Master Bath Renovation Opinions Needed Please

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I want to renovate our master bath, taking out the large whirlpool tub and the existing fiberglass shower. I will turn the vacant spot from the shower into an additional closet, just shelves for shoes , purses , towels etc. Our walk in closet access is in the bathroom too.

Can't decide whether to replace the tub/shower with a tub/ shower combination that would be more enclosed (no glass door only shower curtain) reducing humidity and moisture in the bathroom. OR a walk in shower only with no tub in the master bath.

It is a main floor master and there is a tub in the upstairs bathroom.

Any suggestions, pros and cons,feedback from realtors regarding resale value? I am so bad at making decisions these days!!

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Not a realtor - but i believe if you take out the tub completely and only have a show it is considered a 3/4 bath not a full bath and could affect the home's resale value. I've been trying to figure out what to do with my bath for years. Lots of space but it's odd shaped and I want a bigger soaking tub and a larger shower.

I'd be interested in what a realtor would say about the tub/shower combo versus separate units - I wonder if that affects the overall homes value?

 

[mnrose]

Take out the tub and put in a luxurious oversized shower instead. This is the way of the future, especially in the master bath. The lack of tub will be almost meaningless. Most people want the oversized walk in shower. If you are in an area where older people are likely buyers, get a shower that is nearly level or even potentially roll in.

In our area, the lack of tub would have ZERO effect on resale value IF the shower is nice...e.g., tiled and not prefabricated with a nice glass enclosure. This is what is being put into nearly all new construction. Think double shower heads, a rain shower head coming straight down, etc.

Here is an example of what I have in mind:

https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...21879001415/IMG_8156_HighRes.jpg?format=1500w

Someone sees a shower like that, they aren't even going to notice the lack of a tub.

 

[ronandannette]

I work in residential construction and a LOT of the mid/up-scale models we sell ($5-7 hundred K) are customized with an ensuite bathroom that has a large, "tricked-out" shower with multi-heads, steam functions and benches instead of a tub. It wouldn't be my preference because I'm a tub person, but it is a very sought-after feature and certainly not a deterrent to re-sale as long as the home has other full bathrooms.

 

[Christine]

Where I live, new construction seems to have the luxury shower and also a tub. I know some people who are renovating are getting rid of the garden/soaking tub. Since I am a "bath" person occasionally, it would probably be a detriment to me but I don't know what the overall trend is. I do think the fabulous showers are a trend and won't go out soon. The lack of tub, though, might hurt you as trends change.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

DH and I never use MB tub, so our winter project is to remove tub and replace with a walk-in shower. There's a tub in bath #2.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

This is beautiful. I can't seem to keep glass clean.... trying to use as little as possible

"QUOTE="mnrose, post: 58459444, member: 242577"]Take out the tub and put in a luxurious oversized shower instead. This is the way of the future, especially in the master bath. The lack of tub will be almost meaningless. Most people want the oversized walk in shower. If you are in an area where older people are likely buyers, get a shower that is nearly level or even potentially roll in.

In our area, the lack of tub would have ZERO effect on resale value IF the shower is nice...e.g., tiled and not prefabricated with a nice glass enclosure. This is what is being put into nearly all new construction. Think double shower heads, a rain shower head coming straight down, etc.

Here is an example of what I have in mind:

https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...21879001415/IMG_8156_HighRes.jpg?format=1500w

Someone sees a shower like that, they aren't even going to notice the lack of a tub. [/QUOTE]

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

Thanks everyone. We are leaning towards the tiled walk in shower, thinking if we stay in this house long term, it will be easier on old joints that stepping in and out of a tub. If we sell, it will probably be in about 5 years so hopefully the shower trend will still be popular. Keep the suggestions and comments coming, all are very appreciated.

 

[tvguy]

Not a realtor - but i believe if you take out the tub completely and only have a show it is considered a 3/4 bath not a full bath and could affect the home's resale value. I've been trying to figure out what to do with my bath for years. Lots of space but it's odd shaped and I want a bigger soaking tub and a larger shower.

I'd be interested in what a realtor would say about the tub/shower combo versus separate units - I wonder if that affects the overall homes value?

