Is it bath time for your home?

Joel asks: “I’m renovating my home which I plan to sell in a few years. Should I include a bath or not?”

Jane says:

“The decision to include a bath in renovations depends on a number of factors. These include your personal preferences – do you want a bath for your own family’s use until you decide to sell? Some people love to soak, others prefer to shower.

Families with small children usually use a bath (for a few years anyway). Do you think you will be selling to a family when the time comes? Will the property sale be aimed at families, or is it a unit which will be more popular with singles and couples? If families are looking to buy your property, having a bath may be a bonus selling point.

If the property has a main and an ensuite bathroom, then the inclusion of a bath in one seems like a good way to cover all bases (and tastes). You also might like to consider including a bath if it adds to the décor of both the bathroom and house.

If your house favours an antique or country design, then a new or restored clawfoot tub will complement this and add to the value of your property.

This leads on to important considerations such as budget and available space. Maybe you’ve thought ahead a little and purchased an old clawfoot which you plan to restore and install. Depending on the state of the tub (how long it’s been sitting in the paddock as a stock water trough), the cost to repair and refinish it will be between $500 and $2000. Alternatively, from upwards of $900, you can buy a new porcelain or acrylic clawfoot tub.

If you’re not into antique style, there are some great modern designs available. You can buy bath tubs made from stone, steel and acrylic, and in a range of colours.

Currently freestanding baths are very popular, coming in all shapes and sizes to match the infinite variety of our Aussie bathrooms. Many manufacturers also offer spa baths which are the next step up for the truly luxurious bathroom.

Unless you go for a real space-saving design, keep in mind that adding a tub to the bathroom takes up space, and you’ll need to allow for additional plumbing connections. If you plan to incorporate the shower above the bath, this will also result in more work, and of course, additional cost.

When deciding whether to include a bath, consider the role of the bathroom – for today’s modern family, the bathroom plays a very functional role. If you use a bath, then add one when renovating – but add wisely. Make sure the style of bath suits the bathroom and house, and that the installation allows enough space in the bathroom area.

If budget permits, consider the spa bath – this is bound to add value to the property when it comes to selling. If you don’t use a bath, and (due to size) the property is unlikely to be marketed to families, forget the bath and use the money somewhere else. What about a new frameless shower screen, or a self-demisting bathroom mirror?”

Jane Eyles-Bennett is a Brisbane interior designer and founder of Hotspace Consultants. She has won several design awards and has over 20 years of interior design and renovating experience.