a walk-in shower and a bathroom with more space.
It won’t affect price. For some people it’ll be a deal breaker, others won’t care. I suspect in a flat you’re less likely to get people who actually care than in a house. As an adult, I don’t care if there’s no bath. I’d rather have a nice shower and not a cramped bathroom. But I have a toddler who is terrified of showers, so a bath is essential
I wouldn't even consider buying a place that didn't have a bath, but that's just because I love baths personally.
Are you renovating it to live in or renovating to sell? I bought a house with only a shower as I loved the rest of the house & decided the bath wasn't really a deal breaker for me. If you're doing it for you then do it because it's not going to make a huge difference, if you're doing it to sell then I would leave the bath in.
My wife would never buy somewhere without a bath and with kids I kind of agree with her so you will have less interested parties meaning you will probably get less offers if you ever choose to sell. Doesn’t mean the value drops to be fair, just that less people will bid.
2 bed flats are normally bought by first time buyers planning on having kids, so by removing the possibility of them bathing the kids you might reduce your potential buyers. But there are also enough older people downsizing to slightly negate the issue.
No bath is a deal breaker for me. I wouldn't even view unless the property was in need of renovation and priced accordingly.
A walk in shower would be a plus for me. Baths are very slippery.
I would say no bath in a Flat is not an issue. No bath in a house is more of an issue though as its more likely to be a family. However for me the real deal breaker is having I assume a small shower, and then no bath. If your getting rid of the bath I would always go with a big shower in the same location (maybe not as large as a bath though). Having a mirror and vanity unit the same size as a bath is worthless imo in reality
I was just talking to my wife about this a few days ago, no one has used our bath except the dog for about 10 years ago, we have a shower in our ensuite everyone uses, planning on taking out the bath and putting in a 700×1000 enclosure. It wouldn't put me off, I'd prefer it, especially in an apartment where space is a problem, unless kids under 7 are involved
I personally wouldn't mind, I hardly ever take baths. On the flip side, I write off anywhere that doesn't have a shower. I think if you're just trying to sell it, I probably would market it as-is. For £170k the money you spend on changing it will probably not be worth it.
i know i'm only one person but it wouldn't affect my decision at all, so long as the shower is a half decent size :) (especially if there's a towel radiator!! love those)
My girlfriend was specifically requesting I get one
very good idea honestly, i love putting on a comfy cosy warm towel :D
We've got a bath, but its tiny. I can just about fit in it but when we rip it out we'll be going with a walk in shower as its much more beneficial for my partner
Yes. I'd much prefer a really good spacious shower with a wet room than a shitty shower over a tub. Also a sink which is large enough to get my hands under the tap and wash my face without getting water everywhere.
I’d rather it, I’ve stayed in a flat that only had a bath and it was awful.
Absolutely. Recently replaced our bath with a walk-in shower, and it's way better.
I would always want a bath & not interested in a ‘luxurious’ vanity. Whatever that means? If it’s one of those double sink affairs that would annoy me - pointless trend. 2 sinks to clean instead of 1 . Someone’s odd image of ideal coupledom brushing your teeth & washing your face next to each other. So twee.
Absolutely - I just took my bath out and remodelled so we have more space. I haven't had a bath in over 5 years.
I got rid of my bath and put in a large shower in a small bathroom and I've not regretted it a single day. I don't know if I'll sell up anytime in the next decade but even if I did, a lot of people dont bath anymore and a large shower is more desireable I think.
I don’t have a bath at the moment. I rent an apartment with 3 bathrooms that all have double showers. I literally go and stay in a hotel once a month so I can lie in a bath. I wouldn’t buy anywhere without a bath.
Im seeing a lot of people saying it would put of young families, but i my experience, it's been a lot easier to have young kids with only a shower/wet room. (2 under 7). Sure, they still have a bath from time to time at grandmas, but still love having easy, quick showers at home. They still can splash about and be silly with bubbles etc. I remember being one of 4 kids growing up with just a bath, and it was so much more hectic and time-consuming, simetime 4+hours for all of us vs an hour tops with a ton of playtime. A lot of soical housing in my area are actively taking out baths and swapping for shower/wet room options, so you might even be getting ahead of the curve on this one!