No, if it has a shower or tub or combo, toilet and sink, it is a full bath. We added a half bath. It just has a toilet and a sink.

 

[ronandannette]

No, if it has a shower or tub or combo, toilet and sink, it is a full bath. We added a half bath. It just has a toilet and a sink.

Yep. This is also known as a "powder room".

 

[QueenIsabella]

No, if it has a shower or tub or combo, toilet and sink, it is a full bath. We added a half bath. It just has a toilet and a sink.

Not true. A bathroom with just a shower is considered a 3/4 bath. This has been the case at least since 1987, when we bought our first house, which had one.

I wouldn't want a house with no tub, anywhere, but a snazzy master shower would totally work for me. We'll keep the tub in our MBA when we (eventually) renovate, but mostly because there's a ton of room for one. We're looking at renovating our downstairs bathrooms sooner, and plan to turn the downstairs "second master" bathroom into one with just a large walk-in shower, maybe with a bench. Our DS20 (current resident) doesn't care, one way or the other, but we're looking at our possible needs for the future.

 

[diznygirl]

We are in the middle of a bathroom remodel. We never had a tub, we are just updating and making the shower bigger. I’d recommend doing what you want and not consider resale. There are plenty of buyers out there who wouldn’t want a tub.

My biggest advice is to protect everything from the dust! Our master closet is through the bathroom and they didn’t seal the door. They covered most of the bedroom, but not everything. And the carpet couldn’t be completely covered. We are living in the guest room with a handful of clothes. If I had to do it all over again I would have emptied the bedroom of all my clothes and jewelry.

 

[disykat]

We plan to do the same thing at some point. For us, I honestly think it will be a selling point. We have a ranch and it will make it just that much more accessible. Like you, we have a tub in the other bathroom. We plan to upgrade that at the same time to a slightly nicer tub/shower combo.

 

[cinnaminny]

We remodeled a bathroom last year. We didn't end up doing exactly what I wanted to do, we kept the original tub and replaced everything else and tiled the walls/shower etc. But even though I had to alter my plans, I still love how it turned out.

I think either one of your choices would be great. I personally would go with the shower option, I love the idea of a great big walk in shower, especially if you have a tub in a different part of the house. For resale, depending on the neighborhood some people just need/like a tub. (Im not a tub person, but it is helpful when you have kids or selling to families with kids)

 

[tvguy]

Not true. A bathroom with just a shower is considered a 3/4 bath. This has been the case at least since 1987, when we bought our first house, which had one.

I wouldn't want a house with no tub, anywhere, but a snazzy master shower would totally work for me. We'll keep the tub in our MBA when we (eventually) renovate, but mostly because there's a ton of room for one. We're looking at renovating our downstairs bathrooms sooner, and plan to turn the downstairs "second master" bathroom into one with just a large walk-in shower, maybe with a bench. Our DS20 (current resident) doesn't care, one way or the other, but we're looking at our possible needs for the future.

Learn something everyday. That is not the case here. This is the listing for my parents house that I sold in 2013. The master bath is a sink, a toilet, and a shower, the guest bathroom has 2 sinks, a toilet and a tub/shower combo. Both are considered full baths. Same with my house, the master bath has a shower only, although it is big enough that a tub could have been installed there. It is considered a full bath.

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sa...PageImplicitClaimGA=false&fromHomePageTab=buy

 

[wgeo]

We're starting to think about bathroom reno's - we have 2 in the house. The mb has a tub seperate from the shower, I'd love to get rid of the tub and add in more storage but will probably end up leaving it. In the kid's bathroom they have a tub/shower combo in a tight space. Thinking of getting rid of the tub and just doing a nice walk in shower for them to open up the feel of the room.

 

[tvguy]

Not true. A bathroom with just a shower is considered a 3/4 bath. This has been the case at least since 1987, when we bought our first house, which had one.

I wouldn't want a house with no tub, anywhere, but a snazzy master shower would totally work for me. We'll keep the tub in our MBA when we (eventually) renovate, but mostly because there's a ton of room for one. We're looking at renovating our downstairs bathrooms sooner, and plan to turn the downstairs "second master" bathroom into one with just a large walk-in shower, maybe with a bench. Our DS20 (current resident) doesn't care, one way or the other, but we're looking at our possible needs for the future.

