Ideal Bathrooms....Do People Still Value Tubs?

I'm hopefully going to be building a home in the area soon and we are trying to work out the floor plans. You guys always (well at least usually :funn have some good opinions. So what are your thoughts on the use of bathtubs? This will be a second home/rental home. I personally prefer an over-sized double shower over separate tubs and showers. Do people really use tubs anymore and if so, which room(s) is it really needed in, the master or 2nd master or guest bedroom, or all?

TIA.

I'm going to get in my tub as we speak, and I wish it was bigger and had jets. I would live in it. I also would not buy a home without a tub in the master.

If you will be renting to families with children, a tub is a must!

Next time we buy a house my first requirement will be a separate tub and shower. Preferably an over-sized tub, but I do not want a jacuzzi tub (impossible to keep clean). Reason why? Well, I have kids... two year olds don't do showers very well. I went to a hotel once that only had a shower (I didn't know that when I booked it)... that week was a nightmare. I personally prefer showers, but a tub is a must in our house. My dh likes to have a tub for soaking after doing strenuous stuff because he has leg muscle issues.

We don't have children living with us and are currently building a small 2 bedroom. Definately not putting in a tub. Nice large shower with small bench.

Okay, so obviously a tub in the master is a requirement. Would you find a corner tub with glass surrounds with a combined shower okay? Or would a nice corner tub with smaller separate shower be better?

TIA once again!

We don't have children living with us and are currently building a small 2 bedroom. Definately not putting in a tub. Nice large shower with small bench.

That's the way I would do it too if it were just for us. But since we will be renting, we want to make it functional for most while having to compromise space for functionality.

If it's a rental... by that I mean vacation rental, I would do separate.
If it was my home I combined wouldn't be so bad, especially if it freed up more space for storage or something like that. But, I've found that when we have people in town going to the beach, with kids especially, the more bathing options the better. I could put an 8 y/o in the shower while bathing two toddlers in the tub Gets everyone taken care of quicker.

Okay, so obviously a tub in the master is a requirement. Would you find a corner tub with glass surrounds with a combined shower okay? Or would a nice corner tub with smaller separate shower be better?

TIA once again!

If you have the means, I would do separate tub/shower, too. I LOVE it when I find those in a rental, because if I want a bath in what is also used as a shower, I feel like I have to scour the tub before I'll use it.

Now that I've read that last sentence, I'm not sure it makes sense, but it's how I think about it, and it has made the difference in re-renting.

Outside showers for rinsing off sand really help too. We're doing that on ours.

And we're putting in a dual flush toilet since another thread reminded me of that option. I found a Kohler for right around $200. I try to be as "green" as I can but I just can't live with the "if it's yellow..." philosophy.

If you have the means, I would do separate tub/shower, too. I LOVE it when I find those in a rental, because if I want a bath in what is also used as a shower, I feel like I have to scour the tub before I'll use it.

Now that I've read that last sentence, I'm not sure it makes sense, but it's how I think about it, and it has made the difference in re-renting.

I agree, NoHall! I definitely prefer the master tub and shower to be separate. If it is combined it makes it feel like you're bathing in the drip-pan! Where I work, we have made it a requirement in the master bathrooms.

I think a tub/shower combo in the guest room is good for the kids.

A third guest could do just a stand-up shower.

My $.02

Outside showers for rinsing off sand really help too. We're doing that on ours.

And we're putting in a dual flush toilet since another thread reminded me of that option. I found a Kohler for right around $200. I try to be as "green" as I can but I just can't live with the "if it's yellow..." philosophy.

Great suggestion about the dual-flush toilet. I had to look it up, , but that's a great idea.

We're planning at this time to go ICF and from what I'm reading it doesn't make (the most) sense to go ICF unless you go green with the rest of the house.

I agree, NoHall! I definitely prefer the master tub and shower to be separate. If it is combined it makes it feel like you're bathing in the drip-pan! Where I work, we have made it a requirement in the master bathrooms.

I think a tub/shower combo in the guest room is good for the kids.

A third guest could do just a stand-up shower.

My $.02

It looks like everyone is almost in agreement here. Thanks much for the opinion!

I agree -- I like the tub to be seperate. It just feels cleaner. In our beach house we have 2 masters -- one has an oversized bathtub with jets. (I love it when I win the coin toss and get this bedroom! I'm surprised at how often I want to take a long bath when at the beach.) I personally don't like the jets, but I love an oversized bath tub. The other master has a regular tub but it's still seperate. The other 2 bedrooms have stand up showers and no tub.

If you have the means, I would do separate tub/shower, too. I LOVE it when I find those in a rental, because if I want a bath in what is also used as a shower, I feel like I have to scour the tub before I'll use it.

