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I am a bath person and take one every night in my antique claw-foot tub. (I even took on this morning and will still take another one before going to bed.)
When we bought our vacation house, it didn't have a tub-two good-size showers. One of the requirements for me was a tub. We sacrificed a closet for my tub. I didn't want to rip out either of the showers because they are nice. We figured we didn't need a closet since it was a vacation house.
It's okay, Joe33!
I still love my tub. And many of my friends still do too.
I think the difference is that people who dont use their tub have other issues.. Like they cant walk much. Im 70 and can still run 3 miles. But I need the hot bath afterwords.
I once saw a bumper sticker that said, "There are two kinds of people. People who divide people into two kinds, and people who don't." In several Realtor FB forums there have been lively discussions about whether or not a bathtub is necessary in a master bath. As far as I can tell, slightly more Realtors believe a bath with tub is preferable over one that doesn't have one. But, perhaps it's because more women prefer tubs than men (speculation on my part) and more Realtors are women (fact).
Back to the bumper sticker. In marketing terms what we have here is two separate customer segments. If you remove the tub, I'd suggest putting in a larger shower with multiple shower heads, a bench of some sort, grab bars (aesthetically pleasing) lighting, etc. Left over space could be a larger linen closet, larger water closet, bathroom heater, etc. Townhomes generally need more closet space, so linen closet would be my choice if I put in a really neat shower. An upgraded shower with add'l closet space might overcome the lack of a tub. Especially if the secondary bath has a tub.
We've rented several places that had big soaker tubs. Rarely used.. maybe two times max. More by the grandkids as a sort of pool to play in ROFL. Especially the one that had jets. Talk about having fun with bubbles!
We are building and I opted for a larger Roman shower and forsaking the tub. There is a guest bath that has a tub and that will suffice, for those who visit, if they want a bath or for grandkids that still take baths.
There is another guest bath in the house and only has a shower. The MIL has already chosen her room, if she overnights at our house, to be near the bath with the shower and no tub. As she ages, it makes it more difficult to climb into a tub. So I would have to disagree with Joe33, as you get old, you tend to stay away from tubs. It gets really difficult to get in and out of. Maybe there is a golden age where you want the tub and use it, to when you would like to use the tub but can no longer navigate said use.
This is our last home. We aren't thinking of resale value. That is going to be the kid's problem after we leave this earth.
We were thinking of buying our current rental (landlord passed away and his rental properties are currently going through the probate process with his kids) and as we were thinking about what we would do, removing the tub would be one of the first things I was looking to do in the bathroom remodel.
Since it is taking so long for the probate process (the more money one has and the more kids, the longer it takes. I guess) and we are ready to settle permanently, we looked at houses and decided to build to get what we really want. As I said, this is our last place. Might as well make it the way we want it
I'm sure a soaker tub, or the space that it occupies could be converted to a "step-in" tub. If you don't at least allow space for a tub of some sort and don't have the plumbing then it's a much more expensive thing to remedy.
I once saw a bumper sticker that said, "There are two kinds of people. People who divide people into two kinds, and people who don't." In several Realtor FB forums there have been lively discussions about whether or not a bathtub is necessary in a master bath. As far as I can tell, slightly more Realtors believe a bath with tub is preferable over one that doesn't have one. But, perhaps it's because more women prefer tubs than men (speculation on my part) and more Realtors are women (fact).
Back to the bumper sticker. In marketing terms what we have here is two separate customer segments. If you remove the tub, I'd suggest putting in a larger shower with multiple shower heads, a bench of some sort, grab bars (aesthetically pleasing) lighting, etc. Left over space could be a larger linen closet, larger water closet, bathroom heater, etc. Townhomes generally need more closet space, so linen closet would be my choice if I put in a really neat shower. An upgraded shower with add'l closet space might overcome the lack of a tub. Especially if the secondary bath has a tub.
Typical residential showers, even if large are likely not accessible for the elderly in wheelchairs so it's no guarantee you'll be able to use THAT either when you hit a certain age. Showers of course can be constructed without a track/lip that would block a wheelchair but you have to anticipate it.
My wife and I have been looking to move from our townhome to a SFH and notice that most have a soaker tub. My question is who actually uses these on a regular basis? Everyone I have talked to says that they rarely use it.
Should we consider taking it out? If so what feature would be helpful in place of it?
I LOVE soaker tubs. I use mines a few times a week. A master w/o a tub would be a deal breaker if I were looking to purchase.
Such a timely thread. We had a pipe break in our master bath, which led to replacing the floor and drywall. So while we were at it, out come the soaker tub. It was one of those things that seemed so wonderful when we moved into the house. Reality is I don't think we used it more than 10 times in 15 years. It just collected junk and was hard to clean because of it's size. It's amazing how much more open the bath is without it in there.
Location: Finally the house is done and we are in Port St. Lucie!
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There will always be a segment of the population that use tubs and a segment that don't.
Hopefully all of us bathe or shower!
Like I said, this is my forever home and I am not going to worry about resell value. There is a tub elsewhere in the house so if a family wants it after we are gone, they will still have the option for the kids.
The master bath is beautiful since the shower is tiled. There is a rectangular window higher up in the shower, that window is going to have glass that is not just plain clear glass. That allows natural light into the room without sacrificing privacy. As stated, the shower wall (directly across from the window) does not go all the way up to the ceiling for airflow. His and her sinks with granite counters. The toilet has it's own room. Large walk-in closet. Also a linen closet along with all the storage under the sinks.
Sprang for extra lighting in the main part of the room. Hate when I'm trying to do pluck my eyebrows and have to move to a window to see well.
I like that we've rented several places and have been able to see what we do like, what we don't like and what we won't use. Putting it all together with this place is a breeze.
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