Comfy bath help

[crazyhead]

We're doing a loft conversion and want a comfy bath. No room for freestanding but the bath should be a decent size eg 180 x 80. I like reading and loitering and me and dh sometimes like sitting in bath together.

We don't mind if bath is a little pricier than average (say up to 1k) if it makes a difference - but does it?

I am 5"4 and DH is 6ft so we average at a normal size :)

Has anyone bought a bath with a comfort wow factor? Or other advice on buying? am a bit overwhelmed by the choice!

go look at the profile of the bath in the brochure - you want one with a sloping back that doesn't curve too narrowly round you. Ideally go to a showroom and climb in!

standard length is 1700mm, but for social occasions you may want the 1800 one.

don't buy freestanding, massive amounts of awkward extra cleaning. There's a reason they went out of style.

Thanks for the advice! I'll stay away from freestanding and will visit the showroom tomorrow....

We have a cast iron freestanding bath (I just don't clean behind it) and I will say that j find it awkward to read in because I am short so can't prop my foot on the end. On the other hand, it is wonderful to soak in and fits all three kids in with room to frolic. Our little bath is much wider and more comfortable to read in, as it's a slipper bath. We're considering a plunge bath though, with two seats. We like to chat in the bath too, but now that tends to happen with one of us in it and one of us sitting next to it.

I'm also short and need a 1.5m long bath otherwise I can't sit up either. I'm defitnely going freestanding as I hate built in, it will be easy to clean around it, as there will be plenty of room.

If anyone sees a nice 1.5 m bath, please point me towards it.

OP, look at Bette baths.

I have a freestanding bath and it's very little extra effort to clean under it.

I was careful to choose one with ends that are not too steep as then you can't lie in it or lean back and are forced to sit up.

I couldn't have cast iron as it would have been too heavy with water in for our floors but have a lovely acrylic claw-footed one and love it. It was only about £400 in the sale too.

Thanks all - I was just considering Bette, Apatite1, and will check out the CP Hart showroom for them tomorrow

I wasn't thinking about cleaning under the bath, but behind,as in all those cutesy-wutesy room layouts you see them placed under the window.

There's no reason why you can't clean behind a freestanding bath, as long as there's room. Shoving it up against a wall is obviously not going to help.

indeed - but how much easier to have a built-in one and then no cleaning behind it required!

We just fitted a lovely large 1700 extra strength, extra wide bath from BathStore. It is soooo comfy and only cost about £200 in their sale (which last time I checked was still on) we had considered Bette baths but are just as happy with this one...

This is it: www.bathstore.com/products/pool-thermaform-bath-1700-x-700-1697.html

I'd definitely look at the Bette bath website, load of types and styles (but I admit a little more expensive). I'm a bath addict and stay in so many hotels - my heart always lifts when they have fitted a Bette bath, wouldn't have anything else :)

Don't go for a bath that is too long. I'm 5'3" and we put in a 1900 long bath (I think). I found it really uncomfortable as I kept sliding down the bath (couldn't reach the end while reading a book).

Things I would look for are wider (at least 800 but you can get 900) and deeper - check the depth to the bottom of the overflow though, it's surprising how much this varies.

Current bath is actually 1600 long (can't fit in a 1700) but 800 wide and extra deep - it's lush