Quick takeaway
If your home has only one bathroom and you’re likely to sell to a family, keep a bath. UK estate agents regularly advise keeping at least one bath in a property, because buyers with young children expect it and a home without one can take longer to sell. If you already have a bath elsewhere, such as an en-suite or second bathroom, a family bathroom built around a generous walk in shower is a sensible choice. Where space is tight, a well designed shower bath gives you both without compromising on either.
Table of contents
Does a family bathroom need a bathtub?
Will not having a bathtub devalue your home?
When a shower-only family bathroom makes sense
How to keep a bath without losing space
Recommendations for your family bathroom refit
Making the right choice for your household
Frequently asked questions
The bath takes up the most floor space in your bathroom, yet in many homes it’s used far less than the shower. When you’re planning a family bathroom refit, it’s tempting to take it out and use that space for a larger walk in shower. The worry is whether you’ll regret it when the children are small, or when you come to sell.
We’ve been designing and installing bespoke bathrooms across Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and London since 2007, and this is one of the questions that comes up frequently. Here, we’ll explore the real value that a bathtub brings to a bathroom refit, and the layouts that let you have the best experience.
Does a family bathroom need a bathtub?
For most families with young children, yes. Bathing a baby or toddler under a shower is awkward for everyone involved, and a bath is far easier to supervise. It also doubles as somewhere for you to unwind once bath time is over.
Your household will change, though. Once children reach their teens, the bath often goes unused for months at a time. A study from MyBuilder, reported by Homebuilding & Renovating, found that a third of people in the UK hadn’t used their bath in over a year. So the right answer depends on who lives with you now, and who’s likely to buy your home later.
Will not having a bathtub devalue your home?
Removing the only bath in a family home is unlikely to knock a fixed sum off its price, but it can narrow your pool of buyers. Estate agents tend to agree that baths are still considered a must for resale, recommending you keep at least one in the property. Families with young children, a large share of buyers for three and four bedroom homes, will often rule out a house without one.
The total number of bathrooms in a home changes the nuance. With a bath in the main bathroom, your en-suite can happily be shower only. With only one bathroom, removing the bath is the choice most likely to cost you viewings. Our guide to how bathroom design can improve the value of your home covers this in more depth.
When a shower-only family bathroom makes sense
A shower-only family bathroom works well in a few situations:
- You have a second bathroom or en-suite with a bath
- Your children are older and nobody in the household uses the bath
- You need step-free access for an older or less mobile family member
- The room is too small to fit a comfortable bath and a usable shower
In these cases, a walk in shower or wetroom gives you a larger, more comfortable showering area and a room that’s quicker to clean.
How to keep a bath without losing space
These are the layouts we most often design for family bathrooms:
| Layout | Best for | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Shower bath with a fixed glass screen | Smaller family bathrooms | A wider, flat-bottomed bath gives a stable standing area for showering |
| Freestanding bath plus walk in shower | Larger rooms and period homes | Needs space around the bath for cleaning and access |
| Built-in bath plus separate shower enclosure | Medium rooms with young children | The bath edge gives you somewhere to sit or kneel at bath time |
| Bath in the main bathroom, shower-only en-suite | Homes with two or more bathrooms | Keeps resale appeal while freeing up the en-suite |
The layout decision comes before anything else, so it’s worth reading our advice on how to plan a bathroom layout before you choose fittings.
Recommendations for your family bathroom refit
Plan storage around the bath and shower
Family bathrooms collect bottles, bath toys and flannels faster than any other room. Our signature LED-lit recessed shelving sits flush within the wall beside the bath or inside the shower, so everything has a home and nothing sits on the bath edge. The soft glow also works well for ambiance or visibility during night time toilet visits while the kids are little.
Choose finishes that hide everyday wear
Brushed brass taps are a popular choice for a family bathroom refit, and they’re practical as well as good looking. A brushed finish tends to show water marks and fingerprints less than polished chrome, and its warm tone works with marble, porcelain and painted furniture. Match your shower controls, towel rail and bath filler so the room looks cohesive.
Think about safety and cleaning
Slip-resistant floor tiles, thermostatic shower valves and rounded vanity edges are sensible in any family bathroom. Wall-hung furniture makes the floor easier to clean, and large-format tiles mean fewer grout lines to scrub.
Light the room for every time of day
Using layered lighting gives you the most flexibility of use so that every time of day is perfectly lit. Bright task lighting at the mirror helps with the morning rush, while dimmable lighting makes an evening bath more relaxing.
Making the right choice for your household
For a home with one bathroom and a family market, keeping a bath is the safer choice, and a good layout means you won’t have to sacrifice a comfortable shower to do it. Where there’s a bath elsewhere in the house, a shower-focused family bathroom can be the better fit for how you live.
If you’re planning your own family bathroom refit, chat to us or visit our Camberley showroom. You’ll see complete bathrooms, from shower baths to freestanding tubs with brushed brass fittings, and leave with a clear idea of what will work in your space.
Frequently asked questions
Should I remove the bath if my children are teenagers?
If you have a bath in another bathroom, removing the one in the family bathroom is reasonable. If it’s the only bath in the house and you may sell within the next few years, keep it or fit a shower bath so future buyers with young children aren’t put off.
Can you fit a bath and a walk in shower in a small family bathroom?
Often not comfortably, as a separate bath and shower usually need a larger room. In a smaller space, a shower bath with a fixed screen gives you both functions in one footprint.
Are brushed brass taps practical in a busy family bathroom?
Yes. Brushed brass shows water spots and fingerprints less than polished finishes, and quality taps with a durable coating stand up well to daily family use.