Getting rid of our only bath?

[LittleEsmeWeatherwax]

Our bathroom is tiny. We can touch the sink and the loo from sitting in the bath. The shower is in the bath.

DMil is going to be moving in with us and cannot use a bath unaided but can shower if it mean not stepping in (over side of bath).

The bathroom looks awful tbh and would look much nicer with just the shower. Will not having a bath greatly reduce the value of the house?

[LIZS]

Maybe not reduce value but saleability.

[SoMuchForSubtlety]

I think in the UK it would be more difficult to sell a house without a bath. In Australia I know many houses without baths, but it's quite rare here.

But I think a high spec bathroom with no bath and a lovely spacious shower would be MUCH nicer than a cramped bathroom with a shower over the bath. I hate showers over baths.

[petalsandstars]

If it's a "family " house then when you sell you would struggle to get people with little ones in IMHO. We didn't even look at houses with just a shower as with young children/toddlers they need a bath really and it'd mean ripping out the bathroom as soon as you buy the place.

[ILovedYouYesterday]

Well, unless you are planning on moving in the near future I would just put in what works for you as a family now.

If I was buying a house, I'd be perfectly happy with no bath as none of us use them anyway so they are just a waste of space and an extra thing to clean so you may find buyers who are not bothered.

If you are getting the bathroom re-done, you could try and make it so a bath could be put back in if you ever want to do that (maybe buy and put away a couple of extra boxes of tiles so you don't have to re-do the whole thing.) I know my in-laws have a walk in shower that fits in the space their bath used to be and it's great because there is space for a fold down seat in there which might be very useful for you mil in future.

[Agrestic]

I'm about to redo my only bathroom. I'm ditching the bath and will replace with a fancy shower. It's a 2 bed terrace and I plan to stay here for the next ten+ years so I'm not worried. When it comes to sell I'll think about installing one, maybe.

[LittleEsmeWeatherwax]

The bathroom is
So small
That I see no other option. I think I'll
Go for it.

[Volvox]

Nice haiku!
I'd love to get rid of my bath one day.

[Mitzimaybe]

I know several people who have got rid of their baths in favour of a walk-in shower (where both is not an option.) I think partially it depends where you live; if it's a very "traditional" area it might put people off. I agree with LIZS that I wouldn't expect it to reduce the value much, if at all, but some potential buyers would rule it out. The longer you plan to live there, the less you need to worry about the resale value, really. It's your home and you need to do what makes life easier for the people who live in it.

[Apatite1]

We have kept two baths in our house just to preserve saleability, even though husband and I aren't big bath-takers. But if the bathroom was that small, I'd definitely go for shower instead of a bath. I too hate showers over baths.

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

Some buyers will walk away because they need a bath for children. Others will be more attracted to a nice bathroom without a bath than a pokey bathroom with one.

But I agree, do what works for your family.

[Flipchart]

Personally I like a bath. DS1 hasn't had a bath since he was 8 and he is nearly 19 now so horses for courses I guess!!
I have known people to have taken their baths out for the same reason as you and have had to reinstate one when they tried to sell their house and it hasn't gone.

You need to do what works best for you now and play it by ear in the future.

[ChippyMinton]

You don't really have a choice if MIL can only use a walk in shower.
Unless there is somewhere to squeeze a small shower room?

I wouldn't worry about resale. People seem to rip out perfectly serviceable bathrooms nowadays and replace with their choice.

[LittleEsmeWeatherwax]

Thanks everyone.
I really need inspiration, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere!

Does anyone have any decent website ideas?

[SoMuchForSubtlety]

Try searching houzz for small bathrooms, they have lots of layout ideas.

[bigTillyMint]

If its a deal breaker when you come to sell, surely you can just put a bath back in? Do what suits your family best for now.

[BackforGood]

Agree with everyone else.
A lot of - but not all - people will be put off a house if it doesn't have a bath, but you must do what you need to do to suit your family now, not worrying about a mythical move some years in the future.