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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:
bigbluebus · 30/01/2019 14:06

We've just re done our bathrooms. We've put a walk in shower in one and bath with an electric shower over it in the other. It is a family size house and even though there's mostly only DH & I here now and we only ever shower, we put a bath in as that it what we thought the market would demand if we come to sell up in a few years time.

TheWernethWife · 30/01/2019 14:07

Speaking as a lady who used to have a long bath every night (full of lovely smelly products) we moved into a house with two shower rooms. I was planning on putting a bath into one of them but two years later they are still the same. Got used to my showers, still have lots of lovely gels and stuff.

Babdoc · 30/01/2019 14:08

My DD rejected several flats with no bath before buying her present property. And I disagree with the PP who said older people prefer a shower, meaning you’d be okay selling your house to an ageing population. I’m in my sixties and much prefer a soak in the bath to soothe my old joints - as do many of my contemporaries with arthritis or aching muscles. Most of grew up before showers were widely available, and a bath is our familiar default mode. So you’re excluding young families and a lot of old folk as potential buyers if you ditch the bath.

Duvetday2day · 30/01/2019 14:13

If this is going to be your family home for the next 5 - 10 years, then do what you want / prefer as a family. When you come to sell, the buyer can probably justify replacing the shower if they want (bearing in mind it may be 10 years old).
If you was looking to move in less than 5 years, then no put a bath in. I don't like baths, but wouldn't buy a house without one. DP has a bath daily, then a shower. DP loves bath after hes played sport, to relax the muscles. DC's love having showers, but sometimes want a bath too. We used the bath lots last year when one of the DC broke their arms. I've heard quite a few people also regret ripping their bath out (Dsis being one of them).

mydogisthebest · 30/01/2019 14:18

Babdoc, me and DH are both in our 60's and only ever shower, have done for over 20 years. Sister and brother in law in 60's and only shower. parents in 90's and only shower.

I can only think of 1 person I know who says they still have a bath.

Eliza9917 · 30/01/2019 14:21

I wouldn't live in a house without a bath.

Eliza9917 · 30/01/2019 14:21

I wouldn't live in a house without a bath.

OneStepMoreFun · 30/01/2019 14:39

I wouldn't unless the bathroom needed redoing anyway and there was room to install one.

viccat · 30/01/2019 14:45

Yes, I very, very rarely take baths. If given the choice I would want to have one in a property but if it was otherwise a great house then it wouldn't be an issue.

CamVegOut · 30/01/2019 14:53

All of my family hates baths so we took out the bank when redoing our bathroom and put in a very roomy power shower instead.

Purplecatshopaholic · 30/01/2019 15:09

I would want a bath. I rarely have one because on a day-to-day basis I prefer a shower, but want the option!

JessieMcJessie · 30/01/2019 16:11

Baths for adults are such a load of bollocks. Lying on a hard surface in a confined space, water splashes all over the place when you get out, always too hot to start with then gets cold quickly and what a faff to rinse your hair. And to be honest the image of a grown man reclining in one just makes me laugh. My 2 year old loves them of course but that’s because he’s little and they are a nice big place to play. I’d much rather have a lovely hot shower in a nice big shower cubicle followed by a lie down in bed if I feel the need to relax.

In your situation OP I would not put in a bath if it meant that I had to compromise on my ideal shower. If you have room for both then why not put one in to cater for all the bath-loving buyers on this thread, but don’t compromise on your own comfort/preferences just for a theoretical sale in 8 years time. If you come to sell and find the house hard to shift you can always put in a basic bath then. But it probably won’t make a difference.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 30/01/2019 16:18

No. I lived in a rented flat with just a shower room when I was doing my postgrad, and I used to go to my parents' house specially to have baths. I love baths!

Aworldofmyown · 30/01/2019 16:28

I hate baths so that would suit me!!! Its going to be your home for quite a while!! Do what you want.A buyer can always put it back in and by then it may well need a freshen up.

legolimb · 30/01/2019 16:34

Not sure

I rarely have a bath - but like to know it's there in case I fancy a long soak.

DH can spend hours in the bath. Takes his laptop in there, drinks, snacks. ... So he would say no.

Equimum · 30/01/2019 16:47

I was sure that removing the bath would make it really difficult for my brother to se his house. It didn’t seem to be an issue at all, though!

Yulebealrite · 30/01/2019 17:32

I don't like baths. I'd love to do the same but small children need baths and I'm worried about the resale problem.
Although saying that, it wouldn't be that expensive to put one back in. You could always offer that to potential buyers.

MichelleM30 · 30/01/2019 17:36

If it was a good price and the bathroom needed updated anyway then it wouldn't bother me. If it was done nicely I wouldn't want to rip it off so wld put me off a bit. Unless I loved everything else about the house I'd probably say no I wouldn't buy it.

E20mom · 30/01/2019 17:42

No because I have kids.

lotusbell · 30/01/2019 18:15

I'm now in my 3rd year renting a house with just shower. We manage just fine but son is nearly 12 and stepdaughter 11 so starting to prefer shower anyway. I miss having the option but I'm one of those people who like the idea of a bath (bath, glass of wine candles)but get bored in reality so it's no hardship. Having said that, I live 2 minutes from my dad s me and son nip down there every so often to indulge.

MitziK · 30/01/2019 18:16

One of the first things my ex did when he and his partner bought a house was to rip out the bath.

And one of the first things my ex had to do when they split up was to find money he didn't have to put one back in (and retile/redo the floor and plumbing where he'd removed all trace), as they had plenty of viewings in the first three months, but not a single offer.

If you have two bathrooms, by all means have one shower room, but to sell at the price you want, you'll need a bath in a bathroom.

slipslidingaway4 · 30/01/2019 18:36

We've just bought a house without a bath. There is no room to put one in either . It is becoming a real issue for me. I don't have baths often, but it's nice to have one when you feel like a soak. I wouldn't buy another house without a bath.

yearinyearout · 30/01/2019 18:53

Hope. Nothing better than a hot bath when you're tired/cold/ill IMO

yearinyearout · 30/01/2019 18:54

I meant Nope!

WellBHouse · 30/01/2019 19:02

No bath and a walk-in shower would actually be a plus for me, as I would be also taking out the bath in any house.