How common are no bath (just showers) in Chicago apartments? (home equity, homes)

[rialtoma]

Just checking if it's more typical for newer/older or larger/smaller places.
Just shower no bath is a deal-breaker in my opinion and looking around seeing mixed.

[ChiGuy2.5]

I can't speak to how common but it's a deal breaker for me. Any family with little kids will basically rule it out.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by rialtoma

Just checking if it's more typical for newer/older or larger/smaller places.
Just shower no bath is a deal-breaker in my opinion and looking around seeing mixed.

The trend is definitely toward no bathtub and only a shower in multi-family developments and in spaces where you would otherwise see a tub-shower.

I do not see why a family would not just opt to purchase a plastic tub to sit in the walk-in shower, but I also do not have kids, so...

[MarianRavenwood]

For new-built studios and 1BRs, sure a walk-in shower is more popular. For larger homes (new construction or remodel) with multiple bathrooms, sure a walk-in shower is popular in the 'primary suite' but it's desirable to have at least one bathtub somewhere in the house.

But this would be the same in any city. There's nothing unique about tubs and showers in Chicago.

[kyle19125]

In general within existing builds removing all bathtubs in a single-family home is seen as a negative for resale and home equity. There is a sizable minority of buyers who prefer having a tub who also don't have kids.

[ChiGuy2.5]

Originally Posted by Hiruko

The trend is definitely toward no bathtub and only a shower in multi-family developments and in spaces where you would otherwise see a tub-shower.

I do not see why a family would not just opt to purchase a plastic tub to sit in the walk-in shower, but I also do not have kids, so...

You can't run a plastic tub with a toddler. It works for babies which is what we do anyway because a tub is too big and has no "seat". But good luck getting a toddler to sit in a plastic tub, not to mention it would have to be a huge plastic tub.

Besides, my toddler loves to play in the bath and eliminating that ability with a small plastic tub is just not ideal.

[citylove101]

I don’t think Chicago is much different than New York in that older construction will generally have at least one bathroom with a tub, though some old unrenovated apartments here will sometimes have just a bathtub and no shower.

Newer construction and renovations will often have just a shower, especially in smaller apartments. Maybe these places will have a “junior” sized tub, but it’s more often the larger more expensive new builds that have regular size tubs and showers.

I think having a good tub is as important to women as it is to families with kids. Women seem to enjoy bath time much more than guys. I have known women relocating here who passed on places with no tub. Never heard of a guy doing that.

[Bitey]

I've never been in a Chicago apartment that didn't have a full bathtub. I'm sure there are some, particularly among the "modern luxury" units built in the last 20 or so years, but your average prewar-vintage unit is bound to have a full tub in the bathroom.

[EllieKay56]

One of our apartments only had a shower. This was in 1977. Older two flat. We had a baby. We used the little tub along the sink. When he was around 9 months we switched to cleaning him in the shower. One of us would hold him and wash him and hand him off. Once he could stand on his own we stopped going in with him.