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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Would this make a difference when we come to sell our house?

25 replies

mamhaf · 11/03/2009 13:49

We're planning to refit our family bathroom, and I'd like your thoughts on the pros/cons of replacing the bath with a walk-in shower.

We have another bathroom, a largish ensuite off the master bedroom, which does have a bath (with a shower over it).

Currently, the family bathroom has a bath with an electric shower over it.

Our dds, who in effect share the family bathroom, only tend to have showers, so a walk-in shower would be best for our family - but would it be less likely to attract future buyers if the family bathroom only has a shower instead of a bath/shower combo?

TIA

OP posts:

RubyRioja · 11/03/2009 13:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mistlethrush · 11/03/2009 13:51

Yes - imagine a family with younger children - they'd have to go into the ensuite to do bathtime - and you wouldn't necessarily want your MiL trailing in there if she was helping out...

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 11/03/2009 13:51

Yes, I think it would.

Families with young children prefer a family bathroom to have a bath ime.

sharkyandgeorge · 11/03/2009 13:52

It would definitely put me off if there wasn't a bath in the main bathroom.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 11/03/2009 13:53

yes

PrettyCandles · 11/03/2009 13:54

It might, but OTOH how long do you intend to live here? Unless you plan to sell in the next few years, you might as well make your home comfortable to live in.

Besides, it also depends on how you arrange the bathroom. Personally, if it would be easy to reinstate a bath, then I (as a buyer) wouldn't be bothered. I mean if the suite was easy to match - ie plain, simple, white - and the bathtub 'footprint' was kept free so that nothing else in the room had to be repositioned.

Original poster

mamhaf · 11/03/2009 13:56

Thanks, that's pretty unanimous then and is exactly what dh said - pointing out that families with younger children would prefer a bath in the main bathroom.

It does mean you can keep the bath toys etc in the family bathroom and keep the ensuite more adult-friendlu.

OP posts:

Original poster

mamhaf · 11/03/2009 13:58

We do intend to live there for around another 5 years minimum.

OP posts:

PestoMonster · 11/03/2009 13:59

Mamhaf, we have got a walk-in shower in the en-suite and a bath in the family bathroom. This works very well for us on a daily basis.

But, when we have visitors we find that the adults always want to use the ensuite shower rather than the bath facilities in the other bathroom!

lowrib · 11/03/2009 14:25

Some people are just bath people!

When I was looking for my flat, I allowed myself to be persuaded to look at flats outside of my area, outside of my budget, and that looked unsuitable on paper for all sorts of reasons. But no bath?! Are you mad?! There was nothing the agents could say to get me to even consider having a look at a place with no bath!!

MadameCastafiore · 11/03/2009 14:28

No I would say as long as you have one bath in the house having a super duper walk in shower (one with lots of jets and maybe a big one for more than one) would be fab.

It is what we are going to do if DH ever gets a bonus again as we have a bath in the ensuite and a shower over the bath in the family bathroom which I hate and would rather have a big lovely shower for everyday use.

noddyholder · 11/03/2009 14:31

My experience is like pesto.Adult visitors generally love a shower and when you have little children it is no problem to bath them in your bedroom.Teenagers otoh like showers and so it does depend who you are selling to.I have bought and sold with both and noticed no difference in how quick we sold etc.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 11/03/2009 14:49

I'm assuming there's not room for a bath and a shower cubicle? That's what we have - covers all eventualities

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 11/03/2009 14:51

As lomng as there's a bath elsewhere in the house it wouldn't put me off. Infact I'd prefer it.

DownyEmerald · 11/03/2009 14:52

teenages like showers? I didn't. Did have showers of course, quite often after my very long bath. I used to think it took 4 hours minimum to get ready for a night out!

Original poster

mamhaf · 11/03/2009 15:47

Thanks.

No, there's not room for a separate bath and shower cubicle...it would either have to be a shower cubicle or the same arrangement as we have now with a shower over a bath.

My dds, who are teenagers, are bath rather than shower people, but of course when they were little we would bath them.

It's not as though there would be no bath in the house, it's just that it would be in the ensuite.

OP posts:

Original poster

mamhaf · 11/03/2009 15:59

Doh - that should read my teenagers are shower rather than bath people.

OP posts:

themoon66 · 11/03/2009 16:03

mamhaf - I'm going through the same thought process at the moment. I've a man coming next week to price up new bathroom with big walk in shower. I'm gonna have to move the bog and sink around though, as big new shower has a bigger 'footprint' than old bath.

noddyholder · 11/03/2009 16:55

If the rest of the house is to die for people always compromise so I would suit your self.they can always switch it which isn't a huge job

Sorrento · 12/03/2009 09:51

It's only £200 to put a bath in and you'd have to point that out to viewers when they came to look.
Plus with the current market I'd be doing the house to your taste and not worrying for the foreseeable future about selling.

likessleep · 12/03/2009 11:35

a walk in shower would put me off.
it may be £200 to buy the bath itself, but it is the hassle of organising for someone to fit the bath and if the floor would need re-doing / tiling?
it wouldn't put me off not to buy the property, but i'd see it as a hassle and additional expense. i'd still buy it if i loved the house though

purpleduck · 12/03/2009 11:48

leave the bath in the family bathroom, and a super duper shower in your ensuite

RubyrubyrubyHareb · 12/03/2009 11:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

navyeyelasH · 12/03/2009 19:47

Slightly off topic but what are those showers called that have sort of horizontal jets as well as one over head?

I think bath in family bathroom too! I know you can't have a separate traditional shower, but could you have a 3/4 bath (cos if in family bathroom 9 times out of 10 it will be children in the bath) and a wet room style shower/a separate shower?

Original poster

mamhaf · 12/03/2009 20:33

I think we'll need to measure up the room to see what will fit in - I like the idea of a 3/4 size bath and separate shower, but I'm not sure the room's big enough.

Purpleduck - we're not planning the refit the ensuite - that's relatively new (and fabulous!) because we had an extension built and added it then - it takes up most of what was a single bedroom so has plenty of space and has a power shower over the bath. In fact dd2 insists on using it instead of the over-bath shower in the family bathroom.

She's in favour of a walk-in shower in the family bathroom (which would keep her out of ours), but dd1 likes having a bath, so the jury is very much out within the household too.

We're planning to go browsing bathrooms this weekend.

OP posts:

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