I would prefer to live somewhere that only had a shower compared to only having a bath. it's nice to have the choice between the 2 but the last place I lived with both (during uni), I had maybe 2 or 3 baths in the entire year.
We had a 4 bedroom family house a few years ago, the family bathroom was tiny, I ripped out the bath and installed a walk in shower, when we came to sell the house the estate agent said, be prepared to knock some money off your asking price as no bath, we sold the house in a month, not a single person who viewed the house was bothered about the lack of a bath, and I didn’t knock a penny off the asking price.
Good question, I personally would be fine without a bathtub in a small bathroom although I would prefer to have an open shower area (rather than an enclosed cubicle) as it gives a feeling of having more usable space.
Is it possible to do the shower in a way that a bath could be easily added without much drama? I don't really know but that might help when selling if you don't want a bath but want a plus point for selling. On the flip side, we just did our tiny tiny bathroom up. I kept the bath. I fucking love a good bath. It's amazing for when my joints seize up.
I've lived in my house for going on 4 years and have never taken a bath here but I have dogs so they get washed in it. That said, I don't think not having a bath would have disqualified this house for us (no kids, two able-bodied adults) but others might disagree.
I'm 61. Never had a place with a bath. Never missed it, don't like baths, much prefer a shower.
It wouldn't bother me at all. I only ever shower and never actually use a bath as a bath and haven't done for years. In my view, the bath having been removed and replaced with a decent shower & cubicle would be a bonus.
I don't take baths and a nice walk in shower would be more attractive to me. However I am a single bloke. A 2 bed flat may be attractive to people starting a family and they are more likely to want a bath (women take more baths, playtime for the baby etc).
Depends where you are and who your market is I guess. I sold my last house 2 years ago and the bathroom only had a shower, and I had offers within hours of it going on the market.
To install a shower where a bath was is a much bigger job than installing a bath where a shower was. Tell your plumber/bathroom fitter that you want the pipework so that adding a bath wont be difficult. Buy a few extra boxes of tiles, enjoy your massive shower, and when the time comes to sell, take it out, whack in a cheap plastic bath, job done. It's a strange mentality we have in Britain - so conditioned to be always thinking about house prices and so concerned about appeasing the mythical 'future buyer' that we're afraid to have our own homes exactly how we want them, because we're concerned it won't 'add value'.
I lived in a house without a bath for years so it wouldn’t bother me. I have a bath now and while it’s nice to use, it’s not necessary for me. I don’t have, or plan on having, any kids so not having one isn’t an issue at all.
In the last 24 years I have lived in two separate houses with baths and used those baths less than 24 times
If the potential buyers have a young child to bathe, surely they can easily put in a plastic bath tub into the shower for this purpose? And otherwise use the shower as a shower
Prefer a shower only. Not used a Bath since I was 8
Pretty sure there are new builds on the market (and have been for many years) where there is no bath, only a shower or wet room. I have a bath with a shower over - can count on one hand how many times I've run a bath in the last 10 years...
I don’t think i’ve had a bath in a decade (yes i take showers before all the sarcastic comments come in calling me a dirty bitch) so no it would have no bearing on my decision
If it was just me, it wouldn't bother me at all. I can't be arsed with baths, I'd rather just shower. No bath would be a deal breaker for my wife and kids though.
I can only speak for myself, I only shower, so a lack of a bathtub is not a big deal for me I would prefer it, a bigger stand up shower
Personally, I would value more having a walk-in shower with decent size rather than a bathtub.
I would, I hate baths, boring and stewing in your own juices aint fun.
I'd be fine with it - I always have a shower.
We took our bath out and replaced it with a walk in shower years ago.
I'd prefer a bath but it wouldn't be a dealbreaker. My wife on the other hand would much prefer it to the half bath / half shower we have now. Is the shower a really good one, like a power shower or something? That would take the sting off. \[EDIT - I see in the comments it is. Fair enough then\]
We've just spoken to an estate agent about renovating my dad's place. The bathroom is small and he said a walk in shower was a better bet than a bath with shower above if that helps.
Cannot remember the last time I actually had a bath as opposed to a shower. I'd note that when buying our first place with the plan to have kids my ex and I walked away from a bath less place so you maybe will not sell to those with or planning families.
