Whether you have a bath in your home shouldn’t really be as contentious as it is. Surely personal preference is king here? A bathroom design should fulfil the needs and preferences of the homeowner, no matter what that entails. However, many people have very strong views on how important a bath is in a home. Indeed, it’s commonly thought of as a standard and expected feature. So before you decide to pursue a bathroom design without one, what should you weigh up?
Eco Principles
It’s widely accepted that having a shower uses less water than taking a bath. An average bath uses around 80 litres of hot water as opposed to an 8 minute shower only using on average 60 litres. For eco conscious households, it’s common to limit showers to 4 minutes. There’s the water use itself, and the energy consumed to heat the water to think about here. However, this all depends on how large a tub is, how powerful a shower jet is, how deep you like your bath, and how long you like to zone out in the shower for. Lots of variables there! We’d say that this part of the bathtub debate comes down more to the user than the bathroom design.
Home Value
If you’re planning to stay in your home for the long haul, it’s not worth losing sleep over whether having a bath in your home will affect its resale value. The variations in value that might occur from your floorplan including a bath or not simply aren’t significant enough to outweigh your day to day lifestyle. However, if there’s a chance that your house will be on the market in the next couple of years, this is worth considering. Your resale value may need to take into account a bathroom refit if a bath is a deal breaker for your potential buyers. In addition, you may find that certain demographics of buyer simply wouldn’t view your home without a bathtub included in at least one bathroom.
Practicality
This is the most important bit of any bathroom design: the practical ways that you will use the room. The space must work for the needs of your household above all else. So if having a long soak in a bubble bath is the highlight of your week, clearly having a bathtub in your home is a priority.
Family life
For families with young children, bathtubs are often important. They tend to be an integral part of a bedtime routine, and are an easy way to get multiple small children clean after a day on the go. The most practical bath layout for these scenarios is to have the taps in the central section. This means that there are no arguments about who is at the tap end!
Cost of living
At a time when most of us are feeling the pinch with our monthly bills, you may decide to cut out the option for indulgent baths altogether. Especially if you have decadent teenagers in the house! On balance, if you have the space to have both a shower and a bath, keeping bathing options open is always wise. If space is limited, a shower bath is the most flexible use of floor space.
Ease of use
A large, walk-in shower or wet room is easier to use than a bathtub. This is especially relevant for more mature households who find climbing in and out of a bath inconvenient. Again, if floor space allows, we would always recommend keeping a bathtub feature. It tends to complete a bathroom style, even if you rarely use it.
Luxury Environment
Can you have a luxury bathroom without a bath? For some, the answer is no. However, if you really don’t want, or have room for both a shower and a bath, we think – absolutely you can still have a luxury bathroom! It’s true that a freestanding or sunken bath is for many what it takes to give a bathroom design that spa feel. However, if you decide to ditch the tub, maximise the floor space on offer with a large walk in shower, rainfall shower head and under-lit recessed shelves. This will bring a touch of luxury to the room, and your experience of the room.
Once you have weighed up how important a bathtub is for your home, it’s time for the fun bit. Talk to us or visit our showroom for some inspirational ideas to bring luxury to your new bathroom.