Once a staple of every full bathroom in your house, more and more of today’s modern homes are ditching the bathtub entirely in favor of a standard shower. If you have an older home, you may have a shower/tub combo, but wonder if it’s worth holding onto or whether it might be more practical to convert it into just a shower.
Should you remove a bathtub from your plumbing in Springfield Missouri? Here are some of the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.
Is There More Than One Bathtub?
If there's more one bathtub in your home, then removing one of them seems more of a possibility. Most people take a lot more showers than baths, especially when they're getting ready in the morning.
But sometimes after a long day, there's nothing that beats a soak in a nice, warm bubble bath. And when it comes time to wash a bigger dog, you don't want to do that in the kitchen sink.
How Difficult Will The Bathtub Be To Remove?
Newer tubs aren't nearly as heavy, but some of the old cast iron bathtubs weigh a ton. Getting one of those removed and out of your bathroom can be a major undertaking.
Safety Concerns
For many, stepping into a bathtub to take a shower isn’t a huge deal. But for older adults or those with limited mobility, it can be very difficult. Removing a bathtub for a zero entry shower can make it easier for someone to age in place and stay in their homes longer.
Resale Value
Statistics show that leaving a bathtub in your home increases the resale value. This can vary depending on the condition of the current tub, but keeping it intact may be in your best interest if you want to maximize your home’s value.
Updating Your Bathroom
The two rooms that provide the best return on investment for remodeling your home are updating the kitchen and the master bathroom. An old bathtub can take up a lot of space and removing it can free up room for other amenities.
A newer bathroom design trend is creating a wet room. The walk in shower and free standing bathtub are separate from one another, but share a common tile floor and glass wall to create a spa-like environment.
There are many practical and aesthetic benefits to ditching the bathtub and just having a walk-in shower, but there are also some compelling reasons not to.
Need help deciding what makes the most sense for your home? We're here to help. Our experienced plumbers in Springfield, Missouri can walk you through the pros and cons of the decisions and help make a recommendation.
If you need help with plumbing fixture installation or remodeling, reach out to the pros here at United Plumbing.