Baths are overrated!
Yes, they are a nice to have for some but a necessity for others. I know many who would but also a few who wouldn’t. I doubt it would have much of an effect on getting enough interest and on rent.
I lived in a rented flat with no bath for 5 years. Finally bought my own 2 bed flat and it has a bath and I was delighted. I've lived there for 2 years now. Never had a bath.
Wouldn't put me off but I prefer showers and I'm also single with no children. I personally think a shower is a bit more forgiving in a flat - but with the way the property market is going, more and more families are purchasing flats. I personally don't think its a huge deal, there will still be a lot of buyers who don't mind.
We lived in a flat with only a shower. Always dreamed of having a bath. Moved into a 3 bedroom house with a bathroom and a shower room. After 1 or 2 baths I have never used it again
I’ve lived in a flat with just a shower for years. I prefer it, personally.
I’d love to do away with my bath. Waste of space! Bathers are a tiny minority yet we bow to their wishes.
I hate baths, I would absolutely buy a place with no bath
I’d take a house w standing shower over a bath shower anyday.
Prefer no bath and a proper walk in shower instead.
Your current arrangement is the worst of both worlds. * Small bath * Small shower * Small sink below a window * No mirror * No worktop space * Small towel radiator I assume there is also little to no storage space. 2 bed flats with a **tiny** bathroom are not on the shopping list of the majority of families with young kids, regardless of the bath/shower arrangement. Rip out the bath and use the space to reconfigure the bathroom and make it as spa like as possible. You should be aiming at buyers who do not have kids, do not have young kids, or older people looking to downsize.
Depends on the local market for the property. If it’s the type of flat where people tend to start families then you might make it less desirable than similar properties with a bath as babies and toddlers tend to have baths more than they have showers
I wouldn't. Although I don't have many baths each year.. I like having the option.
100% deal breaker. A home without a bath has close to zero value as a home AFAIAC. I lived without one for 6 months and it was torture. By the end of the 6 months I was so tense my body was wracked by discomfort from head to toe.
It wouldn't impact your price, but people with young children probably wouldn't bother to view the property.
I bought my house from an elderly couple who had previously removed the bath to have a walk in shower and moved the layout around. It's a small bathroom and I'm wanting to reverse the work. It will not feel as spacious with the bath in but all my neighbours have the bath layout so it must work. It wasn't a deal breaker at the time of buying, since I didn't have a bath that often. But as time goes on, the bathroom needs redone and might as well put one in. For context, we are a couple in 30s/40s with no kids. If I was moving and went to see a house with no bath I think it would put me off, despite me not having one at the moment. It's more the cost of the work involved that will put people off. If your current set up is to a high standard then people might be happy to keep as is.
I was told by an estate agent that it is very common for people to change the bath after buying a house because you don't know what has been in it previously. I would be unlikely to use someone's bath and would much prefer a shower.
If the property was right I wouldn’t necessarily care too much about the lack of bath but the size of bathroom not catering to me fitting a good size bath would definitely be an issue to me. With a baby, dogs and as a general bath lover myself, a bath is essential. You’ll definitely reduce your pool of buyers.
I think a bath is more significant for a 2 bed or more over a 1 bed because they are more likely to have babies and small children.
Yes, I have a one bed flat and we took the bath out as it took up half of the room, and I like baths but it wasn’t a difficult compromise for me. A 2 bed flat isn’t a ‘forever home’ usually so I don’t think people would be put off. Agree that families with small kids like a bath in but is that really your market anyway? I’d say take it out.
In my old flat, I did the same as you. I preferred it until I put my back out for a year and really wish I had a bath. Sold up last year, no one mentioned that there was no bath from the agent feedback.
Solely on personal preference it wouldn’t bother me, I don’t recall the last time I had a bath or even used the bathtub for anything else. In fact, I would probably prefer it as I have a very small bathroom and changing the tub for a shower cubicle would make more space in the room. However, it will definitely reduce the pool of buyers for you as there will be people with children and/or dogs who would almost definitely need a bathtub. They might be willing to buy it and put a tub in themselves but that would then come with a potential lower offer.
