How Important is a Bathtub in a Master Bathroom?

Whether you are looking for a new home or thinking about remodeling your current home; adding a bathtub to a master bathroom will bring many benefits to the value of your home. Regardless of trends, having a bathroom is an important option that most homeowners. This article will go into detail about the importance of a bathtub

What is a Master Bathroom?

A master bedroom is the title typically given to the largest room in your home. Size is generally a factor but other things will usually distinguish a master bedroom such as having the largest bathroom in the home, having access to larger closet space or a large balcony in some cases. In general a master bedroom is seen as the main bedroom of your house, which justifies the larger space as it allows you to decorate and customize your room however you see fit when compared to other rooms in your home.

What Homeowners Should Expect in a Master Bathroom

Master Bathroom Size

Since the master bedroom is usually the largest in the house, it stands to reason that the master bathroom is also the largest bathroom in the house as well. The average size for a master bathroom is roughly 160 square feet, with 60-100 square feet on the low end and 210+ square feet on the high end. A full bathroom needs at least 40 square feet to accommodate all of its basic functions, so 160 square feet gives you plenty of room to work with in terms of fitting an appropriate sized bathtub, adding vanities, toilet with room left over. However, if you have a small bathroom, there are plenty of design choices you can follow that give you several space saving options as well.

Bathtub & Shower

A bathtub usually functions as a bathing tool but most importantly as a centerpiece for any bathroom, it takes up the largest area of space in addition to the attention of the bathroom itself. It is because of this that it is recommended that you purchase a larger sized bathtub as it is both aesthetically pleasing as well as the most cost effective for the return on your house’s overall value. Of course this decision will come down to how much space you have available but common choices today are freestanding bathtubs as they are visually appealing as well as a great investment in terms of quality. Freestanding bathtubs can also be fitted with a shower, adding a more attractive option for both convenience and added value.

Sinks

Sinks will be a personal preference, but a common style choice is a double vanity as it offers you added space with the cupboards below. Of course, not every bathroom can support a double vanity, so even a single vanity or a freestanding sink are other possible choices, depending on your space constraints. Double vanity sinks however will ultimately be more valuable than freestanding sinks as they tend to be more of hassle to install. Ideally you would want to pair the color of your bathtub/shower with the foundation of your sink.

Toilet

Toilets are a very important if often overlooked aspect of your bathroom. In this case you want a toilet that is appropriately high quality, so that it can withstand consistent use without breaking down. The higher quality of toilet you purchase, the less hassle you will have to deal with down the road and it helps elevate the value of your space, though not as important as the bathtub itself.

Fixtures and Mirrors

Added fixtures provide a more uniform look and function to your bathroom, so having large mirrors above your vanity and sinks are a definite must. Even small additions such as mounted lighting can help to provide small comfort to your bath space. Since most bathrooms are paved with tile along the ground, these tiles typically end up cold to bare feet, so providing heated floors can also add to the value of your home as well as the comfort of your home. In the case of fixtures and amenities, the more you can add-on, the better it will be to you as both a bather and as an investment to your home’s resale value down the road.

Does a Bathtub Increase the Value of a Home?

Pros of Including a Tub

There are a few positives and negatives to having a bathtub in your master bathroom. In short, yes, a bathtub does increase the value of your home along with the following benefits:

Higher Resale – A bathtub in the master bath will increase the value of your home and if you have a shower and bathtub combo, you will gain even more value from your investment. Typically, the more difficult the install project, the greater the return on the investment. Higher quality material will always provide a better return on resale, making this the most attractive positive for installing a bathtub in a master bath.  

Better Aesthetic Creates Focal Point – Due to the added space and the inclusion of natural light, a bathtub is well suited to a master bath as it creates a more even attractive focal point. This carries over into the bathing experience, making it more enjoyable with the attractive aesthetics. 

More Room for a More Relaxing Tub – More room means a larger tub, making it more ideal for large families or those with a larger stature to better enjoy bathing. The design of a master bathroom allows for a large sized bathtub which is more relaxing and more comfortable overall. 

Cons of Including a Tub

There are a few negatives to having a bathtub installed in your master bath:

Requires More Space – The bathtub will take up a fair bit of space which will severely limit the available space. This can make the bathroom feel more cramped especially if you don’t see yourself using the bathtub very often. 

Tubs Require More Maintenance and Cleaning – The large surface area and higher-quality material means you need to thoroughly clean and maintain the bathtub more often than your typical shower. This can grow to be quite tedious and time-consuming especially if you don’t use your bathtub very often. 

Expensive to Install – Higher quality material means that the bathtub is quite heavy and will be difficult to install, giving you a high initial cost. Although this is generally positive, this can be more aggravating if you decide to remove or replace the bathtub in the future.

Does Replacing a Bath with a Shower Devalue a House?

Those it may be more practical, trimming the bathtub in favor of a shower will usually devalue a house compared to a home with just a bathtub. The amount is not polarizing, but it does make a small difference-around a few hundred dollars. This is because showers are seen as cheaper investments compared to bathtubs irregardless of the money actually spent. Today, it is expected that homes carry an emphasis on more modern designs such as large freestanding bathtubs or at the very least a shower bathtub combination. As it is what the market expects, the safe bet would be to have a shower bathtub combination over just a stand alone shower or bathtub.

In short, it is much more practical to have a bathtub in your master bedroom. Since your master bath will have a fair bit of space, there is virtually no reason to not install even just a small bath/shower combo as it can certainly add hundreds if not thousands of dollars to your home’s value. With that, the initial cost will certainly be repaid in the future by a fair amount if you even consider selling your home.