New construction and master bath tubs.

sgip

sgip

Well-known member
Walking a few model homes today and was amazed at how large the bathrooms are becoming. The one item that subtracts from the space are these giant stand alone tubs. Curious...

1) Does anyone regularly use these separate tubs given the drought and expense to fill?

B) When buying new construction can you delete the master bath tub?

III) If you delete, would there be any resale impact? Some buyers might want a larger bath area but some may insist on a MB tub.

My .02c

Soylent Green Is People
 
I remember touring one new home that let you delete the tub for an absolutely gigantic shower.

We actually use our separate tub regular. My random guess is that deleting a tub would hurt resale value as it reduces your buyer pool.

But honestly, touring new 2,800sqft new homes is generally depressing because the only things they change from our home is to make the kitchen, master bedroom and master bath/closet huge and add a loft.

I expect a 5th bedroom, downstairs office, walk in closets for every bedroom and more living space downstairs and preferably a larger garage.
 
I regard those huge tubs as a ridiculous waste of space. I owned a house that had one for 3 years, and we never took a bath in it once. We put a laundry drying rack in it.

Still, I would be reluctant to rip it out for fear that it would harm resale value. Apparently people want these monstrosities.
 
I'm considering tearing ours out and replacing it with a giant steam shower, but haven't priced it out yet.

Anyone guesstimate the cost?
 
Regardless of utility, like many things in homes at these price points, the big deep separate soaking tub is a feature/focal point of a well appointed master bath. We don't use ours much, but it looks good.
 
Perspective said:
Regardless of utility, like many things in homes at these price points, the big deep separate soaking tub is a feature/focal point of a well appointed master bath. We don't use ours much, but it looks good.
Click to expand...

...except when it starts to collect dust bunnies.
 
oc_dreamer said:
I regard those huge tubs as a ridiculous waste of space. I owned a house that had one for 3 years, and we never took a bath in it once. We put a laundry drying rack in it.

Still, I would be reluctant to rip it out for fear that it would harm resale value. Apparently people want these monstrosities.
Click to expand...

we are exactly the same. never use the tub. we put a drying rack in it.
Its a pain to get in to clean. Also, free standing tubs with no ledge are horribly impractical, making it necessary to buy a separate free standing towel/toiletry rack to place next to it. Its an "upgrade" that is actually a downgrade that the builders trick you into paying for, in my opinion.

I think the giant showers are also a waste of space, a pain in the butt to clean/maintain the grout, and jacks up the price to upgrade due to vast quantities of tile. I don't need to fit 3 or 4 people in there at once--seriously, the size of some of these new master showers could qualify as a home office or secondary bedroom size space where I'm originally from.

In general, I think the master bath, master closets, and kitchens in new houses are too large,  at the expense of tiny secondary bedrooms and lack of secondary living spaces. This is how you can have a 4000 sq foot house without a separate formal dining room or living room. Ridiculous.

 
Call it a new paradigm in design. Unless you can really customize your house from the framing up. These big bath rooms are the new norm. Most buyers prefer it as it feels grand. Some hate it since it consider a waste of space. Very difficult to satisfy all.
 
When I was looking at homes over the summer I was surprised to find that some new homes offered alterations to their bathrooms as "upgrades", regardless of the change.  So adding a tub is an "upgrade" if you only have a big shower, and in some places getting a big shower is an "upgrade" over the bathtub and shower combo. 

We ended up with big shower and seat, which I like.  A soaking tub  would have been nice though.
 
No interest in a tub, just a nice shower is fine and give the rest of the space / sq ft to bedrooms / living areas. 
 
Perspective said:
Regardless of utility, like many things in homes at these price points, the big deep separate soaking tub is a feature/focal point of a well appointed master bath. We don't use ours much, but it looks good.
Click to expand...

If you think you might sell your house to parents with small kids, a tub is essential.
(Parents will agree)
 
eyephone said:
Perspective said:
Regardless of utility, like many things in homes at these price points, the big deep separate soaking tub is a feature/focal point of a well appointed master bath. We don't use ours much, but it looks good.
Click to expand...

If you think you might sell your house to parents with small kids, a tub is essential.
(Parents will agree)
Click to expand...

True but you don't need it in the master... Most of the guest baths near the kids rooms will have the tub/shower combo.
 
nyc to oc said:
In general, I think the master bath, master closets, and kitchens in new houses are too large,  at the expense of tiny secondary bedrooms and lack of secondary living spaces. This is how you can have a 4000 sq foot house without a separate formal dining room or living room. Ridiculous.
Click to expand...
In the 2000-2500sft range, I have yet to see a large master closet.

I actually like a big shower... but I'm a big guy so I need the elbow room.
 
The builder wouldn't let me delete the master tub when I bought in 2012.  I would much rather that space have gone towards a built-in vanity for all of my wife's hair products, makeup, etc.  Instead I have a big ugly tub that I have to walk all the way around to get to my sink.  They also heavily implied I was stupid to not want a tub, as I would get crushed upon resale. 
 
On resale, are they suggesting it will hurt as it will be considered a 3/4 bathroom vs a full bathroom?  If so, that is ridiculous as the majority of agents just list a showered bathroom as a full bathroom. 
 
You are limiting/reducing your buyer pool by getting rid of bath tub(s).  There are alot of Old folks that needs to have a tub to take a bath.  I am not that old, but I need to relax after a hard day at work in my bath tub=) and will not consider a house without a master bath tub.  Especially for the ladies and my wife will also not buy a house without a tub unless we love the house so much that we are willing to dish out $$ for renovation and putting in a tub (such a hastle though)

 
Goriot said:
You are limiting/reducing your buyer pool by getting rid of bath tub(s).  There are alot of Old folks that needs to have a tub to take a bath.  I am not that old, but I need to relax after a hard day at work in my bath tub=) and will not consider a house without a master bath tub.  Especially for the ladies and my wife will also not buy a house without a tub unless we love the house so much that we are willing to dish out $$ for renovation and putting in a tub (such a hastle though)
Click to expand...
A tub is also a necessity for those with young kids.  So that is why I always say you should at least get one of the secondary bathrooms with the whole tub / shower thing vs. it being a pure standalone shower (preferably the upstairs one) as downstairs, it is nice to have the standing shower. 
 
They really should update the code and say a shower counts as a full bath.
 
Bullsback said:
Goriot said:
You are limiting/reducing your buyer pool by getting rid of bath tub(s).  There are alot of Old folks that needs to have a tub to take a bath.  I am not that old, but I need to relax after a hard day at work in my bath tub=) and will not consider a house without a master bath tub.  Especially for the ladies and my wife will also not buy a house without a tub unless we love the house so much that we are willing to dish out $$ for renovation and putting in a tub (such a hastle though)
Click to expand...
A tub is also a necessity for those with young kids.  So that is why I always say you should at least get one of the secondary bathrooms with the whole tub / shower thing vs. it being a pure standalone shower (preferably the upstairs one) as downstairs, it is nice to have the standing shower. 
Click to expand...

The master tub in our house would be horrible for either older people or young kids.  It is not easy to get into and not easy to clean around.  I let my kids enjoy it every now and then but its not the same as giving them a bath in a standard tub with a small ledge.  I can't even imagine my inlaws or my parents getting in without hurting themselves. 

In our house, it is tucked away and the space would make a great elliptical machine space or sauna.  I imagine converting it to something more functional would just as likely appeal to buyers as turn off buyers who are looking at traditional master bathrooms.
 
Hmmm. now that the drought is over, perhaps some of these giganto-tubs are going to finally get some use. What say you?

My .02c

SGIP
 
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