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Original poster

Would you buy a home without a bath?

192 replies

makingithappen · 27/01/2019 10:50

Just pondering this question.

We will be starting a total renovation soon. It will be our family home for 5-10 years but we will then sell on. We have not used a bath for years - youngest is 11 years old now but obviously did when they were small. So I'm thinking, why install a bath when we could have a lovely walk in shower...

However, would it put people off buying a house with 2 bathrooms but no bath? Or would people just look past it and put in their own bath if that's what they need.

I would love to hear thoughts please.

OP posts:
TeacupDrama · 29/01/2019 16:23

its a negative would not stop me buying but it would affect what I offered as mostly it would mean re-doing the whole bathroom almost immediately cost £5-7000 as would need relining etc

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 29/01/2019 16:28

No. I mostly shower, but do enjoy a bath now and then, and we sometimes have guests who enjoy a bath, even if they mostly shower. And that's not counting visiting little Gdcs, who love their bath.
Both our ensuite and family bathrooms have a bath with a shower over. Best of both worlds - a good soak, and rinse off afterwards.

Anyone who's going to be selling a family house in the not too distant future would be mad not to have a bath, IMO, since anyone with very young children will v likely be put off. It's all very well to say you can put one in later, but it's a major faff and hassle, not to mention expense, all the re-tiling, etc. - if you want it to look nice afterwards.

TheRhythmlessMan · 29/01/2019 23:30

Of course not if everything else was to my liking but I'd be putting one in if possible

TheRhythmlessMan · 29/01/2019 23:31

Sorry that was meant to say I WOULD buy

dawn96 · 30/01/2019 11:56

I don’t just use the bath to wash I use it as a pain relief so absolutely not lol

Nevergotobedfangry · 30/01/2019 11:56

I've only private rented but last march we moved into a flat with a shower and a 3m old, we bathed dd in baby bath in living room. When we moved again In Nov the bathroom is massive but walk in shower, we had to take it!

Micah · 30/01/2019 12:03

No bath would put me off, unless i could justify the cost of putting one in after we moved.

I also hate walk in showers though. Cold and draughty. Look nice, but i would always bath for preference to get properly warm.

We bought a house 5 years ago which had those fancy sealed shower cabinets that do steam, massage jets etc. They don’t have the visual appeal of a walk in, and i wasn’t overkeen to start.

However they are utterly amazing and have changed my life. I rarely bath now as i can have a proper warm shower- the temp in the cabinet has a max of 44 deg- properly warm.

We replaced them when the bathroom needed doing. I could possibly live without a bath if there was a cabinet, but definately not an open or walk in shower.

ShowMeTheKittens · 30/01/2019 12:11

No. I have been flathunting for 6 months and you would not believe how many have no bath!
I cannot stand not having a bath a few times a week.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 30/01/2019 12:34

We leased a property for eight years that didn't have a bath, and we did miss it but weren't about to invest a load of our money into doing up someone else's property. It did, however, have a really amazing shower.

TheRhythmlessMan · 30/01/2019 12:36

@Micah that sounds the business!

mydogisthebest · 30/01/2019 12:37

We bought a house last year that only had a shower. We are going to redo the bathroom this year and it will stay with just a shower. We will put in a big walk in one.

I hate baths. I haven't had one for at least 20 years and neither has DH. I always check that hotels, cottages etc have a shower. I am not keen on showers over baths either.

I do get that people with young children may want a bath although one of my neighbours has children aged 7, 2 and 10 months and say they only ever use the shower.

Also baths are such a waste of water

Bluesmartiesarebest · 30/01/2019 12:40

With two bathrooms in a house, I would definitely expect one to have a bath. It would put me off from viewing the property.

oopslateagain · 30/01/2019 12:40

It's a negative for some people, a positive for others. Yes, it would put some people off, so you'd be restricting the range of buyers. However, we actively sought a house with a walk-in shower as I have difficulty climbing in and out of a bath, so it worked in our seller's favour. I have to admit, if it had a bath too it would have been brilliant. I miss baths.

mydogisthebest · 30/01/2019 12:42

I am always surprised on threads about baths just how many posters say they would not consider a house without one. Many countries abroad seem to not have baths. Everywhere I have stayed in Sweden, Holland and Belgium has not had a bath (all flats or apartments not hotels).

Is it something the British like?

itbemay1 · 30/01/2019 12:45

No. I love my baths too much!

blueskiesandforests · 30/01/2019 12:45

I wouldn't buy a house without a bath unless the price reflected the fact the bathroom needed replacing. I wouldn't buy a house without a proper shower either. We have a bath and a seperate shower cubicle and I wouldn't want any other set up in a family bathroom.

Mmmhmmm · 30/01/2019 12:45

Nope, bath was a must have before we had a baby even. I think it will put buyers off.

Ngaio2 · 30/01/2019 13:12

I’d be quite happy with just the shower. Population is getting older and older people generally prefer a shower as it’s easier and safer. I’d expect a bath if there was 2 or more bathrooms but otherwise a shower is fine. I haven’t used a bath in over 10 years and hate showers over baths.
Installing a bath is not such a big thing and after 10 years use your bathroom will be needing to be renovated soon, anyway. Most buyers would expect to be changing the bathroom shortly. Unless your house is difficult to sell it’s not cost efficient to renovate the bathroom prior to selling.

morningconstitutional2017 · 30/01/2019 13:14

Not having a bath would put me off. I like a good shower over the bath so getting the best of both worlds.

Comefromaway · 30/01/2019 13:17

No I wouldn't. Whenever dd is home she has baths to help her muscles relax after intense training.

dudsville · 30/01/2019 13:27

Anyone who would buy a home with an old bathroom surely would as they would plan to do it up? Maybe they wouldn't if they couldn't afford to do that straight away though. I bought a home with an olive bathroom suite. I changed that!

JRsandCoffee · 30/01/2019 13:41

If it’s a family house no bath at all is annoying and walk in showers are particularly annoying if you have small children who you need to make clean somehow or another. From experience if you do this thing don’t install one of those bloody rain shower things that is fixed to the ceiling even if it has a separate shower head attachment, small people striving for independence invariably mess up turning it on and soak themselves as they try and turn it on to warm up while they get undressed or you. Not that I’m bitter......

So, I but do love the bath use it a lot, not just to clean small people but to soak tired self in after big days on the hills or in studio and can’t imagine why anyone would want to live without one. However I would not totally discount the house over it, just possibly the amount I offered.

ClarabellaCTL · 30/01/2019 13:42

If you're thinking about what it will be like for resale, I'd probably install a bath in one of the bathrooms. If there isn't a bath it could put a younger family off buying. I wouldn't buy a house without a bath (unless it was a fixer-upper), my youngest is 4. I also, on rare occasions enjoy a relax in the bath so I'd rather have the option.

Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 30/01/2019 13:49

Yep. They're not vital and are personal preference

Harryo · 30/01/2019 13:58

We currently rent a house that has no bath but has a massive shower instead. I love having a big shower, but I personally would not buy a house without a bath. I miss them too much!

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