Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

So we have just ripped out our old dated family bathroom. It isn't the biggest room in the world and we have limited options.

Option 1
Replace like for like. 1500 bath, 800 square shower and 1200 vanity.

Option 2
To get a bigger bath, 1800 shower bath with shower over and keep 1200 vanity.

Option 3
Move shower cubicle to other side of room which means bigger shower, keep 1500 bath in same place which only leaves 750/800 max for a vanity.

If you were buying a house would a small vanity put you off in the family bathroom or would the larger shower and bath be the more attractive options. Views and opinions would be much appreciated.

Really struggling with this and we are on a limited timescale as my Dad arrives in 9 weeks :eek::eek::eek:

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

I like the shower over the bath option. Just my humble opinion though.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

All opinions welcome, thank you.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Personally, I'd go for the bigger shower - shower over a bath is shite.

We recently put a huge shower in our en-suite and got rid of the bath. Love it.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

I wouldn't buy a house without a bath. I do love a good bath now and then. It's my way of relaxing

But then I do prefer a separate shower, so option 3 for me.

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We have a bath in the downstairs bathroom. I hate taking a bath, my wife uses it a lot though.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

So obviously the smaller vanity wouldn't bother you both.

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Option 1 or 3 - definitely not 2. I hate a shower over a bath

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

I think NB is talking about her main bathroom though isn't she?

I'm with you wife. Nothing like a good bath, with a book and a glass of wine ( or a bottle lol)

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No. So long as the sink is big enough to wash my hands in that's all I need :D

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Not really, you just need a sink to brush your teeth and wash your face or hands

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Wouldn't worry about the vanity. Showers over baths are bleugh. Large shower, reasonable sized bath.

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If vanity = sink , then I reckon the answer is definitely spend less on the sink, more on the other items.

As a bloke, I have practically zero inclination to take a bath. I don't find it "relaxing" at all. Instead I'd rather have a quick shower, then get out of the bathroom and then relax elsewhere.

option 3 all the way I reckon.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Definitely option 3 for me.

Would love a huge shower and only need a vanity to wash hands/face and brush teeth.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Personally, I would quite happily do without a bath. Don't like them and don't understand the 'relaxing' thing:blink:

You can do sooooooo much more in a double shower:sneaky::o But I would have 2 types of shower head. he big over head one for the relaxing rainfall effect and the moveable hand-held type for the practical cleaning stuff. Those moveable heads are so handy:blink::D

But I understand if you want to keep your bath, so I would go with option 3. Is there a way you can utilise more corners to maximise the space?

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

I'd go for a bigger bath every time.

We'll be doing our main bathroom next year - the bath at the moment is short and not very deep, not quite as bad as the 'elderly friendly' one that was in our main bathroom in the UK (where you could have your legs in the water or your waist in the water, but not both at the same time) - but our shower area is really big and it doesn't get used at all (everyone uses the shower upstairs in our en-suite, the gits) so we'll be making the shower cubicle smaller and the bath bigger.

Personally, I don't really like a shower over a bath mostly because then you end up with some crappy method of containing the water spray :)

We'd like piccies of the completed project though.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Definitely Option 3. How many in your family? If you have teenage girls then a small vanity will drive them insane, if you have boys they won't care.

We recently (last year) redid our main bathroom - actually the guest bathroom as our kids are all grown up and married - and put in a separate shower to get rid of the shower over the bath. We have aged relations (in their 80's) come to stay and a shower over a bath is an accident waiting to happen at that age.

Make the shower as large as you can. The difference between a 900x900 cubicle and a 1000x1000 one is amazing. Also bear in mind that a shower doesn't have to have square corners - we put the door of the shower cubicle across one corner (cut the corner off the square) which meant we could have a slightly larger vanity and still get good access past the shower.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Option 3 for me too. Definitely keep the bath.

Our bathrooms are also compact and bijou - both only 2m * 2m. Mine has a bath with a shower over, which I'd rather have than do away with the bath. I have tall, shallow mirrored cupboards the full length of one wall, where the basin is and opposite the shower, so no need for a cupboard under the basin and having no pedestal frees up floor space too. (It's as old as the apartment - 11 - so not the most fashionable but it's well thought out - see http://www.caroma.com.au/bathrooms/b...smo-wall-basin )

Having wall cupboards is a good vertical use of space in a small bathroom. Ikea does something similar to mine http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60178991 and, being windowless, a mirrored wall is good for bouncing light around too.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Yours is a family home C, so I would keep the bath and if possible have a decent sized vanity. Especially with having 2 girls.

When we built we had a largish sized tub and big shower but small vanity put in. We're now (only 2 years on) looking at ripping out the vanity we've got and installing a bigger one. One cupboard under is just not enough room for blowdryers, makeup kits, and all the assorted crap that teenagers need to store in the bathroom.

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Our main bathroom has a corner bath, a big one, and I bloody loath it. I've had one bath in it in five year.
I would take option 3 as well.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

I'd go for the above also. Ditch the bath, big shower.

Showers in baths are awful.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

huge shower and dump the bath ( done this in all our bathroms )
fit twin sink vanity if room - this works well for us


steve

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Hmm... good point. I have three boys who don't know what a bathroom is :D

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Maybe you don't need a bath now, but not having a bath in a house means that it will be difficult to sell to families with children under 7yo - which cuts your possible buyers by 50% or so. However a small bath is fine for the kids.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

We replaced the shower cubicle and bath, with a smaller bath with the shower above...then used the space we'd saved to put in an extra toilet...

Kept to the same size vanity though...i think about 1500 mm...

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Our downstairs bathroom has a shower cubicle, separate toilet, vanity (about 1200 wide). Upstairs bathroom is much bigger, but we decided on a large bath with shower over, separate toilet, vanity (same size). We have no shelves over, but vanities that size needed even though there is only one female in the house. In my defence, there's all the first aid stuff, insect repellant, insect bite cream, etc:p. When we rented, there was no bath, and we hated being without one. I think that it would put off potential buyers if there was no bath.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Beware Moving baths and showers could be very costly if you have to move existing pipes, They will have to cut through the existing pad, try to avoid this if possible.

Good Luck

Den

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Option D: Have a spa installed.

Not good on water bills, but nothing beats it!

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

Thank you all for your input, much appreciated.

Re: Bathroom Renovation Dilemma
 

We have just done all 3 of our bathrooms, i would say option 1 or 3, and if you have a frameless shower it will appear bigger.

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I guess a plug hole in the middle of the floor is mandatory? :huh:

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If not, it should be as it's a great idea

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Good for emptying one's bladder into...this is assuming that you go for a 'wet' bathroom....

(I'd go for Option 3 too but I'm not house-trained...and know little about these things other than a bath is good in a primary family bathroom and a shower over the bath is annoying.)

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Definitely not shower-over-bath. Horrible, horrible, horrible! Need a proper stand alone shower for sure.

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I love it but totally impractical,we inherited one in the house we bought, it uses about 2 tanks of hotwater and have to wait for the water to heat up for about an hour, ours has been used 3 times in 5 years. When the time is right it will be replaced with a stand alone bath and a his and hers vanity. Our corner spa looks good but thats it:thumbdown: