Bathtub in master bath

[tbssenterprises]

I live in a four bathroom house. We are redoing our master bath. The tub is separate from the shower. It is built into a tiled box (very late 2000s). We are thinking of removing the tub and replacing it with a "stand alone" tub. However, it's a major plumbing expense (not to mention expense for the tub, tub filler, etc.). We have 4 bathrooms in the house. Two guest bedrooms have a standard shower/tub combo, and the bonus room bathroom has a walk in shower. So, if we remove the tub in our master bathroom, would that affect the value of the house when it comes to resale? Thanks for your advice....

 

[havaneselover]

If you have a nice tile shower you will be fine. I just redid my master bath and removed the giant corner tub and put in a big shower. Where the tub was I’m putting a desk and using it as a makeup vanity.

 

[DisTXMom]

I know a number of people that have redone master baths and removed the tub, having large showers instead. I don’t believe it negatively affects the selling price- a lot of people don’t like tubs. When we redid ours, I did a tub because I love baths, however the freestanding floor mount faucet was around $1300, plus tub $2000, etc, so I agree that the tub can be an expensive part of a remodel.

 

[HopperFan]

When we did our condo in FL - 2 full baths - I wanted to have two showers but was told to keep the upstairs tub because the key is a tub for children. It could impact our sale since it's a vacation rental community. I don't get it since there are inflatable kid tubs you can put in a shower but whatever.

It matched up with what we were always told, a tub is needed for kids. My neighbor just renovated all their bathrooms - magazine beautiful and she wanted to rip out the tub in the upstairs main bath. They told her she has to have one tub for resale so she still ripped it out, but replaced the master jacuzzi tub with a soaker tub. But she wanted that for her anyway.

Since you have two tubs available in other bathrooms I wouldn't hesitate to take out your big tub and make your master bathroom what you want. We are getting ready to rip out our shower and make it much bigger. It is not next to our jacuzzi tub - but if it were it would be gone. Only time it's been used in 15 years is to clean it.

 

[QueenIsabella]

So long as you have A tub in your house, I think you'll be okay. A lot of people use tubs for children, dogs, maybe hanging laundry, etc., so I really think a house needs one.

I happen to have a tub in my master bath, but when we redid the bath recently, we just kept the existing tub. The bathroom is quite big, so not having the tub would have looked funny. If you have a nice, well-done master with a bigger shower, say, and no tub, that should be fine.

When we remodeled, we put in a large, separate shower. I must say, DH loves the "rainfall" shower head! Me, not so much--I have very thick hair, and the rainfall doesn't have the water pressure to rinse it properly. So, I use the handheld portion (but keep it stationary). We also put a seat in the shower--something to consider, if you have the room. OT, I know, but we really like our master bath!

 

[dez1978]

We have a tub in the main bath but not in the master. I prefer a ginourmous tile shower

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

I am considering removing a very dated garden tub (with no jets) in my master in favor of more storage and leaving a large shower.

 

[lockets]

My decision would depend on when I was reselling it. If you’ll live in it for years do what you want. If you’re selling it in the next couple of years I might keep the tub in the master just to be spry even if there are other tubs in the house. Maybe sprucing it up somehow but not replacing it altogether. Sometimes couples get ready together and one uses tub and other uses shower, and they aren’t going to other bathrooms in the house that are occupied by others.

 

[cvjw]

I live in a 200+ house subdivision in metro Atlanta that was built in the late 80’s - early 90’s. All of the master baths had the separate shower with the tub in a tiled box. Multiple houses have gone to the stand alone tub from the boxed tub. All have sold for the same prices as houses with the tub in a box.

We redid our bathrooms a few years back. I just got a new jacuzzi tub and updated the box with new tile. Wish I would’ve gone to the stand alone tub. Never even thought about that!

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

We have two full bathrooms, one in the basement with a walk-in shower and one on the main level with a standard tub/shower combo. We do not have a master bathroom. We re-did our main level bathroom last fall and the contractor told us many of his clients are ripping out the tub completely in favor of a large walk-in shower - even if it meant no tub in their home. We kept the tub/shower combo in our remodel as I was thinking of resale and how important a tub was when my children were young. I don't think they started taking showers until they were between 5 and 7 years old.

Your house will still have tub(s) in your home and I don't think removing a tub from the master will negatively affect resale at all. In fact, if I was a buyer, I would prefer that for the master.