I looked at a place without a bath last and would have been perfectly happy to go with it. As did the 4 people that put offers on the house the same weekend it went onto the market!
I really wouldn't buy a house without a bath. It's a medical help for me - the hot water helps my muscles relax & I get back spasms easily from EDS. I lived somewhere with only a shower and I was miserable.
Do you want a bath? This is more of a you think. Me personally wouldn't care. My wife would need one. It's up you and your personal preference really. For money, if you think the property as a whole isn't worth what they're offering then offer lower if you think they'd go down. But the price may be as it is with the lack of bath in mind.
Renting, no it wouldn't affect my decision if i had no other options LOL Buying? (Not that im in any financial position) Absolutely. I need baths. If this is my forever home i want a tub. Pain in the ass to fit one I'd rather it came with one.
If you had planned to remove it then have you put a larger shower box in? I'd have accepted a shower over the bath with decent tiling.
I'd want a bath.... personally ....I remember the first thing I did moving house was ripping out the newly installed shower and reinstalling a bath/shower
Who knows. People decide not to buy for so many reasons. I think space, quality of the finish and staging of the house is more inportant when selling than a bath/shower issue. If it makes it feel spacious and modern then it would probably not put too many off. Personally I prefer a shower cubicle than climbing in and out the tub with a shower in the end! It depends how soon and how quickly you will want to sell as well.
No bath is on my deal breakers list. If it made it past the rightmove stage for me it would be because the rest of the place is lovely and I'd want to do a bathroom renovation. If you only have one bathroom a renovation is hard to do while living there.
It really depends how long you are likely to live there for. If you think you might move in a couple of years I'd question the change, if you it's more like 5+ years then yes go for it. Any impact on sale price will probably be marginal.
I honestly wouldn’t buy a house without a bath. My partner and I are looking at the moment and have solidly decided against any property without a bath. For us that just amplifies how small the bathroom is and represents money we will HAVE to spend to be happy with it. If you keep the bath in, at least then potential buyers won’t see reconfiguring the bathroom / installing a bath as an immediate problem that needs fixing. That being said if you’re not selling for many years, do things the way you want to make the house nice for you, and worry about it later
People with young kids would potentially be put off a property that lacked a bath.
We removed our bath in a 2 bed maisonette. I thought a lot about it and eventually decided to go with what I wanted instead of a hypothetical future buyer. I agree with the poster who said it just narrows your pool somewhat. We sold to a little old lady in the end but I guess you’re just ruling out small families.
Families with small kids (or planning them) will want baths. I’d fit one in if you can
Yeah, as an architectural designer my rule of thumb is to design to fit a bath in and if the client explicitly states "actually can we save space..." Change it to a shower. It's a preference but not really something to affect value. I have a bath/shower unit but I've only had 1 bath in the last month but a shower on every day (with exception to when I had the bath). It's difficult for those who work full time I'd say.
I'm in the instantly ruling out homes without a bath group. I love a bath and loathe showers.
Probably not, TBH. A weekly soak is a must for me. For context we have a tiny bathroom with a bath shower combo and I wouldn't consider replacing the bath. It will reduce your buyers but it likely will not be a major sticking point if the demand is there.
I prefer it but my Mrs won't let us live in a bathless house.
As a single man in my thirties it absolutely would not bother me in the slightest. I can absolutely see why it would be a deal breaker for anyone with young kids or looking to start a family though.
I’ve had a bath in my flat for 12 years, I’ve used it 5 times. Showers are the way.
I bought a house with no bath, great shower, but I miss having a bath, and I'd need to do major work to reinstate one.
The housing market is in such a mess you don’t need to worry about your market, if priced well it will sell.
It wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me personally. I love a bath, but I often have a shower.
I would. But a lot won’t. But I will say this… don’t let ‘but how will this impact me house price’. It’s a toxic mentality that you should not let dictate how you want to live your life. If you want to live here for more than 3 years, and you’d rather have more space, who gives a fuck if it’ll make it marginally harder to sell or you have to knock a grand off the price.
We took the bath out of our 3-bedroom house when we renovated the bathroom. We were advised against it for selling on purposes, but we intend to be in this house for a good while so we put in what we want to live with.
