Does a House Really Need a Bathtub?
Think about keeping your tub, even if you don’t soak too often
Highlights
Bathtubs add resale value, comfort, and convenience to homes.
Not all homes and families need bathtubs—the size of the home and age of the family members matter.
Consider keeping your bathtub if you’re planning to sell your home.
Soaking in a tub surrounded by candles might sound like the perfect way to relax, but how often do you actually do it? If you barely use your tub, you might wonder if it’s worth keeping when researching bathroom remodel ideas. Many homeowners are considering whether or not to remove the tub and install a luxury shower instead. But is that the right decision, especially when it comes to resale potential? Does a house need a bathtub to attract buyers?
Whether you opt to have a bathtub in your home is a personal and practical decision, and the choice you make can impact the long-term value of your home. Here are some key considerations to help you make an informed choice about whether or not to keep your tub. Speaking to a local bathroom remodeler can also help you better understand the market and what will work best for your space.
Benefits of a Bathtub
Relaxing after a long day is only one benefit bathtubs offer. In fact, having a tub in your home comes with additional perks for you, your family, and your bank account.
Resale Value
Having at least one bathtub in your house may help with resale; however, this also depends on the size of your home and your target market.
In a one-bedroom apartment with limited space, a lack of a bathtub is unlikely to put off prospective buyers. However, having at least one bathtub can be an advantage if you have a multi-bathroom home or you want to appeal to first-time homebuyers who are planning a family. At the end of the day, a bathtub will help you appeal to the widest possible market.
Comfort and Luxury
You also might want to consider a bathtub for aesthetic reasons. Bathtubs can be a beautiful addition to your bathroom. Large, free-standing tubs in primary bathrooms create a feeling of opulence and can be a point of focus in a large space. Plus, soaking in a large tub can be the perfect way to relax and unwind. If your current tub is old, outdated, or doesn’t fit your bathroom’s aesthetic, you are likely to get a good return on investment for your bathtub replacement cost.
Health Benefits
As well as being a great way to relieve stress, soaking in a tub can offer other health benefits like soothing sore muscles and joints, improving breathing, lowering your blood pressure, and burning off some calories. Salt baths can also help with skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, and an hour-long bath with lavender oil could even help you get a better night’s sleep.
A Must for Children
For practical reasons, it’s best to have at least one bathtub in the house if you have a baby or young kids, you’re planning on having a family, or you want to sell to someone who does. Bathtubs can save on bedtime drama and are a no-fuss solution for cleaning up.
If your home doesn’t currently have a bathtub or your existing tub needs to be replaced, call a bathtub installer near you to discuss options that can make your home more attractive to buyers.
Disadvantages to Having a Bathtub in Your Home
For all their benefits, there are some reasons you may choose to not have a bathtub in your home. If any of the following are concerns for you, or they are especially relevant to your neighborhood or likely buyers, you might decide to trade out your tub for a luxury shower.
Accessibility
Bathtubs aren’t the best choice for those with limited mobility—stepping in and out of a tub can be a risky proposition. In these instances, a walk-in shower is a more logical choice if you only have one bathroom with limited space. The decision to convert a tub to a walk-in shower is a smart one if you or someone in your home faces accessibility challenges, you’re planning to age in place, or potential buyers are likely to be older or not have young children. However, bathing young kids or pets is easier in a tub, so don’t rush to get rid of the bathtub if you only have one in a family home.
Space
The average bathroom can be pretty tight for space, and the standard bathtub size might be too large for smaller bathrooms. You might decide to ditch the tub to install a walk-in shower, a larger vanity cabinet, or even to have counter space for brushing your teeth at the sink. Often, removing the tub and opting for a shower makes the bathroom feel bigger.
Cost
If you’re renovating your bathroom, replacing the tub with a new one can be cheaper than installing a new walk-in shower. However, costs can vary greatly depending on the design and fixtures you opt for. Replacing a bathtub can cost anywhere from $1,800 to $8,600, whereas shower replacement costs can range from around $200 to $15,000.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Glass shower enclosures can be tricky to clean, but leaning over the bath to clean it can be a real pain if you have a bad back. Also, old seals around the tub can quickly gather mold and mildew, and bath surfaces can get scratched—making them more of a challenge to clean effectively.
Environmental and Energy Efficiency Considerations
Unless you’re one for long showers, they’re more energy-efficient and use less water than baths. If you’re looking for utility bill savings and use your bathtub a lot, replacing it with a shower and a modern, low-flow showerhead could help. This is especially true if you currently have a deep tub or one with whirlpool jets.
Does a House Need a Bathtub for Resale Potential?
What does all this mean if you’re planning to sell your home or considering it as a future option? Below, we help you consider whether a house really needs a bathtub to attract buyers.
Forever Home vs. Reselling
If you plan to live in your home forever, future resale value may not matter to you as much as your current preferences. If you don’t use or want a bathtub and don’t plan on selling your home, you may decide to remove rather than replace an old tub to keep your bathroom remodel costs down. However, if you are likely to sell your home soon or in the future, keeping or installing a bathtub can be a smart idea to boost the overall desirability and price of your home.
Type of Home
The type of home matters, too. Buyers won’t necessarily expect smaller homes, apartments, homes with tiny bathrooms, single-bathroom homes, or homes in senior communities to have bathtubs. But if your home is larger, has more than one bathroom, is in a family-friendly community, or has bathrooms large enough for bathtubs, you could be making an expensive mistake by removing your tub or not adding one if you have the chance.
Space to Add a Bathtub
Space is the overall indicator of whether a bathtub is a smart addition to your home. Most buyers expect larger homes with multiple or larger bathrooms to have at least one bathtub. Not seeing one can make buyers question whether the home fits their needs or whether they’ll incur future costs to add a bathtub if they want one.
Create a Mood
Having the right type of bathtub can help buyers see themselves in your home. For example, luxury soaking tubs and freestanding bathtubs create a spa-like atmosphere. If you’re planning to sell your home and can install a desirable bathtub in the primary bathroom, it can encourage buyers to envision themselves relaxing after a long day and make your home seem like a better choice than a home without a bathtub.
Gemma Johnstone contributed to this piece.