Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Houses without a bath tub

185 replies

Reel9 · 28/04/2018 22:19

A lot of houses seem to only have showers these days and no bath tub.

This is a definite no no for me, I like baths and surely it would be hard to wash children with just a shower.

It’s so frustrating so see a nice house with just a shower. Sure, could always put a bath in but not something I wouldn’t want to redecorate the bathroom immediately after moving in.

Would you buy a house without a tub?

OP posts:
Chaosandchocolate · 29/04/2018 06:19

I don't have a bath and the shower cubicle is tiny. There's no room to bend over to shave my legs. My youngest child hates the shower. He's only clean when he stays with his Dad.
When we first moved in he bathed in the kitchen sink.

magnetiq · 29/04/2018 06:26

I'd never buy a house without a bath. I live separate bath and shower but if pushed would have a bath with shower over.
SIL had a lovely house with no bath. They moved out after not very long.

givemesteel · 29/04/2018 07:02

First house didn't have a bath but was an epic doer upper so lack of bath was not the worst problem. Put two baths in during renovation.

Current house is bigger but only one bath, woukd have definitely preferred two ideally.

I think if you spend money doing up your bathroom and rip out the bath you should expect to not only not add value, but actually devalue your property. In the UK anyway. This thread shows how many people wouldn't consider it.

I'm a big bath advocate and find them v relaxing. I think it's a shame for small children, bath time is a favourite activity for dc, plays for ages in there. Can't play in the shower.

To answer OP's question. Yes I would but a house without a bath if everything else was right but only if I could afford and be prepared to put one in within 6 months. I'd want the money to do if off the asking price and would get some quotes and plan it properly.

YimminiYoudar · 29/04/2018 07:03

May I add a question? I need to redo my tiny bathroom and have been planning to get one of these Japanese-inspired short but deep baths - they are 60cm high ie the hight of a typical kitchen worktop, but the tub is only about a metre long. An adult can be fully immersed in the water up to the neck, but only sitting up not lying down.

I know I would be happy with this but would it sufficiently tick the boxes for most people in the "wouldn't buy a house without a bath" category?

50shadesofgreyismylaundry · 29/04/2018 07:08

Not for me Yimm. I guess it does depend what market you're going for though. I'm sure urban first time flat buyers would think differently to me who lives in a detached rural family home.

Bluntness100 · 29/04/2018 07:17

I'd happily buy a house with no bath. We have lived in this house for four years nearly now and none of us have used the bath once. I'd happily rip it out and have a big shower instead.

As for the Japanese thing, I think if you're going to have a bath it should be one folks can lie down in. Brits are typically much taller than Japanese folks and that would be very awkward for many to sit in.

lifechangesforever · 29/04/2018 07:19

Not a chance I would buy a house without a bath tub, it's my daily pleasure! I wouldn't even go look at a house without one..

FrancisCrawford · 29/04/2018 07:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Xenia · 29/04/2018 07:20

With children I would want a bath. I have three baths here! However now I only use mine about once every 2 months if that and have no little children so I don't see it as essential., When my son (single) was buying his house his problem was wanting a shower. Everywhere just had baths (of the older properties he was looking at) and he likes a shower. In the end he bought one with a bath with a stand up shower over it which doesn't seem too bad. I doubt he uses the bath part much .

The Japanese suggestion above sounds suitable to bathe a little toddler in so would be okay for a lot of parents.

I don't know whether bathrooms decide property purchases but my son (and I) certainly wanted in a small house the bathroom upstairs (quite a few of the properties he looked at had a bathroom downstairs which for some reason put us off, perhaps because we are used to going up for a shower; the one he bought has the bathroom upstairs).

FrancisCrawford · 29/04/2018 07:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Redglitter · 29/04/2018 07:22

I detest baths. I'd love if my house had a nice walk in shower instead

namaste86 · 29/04/2018 07:25

I couldn't as I love a soak in the bath with a good book. We bought our house whist I was pregnant and I practically lived in the bath to ease my back. Plus DS has had a bath every night since 4m old so it was a must for us. Only way I would buy one without was if it was our dream house and we could install one.