Interesting. Especially, as Realtor.com notes, that bathtubs are less common now in master baths in new construction.


This is what Zillow.com says:
"Simply stated, a bathroom can consist of a sink, toilet, shower and bathtub. Each of these is considered 1/4. Generally a half bath, also known as a powder room, consists of a sink and a toilet.
Usually a 3/4 bath has a sink, toilet and shower. And a full bath or 4/4 bath has a sink, toilet, shower and tub. A bathroom that has a shower over the tub is considered a full bath as long as there is also a sink and a toilet."

Realtor.com has a different opinion:
"What is a full bath? We all know bathrooms come in a number of sizes—full, half, and even three-quarter—but what do those other fractions correspond to? This is a common question among home sellers, especially when they're listing their home and deciding how to price it. So whether you're planning a remodel or just curious about how many bathrooms your home actually has, here's a primer on bathroom sizes.

What is a full bath?
A full bathroom is made up of four parts: a sink, a shower, a bathtub, and a toilet. Anything less than that, and you can’t officially consider it a full bath.

The math is simple: Each utility is counted as one-quarter, so you add and deduct a quarter for each one, as the case may be. Therefore, a bathroom with a sink, toilet, and shower is considered a three-quarter bath. A bathroom with just a sink and a toilet is a half-bath. A quarter-bath is quite rare for the simple (and hygienic) reason that if you have a toilet, you need a sink in which to wash your hands—and a room with only a sink is just plain odd.

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Upgrading a shower, regardless of size or style, doesn’t change the count. Think that rain shower head is going to up the value of the bathroom? Maybe. But it won't up the count—the only way to do that is by adding another utility.

How much does a tub matter?
Many master baths today have only showers, and are therefore listed as three-quarter baths. Will that hurt your home’s selling price?

Probably not, especially if there’s a tub elsewhere in the house, says Ginny Ollis, a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in San Diego. “Many homebuilders put only a shower in the master now," she says.

But some experts say a lack of a tub can be a deal breaker. “There must be a tub in the house,”says Kathryn Bishop, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Studio City, CA. “I've seen buyers walk away because only showers are available. Where do you wash the kids?”

The bathroom count counts
Bishop says, overall, a home’s bathroom count is important to buyers.

“Bathroom count and bathroom size—full, three-quarters, or half—are extremely important to all my buyers. More family quarrels occur when the bathroom accommodations don't fit the family's needs, and my buyers are very aware of that," she says.

So get real: If you've ever shared a bathroom with someone else (especially those of you who have teenagers!), you know that the number of bathrooms in a household matters nearly as much as the number of bedrooms."

 

[NHdisneylover]

It sounds like you've already made up your mind---but I'll chime in with support for your plan:

We have no tub at all in our small condo: just a shower in the smaller bathroom for DS18 and in the master we have a large, double shower. Both are flush with the main bathroom floor, nicely tield, etc and the master coudl be rolled into if that is ever a need.

We all LOVE the showers and it is so much easier to clean than a bathtub--which is a nice bonus.

 

[Dancind]

Well, I think a house needs to have a tub somewhere. People still bathe their little kids. We never use a tub and I don't like showering in a tub, but we kept the one in the hall bath when we remodeled.

I love the look of the fancy master baths with big shower and soaker tub, but who has room for that?

 

[tvguy]

Well, I think a house needs to have a tub somewhere. People still bathe their little kids. We never use a tub and I don't like showering in a tub, but we kept the one in the hall bath when we remodeled.

I love the look of the fancy master baths with big shower and soaker tub, but who has room for that?

We did the guest bathroom with a soaker tub/shower combo. It had a tub/shower combo before.
Our house was built with a 5 foot long (big enough for a tub) shower, and when we remodeled, other than move the shower head from one sided to the other, we left it that way. Well, be did take out the tile and put in floor to ceiling Corian in the shower, so we'll never have to worry about cracked grout and water getting behind the wall again since it is now seamless.