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Original poster

Is this stupid to do….

51 replies

Meraleine · 26/01/2025 12:07

I want to get rid of my bath and replace with a walk-in shower as I’ve not had a bath in 5 years!

However, is this going to make it harder to sell in future? It’s a 2 bed house so assume many potential buyers would be young families/ pre-family.

Would you buy a house with only a walk in shower? If you loved the house would you just think you could replace if you wanted a bath?

OP posts:
comingupintheworld · 26/01/2025 13:28

If you plan to move soon then it's not worth it because some people are quite narrow minded and some people do need a bath , so you would probably end up putting a bath back to

If you are going to be there a decade then why on earth not? I always regret living with horrible wardrobes because they were too good to get rid of - I lived there for 15 years

GameOfJones · 26/01/2025 13:31

It would put me off, yes. But I love a bath and have them regularly. If the whole bathroom needed refitting anyway it wouldn't be as much of an issue. It wouldn't stop me putting an offer in if the rest of the house was right but it would definitely be a negative.

Are you thinking of selling in the nearish future? I would be tempted in your circumstances to upgrade the shower over the bath to a really good one rather than rip out the bath entirely.

Tisthedamnseason · 26/01/2025 13:35

I never ever have a bath, I don't like them. But I'd be reluctant to buy a house without one as I have small children.

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Ihateslugs · 26/01/2025 13:38

When we sold my mums house ( 3 bed semi in an area with lots of families) we had no problem with there being no bath, it was never raised by the viewers as an issue. However, the bathroom did need replacing and it was big enough to have a bath reinstated so I guess that helped.

Viewers were more interested in the large garden, off road parking and local schools.

Angularline · 26/01/2025 13:39

I wouldn’t buy a house without a bath, personally

Bigfellabamboo · 26/01/2025 13:39

Op, are you selling or thinking about selling? If not don't worry about it. You're living there, do what you want.

Ihopeithinkiknow · 26/01/2025 13:43

I have recently moved into a flat with a walk in shower and I thought I wouldn't miss having a bath but now I haven't got one I just wanna lay in the bath and relax lol

PennyPugwash · 26/01/2025 13:44

We ripped out our bath and have a lovely walk in shower.
We have 2 small children and it's never bothered us at all.
Some people just aren't into baths. So you do you!

Winterskyfall · 26/01/2025 13:53

I would not live in a house without a bath. It's an essential for me and means I would have to remodel the bathroom which is painful. Definitely would put me off your home.

Thisisthemomentforchange · 26/01/2025 16:28

I had my bath taken out when I redid the bathroom at a previous house I owned. I replaced it with a large walk-in shower.

People told me at the time it would put
off buyers , particularly those with families, if I decided to sell.

When I did come to sell I had no problems regarding the bathroom. It didnt affect the price. There were plenty of viewers and I dont think I had any adverse feedback about the bathroom.I got a few offers and the people who bought the place had two young children.

I'm afraid I like my home to be how I want it to be to suit my style of living rather than having an eye on how it will sell.

ohtowinthelottery · 26/01/2025 16:36

DC has just bought a 2 bed house with a bath with electric shower over. The plan is to rip the bath out and replace with a walk in shower - which considering they've used a bathroom here with a shower over the bath for the last 6 years and never complained about it was a bit of a surprise - especially as our other bathroom does have a walk in shower.

SheridansPortSalut · 26/01/2025 16:37

A decent shower would be a much bigger draw to me as a buyer than a bath that I would have to step into every day to shower. I would never use it as a bath.

You'll put off some buyers but attract others. 6 in one. Half a dozen in the other.

Getamoveon2024 · 26/01/2025 17:30

Currently buying a house with showers over baths. First job is to replace with walk in showers (will keep one bath). It’s a shame because the bathrooms are new with nice tiles etc but I cannot stand showers over baths plus my parents and in laws visit fairly frequently and are elderly. They couldn’t manage to safely use a shower over a bath.