MNscum · 29/04/2018 07:27

I need a bath for washing the dog as she rolls in Fox poo most days and needs scrubbing.

Piggywaspushed · 29/04/2018 07:42

My MIL used to only have a bath and I wondered how she could possibly wash her hair properly. Then they had their bathroom refitted (which flooded their house: oops) and now they only have a shower! I did tell DH that is they ever sell the house family buyers might be put off.

Even worse is new build houses with bath water that only goes up to lukewarm at best. That really is irritating!! As a result, I have had a bath about five times in five years when I have a really bad hangover

Buyers must like baths because I visited a showhome recently that had bathtubs in every bathroom, including both ensuites.

AnnaMagnani · 29/04/2018 07:43

Battleax when you are old and rheumatic you can't get in and out of the bath.

You will then pay a fortune for the thing to be taken out and converted to a wetroom so you can sit on a seat in the shower - or wait for months on end for social services to assess you and even longer for them to fund it.

CharltonLido73 · 29/04/2018 07:48

Yes, I'd buy a house without a bath tub as I only ever shower. A great shower is what I'd be looking for. The bath tub is a white elephant in this house: it never gets used.

We've discussed this at home recently, as we intend to replace the bathroom suite and my husband has suggested replacing the bath tub with a larger shower unit than the one we currently have.

I'm reluctant to do this as we may well sell in a few years time, and I am aware that some buyers will be put off by the lack of a bath.

Velocitractor · 29/04/2018 07:56

InTheGhetto- that sounds an awful lot like Copenhagen!

We bought a house without a bath and prior to that always lived in flats without a bath (very common here - outside the UK) so not a deal breaker for me. I do like a good bath though and the kids and I queue up for them whenever we visit my parents in the UK Grin but they do use a shitload of water compared with a shower (we're on a water meter. Thankfully my parents pat a fixed rate!)

Oysterbabe · 29/04/2018 08:01

I don't have baths but I have a baby and a toddler so use it daily. I wouldn't want to buy a house without one unless it was otherwise perfect then I'd get one put in asap.

SecretIsland · 29/04/2018 08:04

I'd only buy a house without a bath if I knew it was possible (and affordable) to put a bath in within a few months.

I much prefer showers and shower 99% of the time. But probably once a month or so I really crave a bath and I'd hate to do without one. Dh is the same.

speakout · 29/04/2018 08:11

I have never visited a house without a bath.
I mostly shower but love a bath every fortnight or so, DD loves a bath too, she uses candles and lush bombs, OH can spend an hour in the bath he bath- he uses Matey bubble bath and sings pirate songs.

A bath soaks the skin unlike a shower, so a rub with a cloth or a pumice stone refreshes the skin, also the best place to shave legs, ( do shower down after to get rid of the grot!!.
In fact I am off for a bath now!!

Roussette · 29/04/2018 08:13

I shower in summer/warm weather and take a bath in winter. When you're tired, a bit cold, feel like you're about to get the flu, there is nothing nothing nothing like a big deep bubbly bath to warm up. A shower just doesn't warm you up the same.

I used to love bathing my DCs altogether, special memories there, wouldn't have been the same with a shower (can't actually work out how you do it without getting wet yourself?)

I would never buy a house without a bath unless I got a big reduction to put one in.

wanderings · 29/04/2018 08:13

We bought a house with no bath; one of the first things we did was replace the shower cubicle with a bath (fortunately the bathroom was big enough). The plumber seemed amused; he said it was rare that people asked him to replace a shower with a bath, it was usually the other way round.

Piggywaspushed · 29/04/2018 08:23

The powerful showers people like these days also use a lot of water...

stressedoutfred · 29/04/2018 08:25

I couldn't buy a house with no bath, and no space for one either!

Chaosandchocolate · 29/04/2018 08:31

I did consider a new build apartment for more space but we have a decent size garden and my kids are outdoors every chance they get.

I bet in any other part of the country I'd afford a bloody bath. Grr.

I will have lovely long candlelit bubble baths in old age. If I can get in and out!

Roussette I and the bathroom get soaked trying to shower my youngest! He really screams, It is an almighty fuss.

Swipe left for the next trending thread