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Do You Need A Tub In The Master Bathroom?

Do You Need A Tub In The Master Bathroom?

When you think about a master bedroom, you likely see the largest bedroom in the whole house. This could mean that you think of a large bathroom with a tub, but do you need a tub in the master bedroom? 

You do not necessarily need to have a tub in the master bedroom, but it might be a good idea for the sake of resale value as houses with bathtubs in the master bedroom tend to sell for more than ones without them.

Would you like to know why a tub is a good idea, and why not having one could lower the resale value of your home? Then keep reading and we will give you all the information you’re looking for! 

Do You Need a Tub in a Master Bathroom?

Well, when it comes down to it, you don’t need to have anything that you don’t want in your home. If you don’t like taking baths, and neither does your partner, then there might be a good reason to have no bathtub in the master bathroom. 

However, not having one could hurt your resale value if you intend on ever selling the home and relocating. This is because many buyers like to have the option of using a bathtub, which is often a bigger deal when in the master bathroom. 

Since the master bathroom is made for a couple, and since most homes are built for nuclear families, this means that the parents will share the master bedroom and bathroom. Typically, there is a shower and a bathtub to accommodate the preferences of both people. 

If you don’t have both in your master bathroom, this could look bad to potential buyers and leave them to feel like something is missing. If you think that you might move and resell the house, then having a tub in the master bathroom would be a good idea. 

However, as mentioned, if you are settled and don’t intend to resell your home, then ditch the tub. You could choose to use the extra space to extend the size of your closet or vanity area.

You could even extend the shower space or add a specialty shower that comes with better water pressure and more shower heads for a spa-like experience. 

Does Not Having a Tub Hurt Resale? 

If you decide not to have a tub in the master bathroom, this could lead to having a lower resale value.

However, there is no way to know that any upgrade or bath removal will change the value of your home because it depends on what the buyer wants and the state of the housing market.

You could make a big upgrade only to find that most buyers want something simpler. Or your style could not match what a buyer is looking for.

At the end of the day, design the home to meet your needs!

If you stick with the recommendations for most homeowners, like keeping the tub for resale value, then you will have a higher chance of getting a better price. Having a tub can make a difference for buyers who like the idea of comfort and relaxation, which are both related to a having a bathtub. 

What if You Don’t Sell Your Home? 

If you are not planning on selling your home, then you will probably be more willing to make changes that may affect the value. If you live there, then the house is yours to change. 

So, if you want to make the switch from a bathtub to something else, like an upgraded shower, then you shouldn’t feel like you need to keep the home looking a certain way. However, you will need to think about what would happen if you had to move, like a job relocation. 

If something like this were to happen, and you need to sell your home, you might regret the decisions you’ve made. So, before you make any major changes that can affect the resale value, take a moment to think about what could happen in the future. 

Does Replacing a Bath with Shower Devalue Your Home?

In short, yes.

Not having at least one bath in the house will lower the price that most buyers will pay, which will affect the price of the house when it sells. 

If you are hoping to sell your home, then doing something like removing the tub will hurt the profit you make from the property.

It could also limit the number of interested buyers that you have, which could make the few offers that you do get to be lower. 

However, this is not to say that removing a tub from the master bathroom will mean that you don’t have bathtubs somewhere else in the house.

If other bathrooms in the home come with a tub, then this will not affect your home’s value nearly as much. 

The biggest difference in price happens when the master bathroom contains the only tub, and that is removed, leaving no tub in the whole house. This will likely turn off buyers, especially buyers with children.

Essentially, as long as you have one tub you will retain your home’s resale value. However, if you make the choice to remove the only tub in the house, then this could impact the price you get for the house when you sell it. 

What is Your Personal Preference? 

When looking at buying a home, your personal preference plays a huge role in whether you like the house or not.

Sometimes, a small issue with the design will make you move on to another option, and knowing that every buyer has different preferences will help you make your final decision. 

Selling a home with a specific design may take some more time, but if you find the right buyer, then all the upgrades you made could end up making you a lot of money. It all depends on the personal preferences of the buyer.

As long as you keep this in mind when you make your decisions about removals and upgrades throughout the home, then you will come to the right decision. 

Conclusion 

The idea of removing a tub from your home might sound like a great idea when you think about all of the upgrades that you could add to the home instead. However, if you want to keep the resale value of your home, you might need to rethink what you will do to the house. 

Many buyers like to see a bathtub in the home, and the nicest bath is typically in the master bathroom. So, if you don’t have that, and there is no other tub in the other bathrooms, then you could be taking some value away from the overall price of your home when you are ready to sell. 

Buyers can be an issue that you can’t account for too much, since you can’t help dealing with other people’s preferences, you need to think about it if you want buyers to be happy.

If you want to sell your home for a higher price, then you need to decide whether you want to keep your bathtub and retain your resale value or change it to make living in the home more comfortable for you. 

But whatever you choose need to be the right option for you and your family. So, whatever decision you make, just be sure to think it over before taking any drastic steps. 

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Lindsay Reed

Hi, I'm the founder of ProjectPerfectHome.com! I created this website to be a resource for everyone who wants to make the best home possible.