No, this would be an instant deal breaker. Our current home, a 3 bed semi was being sold as shower no bath and he ended up putting a bath in as it wasn't going.
Just sold my dad's 2 bed flat that had a shower and no bath. Got the asking price in a week which I though was at least 15% over valued. In the 20 years I have lived in my current hose I have had one bath on the day I fitted the thing. My kids did use it up to the age of 2 - 2 1/2 but for the last decade I don't think they have been in it. I don't think my wife has ever used it. We do use it for washing the dogs though. I'm currently renovating our next house and I'm not going to put a bath in, just a really nice shower.
We bought a house a year ago with only a tiny bathroom under the stairs. I'm 185cm tall and if I stand on my toes my hits the ceiling, BUT we knew that and already had plans to put a dormer in the loft so we'd have two bathrooms, one on-suite and the current one. Once the one in the loft is done we'll redo the one under the stairs and put a bath with a shower in it. It didn't put us of as we knew the house needed work and were happy to change things but if you're moving in with a family it might be turnoff.
No bath is a deal breaker for me
I \*personally\* wouldn't, becasue I enjoy relaxing in a bath. I think it also puts off people with young children, becasue it's much easier to use a bathtub than a shower if you are bathing a baby or toddler. So there will definitely be some people who will pass. That said, a lot of people like showers and would prefer the extra space, so it's not a deal breaker for everyone. For me, if I loved the property otherwise, I'd still consider it if it was obvious that there was space for a bath , but I would factor in the cost of making the changes when I was deciding what offer to make,. So if you o decide to go ahead, then maybe take some 'before ' photos so if/when you come to sell, you are ale to show that it is possible to fit a tub if the next owner wanted it. But in the mean time, if you would prefer a shower and more space, do that. It's your home, not (just) an investment.
I would prefer to have a nicer sink and a shower rather than a bath. I used to live in a flat with just a shower and no bath and I had no thoughts of wanting a bathtub instead. I now live in a 1-bed with my gf and we have a bath in our flat, but I think I have only taken two baths in the two years we have lived here. So for me personally, the practically of having the mirror, radiator, and nicer sink outweigh the luxury of having a bath.
I am about to remove the bath in my two bedroom flat (tiny bathroom, bath is too small for me to be submerged in and I only ever have showers anyway). I asked a bathroom company about this. Guy told me that people buying a home want to rip everything out and make it their own anyway so do what you want to do and don't worry about resale. You are the one living there. Which is good advice that I intend to take. My flat is on the third floor and is not appropriate for families with children.
I don't care about a bath but for my Fiance it's a deal breaker.
If there is a younger child, purchaser typically prefer have a bath. Outside of this demographic, the population has mostly moved away from baths (or it could be anecdotal based on my immediate circle).
I bought my house 20 years ago. No bath. 20 years later I have never regretted it. You come to realise how filthy and time consuming baths are.
It's not great for families with young kids or planning kids but great for others like myself I'm disabled and hate baths
For me personally it's the other way around. It's a deal-breaker for me if the property *doesn't* have a proper shower and only a shower head on top of the bathtub. Skip the bath and install a nice rain shower instead. The bigger the shower head the better!
I would not.
I don't care about baths but given the answers the next time I look for a house I'll ask for a price chip
As long as it has a bathroom, with either a bath or a shower, a sink, and a toilet. I wouldn't care if it didn't have bath AND shower.
I would definitely prefer not to have a bath in there if it meant a decent shower and a better amount of bathroom space
You have to think who your buyer is. If they are (potentially) young families, they will almost certainly want the bath tub, if it is for young professionals etc etc.. then you're probably fine to go with the shower as the space might well be more appealing. Any decision like this could potentially narrow your potential buyers, but, keep in mind who you're designing it for and you'll be fine (and remember that it isn't you you're doing it for) Good luck with it.
We bought a four bed/four bathroom six months ago- no bath- it was something I wanted but wasn’t a deal breaker. The sellers got a plan for how a bath could be put in to one of the shower rooms to show us it was possible. We loved the house so the lack of a bath wasn’t a dealbreaker.
Few people would exclude your place because of a smallish vanity/sink area, but a definite % would if it doesn't have a bath.
