Shower, Tub or Both?

Chocolate or vanilla? Paper or plastic? Cup or cone? Tub or shower?  When it comes to life's big questions, many people have passionate ideas about which one to choose. The debate between having a bathtub or a shower in your home bathroom is no exception. Sometimes, you are stuck with what you get when you buy the house. But other times if you are building from the ground up, or you are remodeling, you have a say-so in which way to go. Here are a few things to consider while you ponder the question and determine which side of the debate you fall on.

What about Resale Value?

The main concern people have when they are thinking about not putting a bathtub in their bathroom is resale value. We know that when we go to sell our houses, we want them to appeal to as broad of a group as possible to increase the chance that the home will sell quickly and for the highest price. If you are thinking of selling your home in the near future, then definitely take resale value into consideration. But if you plan on being in your home for years and years, this might not be as much of a deciding factor in your bathroom remodel. When you finally do go to sell, you will have already had years of enjoyment in a bathroom that suits you, whether you have a shower, bathtub, or both in your home.

Do you have kids, pets or seniors in your household?

If you have any of these little people or furry people, then you must consider their bathing needs as well. Usually when it comes to getting the kids and pets clean, having a bathtub is the way to go for easy cleaning. Using a bathtub allows you necessary access to your kids or pets to help with soaping, rising and washing. In this situation, having to deal with a shower instead of a tub, usually means that you or your bathroom floor with get intensely wet in the bathing process. On the other hand, elderly people might have a hard time getting in and out of a tub with a high step. This group will usually do better with a shower.

Tub-Lover vs. Shower-Lover

Be honest, are you a tub-lover or a shower-lover? Most people really do prefer one over the other. Do you look forward to the process of soaking in the tub with a good book until the water goes cold? Or does the idea of a fully tiled, double head shower get you more excited? Just like your teacher used to say, there really isn't a wrong answer for this one, it really depends on your current and future lifestyle. 

Other bathtubs to consider?

Another important question to ask is are you talking about a primary or a secondary bathroom? Many people these days have several bathrooms, so not putting a bathtub in all of them, might give you the versatility of having your cake and eating it too. (But not eating it in the shower. Bathtub, maybe. Shower, no way.)

The bottom line is your home should fit your needs and lifestyle. The purpose that you use the rooms for (whether they were intended to be that way or not), needs to suit you and your family at that point in time. What functions well for you in one point of your life, might not work for another point of your life. Personally, I remember taking baths with my sisters in my parents' huge bathtub when we were little, but I'm pretty sure the last time that thing was used, the elder Bush was president. Thinking carefully about your priorities in the present and the future will help you decide where you land in this important remodel debate.

Contact us today for a risk free consultation from our remodeling experts! For bathroom design ideas, take a look at some of our work.