VonHally · 26/01/2025 17:38

I got rid of my bath after 25 years of never using the damned thing! I mean for me baths are awful things, the water never stays hot enough, you're sitting in your own sweat etc., your skin gets that awful wrinkly look, and getting out is a dangerous thing once beyond a certain age, like me.... I'm not cocking my knees over the side of a bath for anyone, far too dangerous! Just me. I don't use fancy pants spa baths in nice hotels either. Just the shower thanks.

So I got rid of the bath eventually and put in a glorious walk in shower with room for two. Pity I live alone, I might advertise that fact lol. It even has a plinth, and a footrest for shaving the old legs, and a very discreet grab bar for safety. It's rainfall and the ordinary one, and I bloody love it!

Rictasmorticia · 26/01/2025 17:50

I don’t have a bath. It would be a plus for me to buy a house without one.

cleowasmycat · 26/01/2025 17:55

I would love to rip out my bath and have a shower. Been here 5 years and never bathed in it and nor has daughter.

welasen · 26/01/2025 18:09

We have young dcs who love playing in the bath so it would annoy me not to have a bath if I was looking at buying a place. Yes I could replace the shower with a bath but it would be a hassle to organise.

Even as an adult I prefer showers over a bath compared to a walk in shower. So much more practical and more useful for other things besides showering (eg washing large objects, laundry).

Middlemarch123 · 26/01/2025 18:16

I just had our bathroom completely renovated, and got rid of the bath with the shower over it. Got an amazing shower cubicle which is big and has both a rain shower and a detachable wall shower. Room seems so much bigger. Yes, it could put off future buyers, but not planning on moving for ages. It’s my house and exactly what I wanted. Life’s for living.

Plump82 · 26/01/2025 18:17

We bought our place which didn't have a bath but we knew we'd have to redo the whole bathroom anyways so put one back in. If the bathroom was on good condition/new etc and didn't have a a bath then yes, it would put me off.

DingDongAlong · 26/01/2025 19:11

We live in a 3-bed family home and are about to do the same for lots of reasons:

  • It's our home and we're not intending on selling in the foreseeable future.
  • As we get older, we won't need to step over the bath to have a shower. Also easier to put a stool into a shower than have it stood in the bath, if we become unstable on our feet.
  • Accept that this might put off future buyers
  • Therefore we will choose plain tiles around the shower to make it easier to retrofit a bath (and re-tile) in this space if we feel we need to when selling.
  • Putting the shower where the bath is, also to make it easier to re-fit.
  • Lower the asking price to attract buyers if needed.

We accept that our choice won't appeal to everyone, but we're not re-doing the bathroom to sell, we're doing it for our own enjoyment.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 26/01/2025 19:29

If I still had young children, I wouldn’t buy a house without a bath. We now have young Gdcs so they use a bath when visiting. We have 2 baths with showers over and find them fine - bathrooms are pretty old though. If we replaced them, we’d probably have a walk in shower in the en-suite.

DiscoBeat · 26/01/2025 19:45

If I couldn't have separate bath and shower I'd go for a good shower over bath combo but with a really decent power shower. Ideally with a half wall around the bath as well.

WomenInConstruction · 26/01/2025 19:50

In Germany a house with a bath is the outlier, which is interesting I think.

Anyway, just do it op, a walk in shower is a delight to use every single day and the pleasure of that will far outweigh any possible theoretical affect on resale of the house.

Original poster
Meraleine · 26/01/2025 19:53

I'm afraid I like my home to be how I want it to be to suit my style of living rather than having an eye on how it will sell.

well yes, but as a single parent I don’t want to fuck up my chances when I do come to sell!

thanks so much for all the input - I think the consensus is walk in shower!

OP posts:
Simonjt · 26/01/2025 19:54

Its easy and cheap to remove a shower tray and fit a bath, having a bath you don’t want because you might sell in the future is silly, your home is for you to enjoy, not simply an item in waiting for a potential future buyer.