Now that I've read that last sentence, I'm not sure it makes sense, but it's how I think about it, and it has made the difference in re-renting.

I meant earlier to do a double-quote, if that is even possible? Thanks for the opinion. This is where I've been leaning (although I pretty much only use a shower), but the other makes sense for us too... so you gotta weigh it out.

I agree -- I like the tub to be seperate. It just feels cleaner. In our beach house we have 2 masters -- one has an oversized bathtub with jets. (I love it when I win the coin toss and get this bedroom! I'm surprised at how often I want to take a long bath when at the beach.) I personally don't like the jets, but I love an oversized bath tub. The other master has a regular tub but it's still seperate. The other 2 bedrooms have stand up showers and no tub.

Okay, so this question adds on to this....if you have an over-sized tub, is it okay to have an "okay" shower? Or would you make room for an over-sized shower too? I'm not sure I can do both, just asking to get an idea of the importance.

I meant earlier to do a double-quote, if that is even possible? Thanks for the opinion. This is where I've been leaning (although I pretty much only use a shower), but the other makes sense for us too... so you gotta weigh it out.

Brief hijack: To do more than one quote, hit the icon to the right of the "quote" button in the lower right side of the post. It turns orange on my computer when I click it. Go to the next post you want to quote and do the same. Then when you click "post reply" all the quotes you clicked will come up.

Back to the bathtubs...

I will NOT live in a house without a bathtub!

That being said, IMO one of the biggest mistakes is to build what you think will sell instead of what you need/will use.

Bathrooms have really gotten out of control lately w/ the separate toilet rooms, urinals (they can't hit those accurately either), bidets (unless you're a hooker, use one square like Sheryl Crow or don't shower daily this is really unnecessary) multiple sinks, spa tubs w/ color light displays, steam showers, and giant showers with multiple shower heads and room for 6!

For a second home/rental my priorities would be an outdoor shower (really saves the pipes), uber functional and easily cleaned bathrooms that can be used by multiple guest rooms (perhaps jack n jill style so someone can shower/potty while someone does hair or brushes teeth), and at least one kid/oldster friendly bathroom.

Ideally I like a separate tub (no spa/jets) and shower in the master (so you aren't bathing in someone else's grit and grime), maybe a tub/shower combo in another room, and a basic shower for other rooms.

Little kids need a tub. And sometimes adults need a tub (sitz baths, etc.).

At our primary residence we have a tub and shower in every bathroom. We don't have time for long baths, so the Jacuzzi in the master bath has been used about two dozen times since we built the house in 1989, primarily for a swimming pool for our daughter when she was small. Her tub was used a lot when she was a young child and would get high fevers and her peditrician would tell us to give her lukewarm baths to reduce the fever.

At the beach we have a Jacuzzi in one of the master bathrooms and a tub in the kids' bathroom. We have used the Jacuzzi about a half dozen times, and it appears that the renters never use it. Of course, that might be partially due to the fact that we have a pool and a hot tub outside.

If I were to build another beach house, I'd have one tub in the house, in the bathroom planned to be used for grandchildren, and that's it. Big showers everywhere else.

IMHO

Yes you need tubs in a rental. As was probably stated above families with small children almost consider them a must have. It might also save on water since about 2-3 small children can go thru the same bath. As for the master bath it's kind of a selling point (go ahead SHELLY) to have seperate bath and shower.

IMHO

As for the master bath it's kind of a selling point (go ahead SHELLY) to have seperate bath and shower.

....not quite, the selling point for bathrooms is that it has some granite--there MUST ALWAYS be granite!


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If space is a premium, I've been truly loving the Japanese soaking tubs I'm seeing in magazines lately. Some are way over the top, but I saw a poured concrete soaking tub in Dwell that is on my dream list.

They take up less space than an oversized tub, but offer a better long soak. Heaven.

If space is a premium, I've been truly loving the Japanese soaking tubs I'm seeing in magazines lately. Some are way over the top, but I saw a poured concrete soaking tub in Dwell that is on my dream list.

They take up less space than an oversized tub, but offer a better long soak. Heaven.

They are the most incredible things ever for a relaxing soak but I don't doubt that 90% of the population wouldn't have the foggiest idea of what they are and how they are to be used. Same thing with a bidet.

Japanese tubs are great for relaxing. . . .not so great for getting kids clean though!

....not quite, the selling point for bathrooms is that it has some granite--there MUST ALWAYS be granite!


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That was kind of disappointing. You forgot the stainless steel fixtures. ;-)

GB has to have a tub but no longer likes jetted tubs. Ironically the soaker tub we (really she) opted for was way more than a jetted tub.