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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not want a bath?

169 replies

LouLou789 · 03/08/2020 20:50

Twelve years ago we had our bath taken out and a high quality shower cubicle installed. The room is fully tiled. It also enabled us to put a loo in the bathroom (there’s already a loo in an adjacent room)

It is still immaculate as we’ve maintained it well and replaced the shower head and unit as needed.

House now on the market, it’s a 3 bed semi In a quiet cul de sac and would appeal to a couple wanting a family home to bring up their kids. It’s had plenty of viewings (been on the market 5 weeks) but no offers and several people have mentioned the lack of a bath as a problem.

Of course we are looking for a new home ourselves, but we fully accept we will have to do at least some work on any new house to make it right for us, including changing a bath to a shower room. We’ve had a plumber round to our current house tonight and it would cost 2k to reverse the conversion and the work would take a week. We intend to make this info available to potential purchasers and would therefore fully expect them to knock this amount off any offer. Our agent, however, thinks people won’t want the upheaval of the work and might ask us to install it ourselves as a condition of sale. What do you all think?

YABU = Just put a bath in, and get on with it

YANBU = Leave it as it is, you’re panicking

OP posts:
Sailingblue · 04/08/2020 22:02

I wouldn’t buy a house without a bath (I’m in the small people stage of life). I think you’re underestimating the hassle factor. You might have got a quote for £2k but your buyers have no idea if that quote is realistic, whether you’ve gone to a dodgy builder etc. They might not have the cash to do the work or the time/ inclination. It basically just puts up a barrier for a large chunk of people who might dismiss your property unless it’s perfect for them in every other way. That doesn’t mean you won’t sell. It might just take you much longer before you find someone that isn’t bothered.

VacMan · 04/08/2020 22:22

The house will have been valued at the price it is taking into account there is no bath.

So why should the OP reduce it further?

OP if you do go ahead with the work yourself then make sure this is reflected in the price.

cherish123 · 04/08/2020 22:30

It would put me off not having a bath.

namechangetheworld · 04/08/2020 22:30

I hate baths myself but we have two young DDs and would never have considered buying a house without one.

Original poster
LouLou789 · 05/08/2020 15:44

I really think we are going to have to bite the bullet and have it done

OP posts:
Meruem · 05/08/2020 16:01

I think you're doing the right thing OP. The voting is close to 50/50 so if it's even putting off 50% of prospective purchasers then it's worth doing.

Bluntness100 · 05/08/2020 16:15

Baths are loosing popularity due to water metres and the cost of water. Also people are more aware of the environmental impacts of wasting water and using to excess, which arguably a bath is. But I d think in this instance maybe putting it back in is the best idea. Sadly.

Cassilis · 05/08/2020 18:07

I never have baths, but I do wash my hair in the tub, not in the shower, so I deffo need a bath. Once hair is washed, I get under the shower to wash body.

Juanmorebeer · 05/08/2020 18:10

I wouldn't view a house without a bath. I'm sort of looking at the moment and have discounted so many otherwise ideal houses for just this reason.

I can deal with redecoration of walls and floors maybe but anything more disruptive I do not have time for

UnaCorda · 05/08/2020 18:16

Personally I wouldn't give myself the additional agro of having a bathroom converted on top of all the hassle of moving. And if you did decide to do that it might not be to a prospective buyer's taste anyway. Much easier just to knock some money off the sale price unless you're finding your house very difficult to sell.

UnaCorda · 05/08/2020 18:18

@Cassilis

I never have baths, but I do wash my hair in the tub, not in the shower, so I deffo need a bath. Once hair is washed, I get under the shower to wash body.
That sounds rather convoluted! Why can't you wash your hair in the shower?
Runmybathforme · 05/08/2020 18:18

I wouldn’t even view a house with no bath.

Cassilis · 05/08/2020 18:40

@UnaCorda I can, but my hair does not agree with shower water.

1forAll74 · 05/08/2020 18:56

A bath would be a top priority for me. In my house hunting days, a house with just a shower would be a no no.

Obviouslynotallthere · 05/08/2020 19:08

Personally I hate the bath and would have it out in a shot. However because others want it ( manky human soup imo) we still have it if we want to sell.

Dixiechickonhols · 05/08/2020 19:51

Two Family 4 bed identical houses on our estate. One had family bathroom converted into very expensive shower room. But house 1 with standard bathroom sold several months before house 2 with fancy shower room.

DappledThings · 05/08/2020 19:55

[quote Cassilis]@UnaCorda I can, but my hair does not agree with shower water.[/quote]
You have a different water supply to the taps in your bath as to your shower?

Cassilis · 05/08/2020 20:05

@DappledThings no, same water Grin, I think it’s the needles of water that affect it.

Waveysnail · 05/08/2020 20:07

I ruled out houses without baths. I didnt want to a house that needed any major changes asap when we had young kids

Waveysnail · 05/08/2020 20:08

Could u fit in a bath if you removed the toilet?

PurpleFlower1983 · 05/08/2020 20:10

Lots of people are immediately put off with no bath so I would put one in to increase the number of potential buyers.

dementedma · 05/08/2020 20:17

Have to have a bath for me,and my dcs are grown
Dd2 has moved in with her boyfriend into a flat with just a shower and comes home every now and then.just to have a bath! Best way to get warm in winter!

Herbiegerbie · 05/08/2020 20:31

I bought a 3 bed semi for me and my DCs 2 years ago. It didn't have a bath and the first thing I did was put a bath in. It didn't put me off as I liked the house but the offer I made factored in how much it would cost me to do the work. So imo either way you'd pay for it.

Deadringer · 05/08/2020 20:33

I wouldn't want a bath, would much prefer a decent shower. Surely people change lots of things when they move into a house so it wouldn't be a deal breaker for lots of people.

airbags · 05/08/2020 20:45

I have kids. Wouldn't buy a family home without a bath.