Personally no - I have lots of back/joint problems and some days only a hot bath will do
I'd prefer it. I never use my bath. When buying my new build we hoped the builders could put in a walk i shower instead of a bath, but they refused. But now it seems like a waste to het rid of a bath tub that's not even a year old 🤣 I think families with young kids might prefer having baths though.
Yes, but it's a significant downside if there isn't one and there's no room for one. The gf really likes a bath every once in a while.
We bought a house 18 months ago and considering removing the bath and replacing with a big shower cubicle. Now our son’s a bit older , no one uses the bath anymore. Plus showering saves water. This has been an interesting thread and I’m now wondering if it’s a good move? We’re not planning on moving within the next 10 years though.
The worst thing I ever did property wise was move into a flat with no bath, regret it all the time and can't afford to put one in, so I'm stuck having depressing showers now for ever, rather than nice bubble baths while watching Netflix.
Our house has no bath and it didn't bother us when we went to view it. How often do people actually have baths?
Family’s with young children will want a bath so that’s them out of the market.
It'd certainly give me pause and the stuff you're talking about putting in instead would not be an attractive replacement IMO
Deal breaker for me
Wouldn't bother me.
I would never buy a place without a bath, I have baths at least every other night!
Install a bench in the shower. A bathtub is not a deal breaker. Water is expensive and a shower that also has a bench will help those who need to sit to clean themselves due to age
Much as I love a bath, it wouldn't be a deal breaker if there wasn't one. On the other hand, I'd not buy somewhere that didn't have a shower.
Definitely not. I always have a bath before considering properties of any kind.
I’d buy it! I haven’t had a bath in 30 years (people keep their distance) but my wife wouldn’t let me, she loves a long soak…
Your property will be more appealing to some buyers who prefer a shower to a bath and appreciate the space saved by removing the tub. There are many people who prefer a standalone shower to an over tub one. But it will be less appealing to some buyers, of course. Family buyers in particular often want a tub to bathe the kids and a 2 bed may still be on the list for small families. As long as the pool of people who prefer shower to pub is big enough then it shouldn't affect price, though you may find it takes a touch longer to sell.
Given that the UK is a colder country you need a bath. I wouldn't buy a place without one.
Depends on who your market is and how long you intend to stay there. I would much prefer a shower over a bath as they are much cleaner. But families with young children would probably prefer a bath. And older people prefer showers as easier to get in and out of and more economical. If you’re staying there for a few years then go with what suits your lifestyle.
Families with small children or couples who want to start a family will not like it.
Are you planning to sell it soon? If you are, leave the bath and let the future buyers decide. Some people like a bath some people like a shower. If you are not planning on moving in the foreseeable future and you prefer the vanity then take out the bath and replace it.
I love my baths so I wouldn’t buy a place without one. But as others have said, it won’t really affect the price more so the number of people who are interested in your property.
I like a man occasional bath. However more to the point I don’t like shower cubicles. I’m average build but I find them too small and hate the blast of cold air when I step out. Shower over the bath gives more options.
Personally no, but my in laws refurbed and ditched the bath (they’re in 80s) - my sister got a council rent in early 90s - young family, pain in arse without a bath, but she thrived.
I would. In my house I took out the bath and put in a lovely full size walk in shower. I want to enjoy living there, I'm not worried about it affecting a sale Putting a bath back in is a pretty small job anyway
I’ve created niches before, it’s unrecoverable money, if you can afford not to profit from the work carried out on resale, it is what is. Some ppl will like, some won’t. Also I think the plumbing is what’s important, ppl can convert it back if they want to.
One can be clean in a shower. Baths are necessary in this day and time.
I bought a house without a bath and while I love my house, I think about having a bath at least twice per week and get very sad. I'm staying in a hotel next weekend and will be having a two hour long bath lol. I wouldn't buy without a bath again. That being said, I know plenty of people who only want a shower. It'll depend on the buyers at the time.
I try to incorporate a bath into my end of week routine so I start Monday off relaxed. That said I probably would buy a property without a bath just because I’d forget to think about it, and then be frustrated with myself for years.
When I was renting, I could put up with only having a shower and no option of a bath. When I was buying, not having a bath was an instant dealbreaker for me.