 

[barkley]

My decision would depend on when I was reselling it. If you’ll live in it for years do what you want.

i agree with this. personally if comparing identical homes and one had a separate shower and bath vs. only shower/bath combos for my bathing i would pass on the shower/bath combo only home. i enjoy taking nice long baths and (a) i don't want to take one in a glass enclosed box (including the new style of having a standalone tub inside a massive shower), (b) don't want a shower curtain by my head or feet, and (c) perhaps most importantly to me-i get grossed out at the idea of taking a tub on what i perceive to be the floor of a shower.


p.s. i get the sticker shock-we are doing a much less complex bathroom remodel and the prices of everything/everyone entailed are shocking (i can't fathom what people are spending on much larger scale jobs).

 

[tvguy]

I agree, as long as there is one tub in the house, you should be fine as far as resale. I have no proof, but I suspect tubs are less popular than they once were.
Our house was built in 1979 and we bought it in 1983 and the master bath has a tub sized shower but no tub. The previous owner may have specified that when it was built as he had mobility issues. The guest bath had a shower/tub combo. We remodeled in 2013 and redid everything in the bathrooms but left the configurations that same. I bet the tub has been used as a tub less than a dozen times in 9 years.
But resale was not a consideration in anything we did in the remodel. We redid things the way we wanted them because we don't anticipate ever selling, that will be our kids issue, hopefully decades from now. Actually, I think our daughter at this point just figures she will buy out her brother and keep the house as her own and rent out hers. Just depends where she is in her life.

 

[QueenIsabella]

I live in a 200+ house subdivision in metro Atlanta that was built in the late 80’s - early 90’s. All of the master baths had the separate shower with the tub in a tiled box. Multiple houses have gone to the stand alone tub from the boxed tub. All have sold for the same prices as houses with the tub in a box.

We redid our bathrooms a few years back. I just got a new jacuzzi tub and updated the box with new tile. Wish I would’ve gone to the stand alone tub. Never even thought about that!

My only objection to a stand-alone tub is cleaning up around it. Maybe it's not as bad as I imagine it will be. Our master tub was boxed--like you, when we remodeled, we just put on fresh tile. The existing jetted tub was in fine shape, no replacement needed. Also, we had to do the remodel last-minute--the original shower was leaking into the wall, so we found ourselves redoing the family room beneath in addition to the bathroom. So, re-using the tub saved money. Probably a drop in the bucket, ha ha, compared to what we had to spend, but still.

I should add--we have cats. Whenever I think about cleaning, I have to think about, "How will the cats make my life miserable?" While the bathroom was being re-done, one figured out how to get into the attic from the tub surround. You may not have this specific issue.

 

[tasha99]

I don't know if it will affect resale value, but for me, a tub in the master bath is mandatory--preferably with water jets and separate from the shower. We have both a big shower and a jetted tub in our master bathroom and they get used every day in the winter. I think a jetted tub is popular with older people, but I might be wrong. I use it for my back and to warm up in the winter; I'm just guessing more older people have back issues and would enjoy the heat. Unless you plan on moving in the next few years, though, I would do the house for you rather than for resale value. Build what you like and enjoy it.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We removed the very large, sunk in jacuzzi tub when we remodeled our master bathroom and put in a double glass slipper free standing tub. I'm very glad we did. In my neighborhood many homes have replaced tubs to the free standing ones and definitely in the new construction that's all you see. For resale value, you at least need one tub, I'd say probably two because families looking to buy a home have more than one child and they need tubs. The plumbing should all be in place, unless you plan to move it. Try some home center outlets if you have any near you. I didn't go that route, though there are many near me and I looked around. They have discontinued styles and a lot to choose from for a lot less money.

 

[tbssenterprises]

Thanks all for your responses. Still not sure what to do. Oye vey................

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

It will not affect resale value.
Put in what you want to use.

 

[cccory]

I agree with most of the responses. I don't think a tub in the master will effect the value. As long as there is a tub in the house you will be fine.

 

[msmayor]

We remodeled our master bath five years ago, removing a big soaking tub (that was nothing more than a dust bin) and phone-booth sized shower...using the footprint of where the tub was and a little additional space from the shower we created a 4'x6' large tiled shower with a bench. It is the most amazing space, and I've decided I'll never be without a giant shower.

Tubs are great for kids, but especially as I've gotten older the last thing I want to do is step over a tub wall, then at some point try to stand and get out of it.


Yes...there is a large window IN the shower. It's a vinyl privacy block window and impossible to see in or out because of the texture of the blocks. It only lets the light in.

 

[cookiecar]

I appreciate all the thoughts and comments from this thread - we are starting the process to get quotes to convert two existing bedrooms in our home to create a master suite. Got a bit of sticker shock when they gave a price range of $80-120k for design and build. Got a second estimate today in the same range. Cutting a bathtub was one idea I had to save a few dollars. We really don't use baths any more, plus our home already has two other tubs in the existing bathrooms. You all are making me think that might be a good option.