Don't get rid of the bath. A lot of people, me included, won't buy a property without a bath. A shower over is the way to go if space is limited.
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Bathroom revamp, advice appreciated!
(59 Posts)Hello all, and usual good wishes.
Having sorted the kitchen, we are now turning out attention to the bathroom.(Glutton for punishment!)
As we don't have enough room for a separate bath & shower, we have been considering an L shaped bath, and one of those combination wash basin/wc furniture things.
Our plumber has said that a standard (1700) length bath, with the extra width for the L shaped bit, would take a LOT of water, so we are looking at a 1600 length.
Has anyone had an L shaped bath, and if so, what are your opinions?
Thank you!
I would change it to a large walk in shower or really popular these days a wet room. A lot of younger people don't want baths when they buy property, it's one thing my son always says when he looks at any with a bath - "that will have to go.. new shower.."
We haven't had a bath for 25 years, only ever used it for showering and had the hassle of climbing in and out. My OH would really struggle getting into it these days.
Consider using wet wall panels around the shower/bath rather than tiles. I would never buy a property with tiles after the expense and mess we had removing the tiles when doing our bathroom. No matter how beautiful your tiles styles change and tastes differ. Wet wall panels save money and are
easily changed.
Just revamped our bathroom.... after the kitchen. The biggest mistake I made was not have an L shaped bath. Because husband can no longer clamber into bath I opted for a big shower instead. With three prolapsed discs in my back... when will I start to think of myself. He’s fine and dandy with his walk in shower and I miss my hot bath so much I could cry! That was six months ago .... regret...regret...regret! Plump for a lovely L-shape and luxuriate in it.
My main advice is to make sure all the pipe work is accessible. I wanted to change to a dual head shower in my flat but the plumbers have all pointed out that ALL pipework is behind the tiled wall which backs on to another room. The entire wall would have to come down. I just hope the shower outlives me now!
Hunt - I think you can find a bath that will fit, and be suitable for a shower over, and not use an ocean of water. Just one example - EASTBROOK URBAN SIT BATH WITH TWIN GRIPS - 1250 X 725MM
Feelingmyage totally wrong. My son absolutely wont shower. He hates them passionately. Always a bath.
Get rid of the bath. Shower is the best choice. I have a shower over the bath. I am waiting for a property that has a shower only.l have problems getting into the bath to use the shower. Think ahead to when you are older have mobility problems.
ailsa43 we had our bath removed and a bath size shower tray fitted. Marine quality panelling fitted. An extra flip panel to the end of the glass was well worth it. The small space left was boxed in with the panelling to make a bench seat. All materials and labour cost £2,500.
We got rid of the Bath - DD19 was the only one that ever used and she’d be in there for 2-3 hours!!!
No we have super modern shower, no bath and add is out in less than an hour!
Haven’t missed bath at all - had a cubby hole put in one end - perfect for flamingo style leg shaving.
We put in an L-shaped bath but it takes too much water. Wouldn't do it again. However - and this was a good move - we decided not to buy the matching bath side panels as they looked cheap. So had the bath clad in wood (looks great painted). The end piece has been made into a cupboard door so we can store all bathroom stuff behind it -cleaning stuff, spare loo rolls etc.
Finally I wouldn't buy one of those under sink units. In my experience they get damp and then start to go manky. Also they are expensive for what you actually get.
One problem with no bath is how to wash young children.
I have a 1600 bath but it is flat bottomed to accommodate an overhead shower. It does take a while to fill due to being flat. Also have a sink/toilet unit in same bathroom. As it was a success had one installed in en suite.
God I hate baths. I still don't feel clean after. ( Probably psychosomatic as you've been sat in your own skin cells and dirt)
From a young age, once walking, my girls had showers and sometimes had the shower on over their baby bath in the bath for fun! Not all families want baths.
I can't get in and out these days. A wet room would be ideal, with a stool to sit on to avoid flamingo leg shaving. I'll dream.....
Have you considered outward opening door to increase usable space? I also love an electric wall mounted fan heater for when central heating not on!
Coolgran65, thank you for that, I'll definitely be looking into it
Thank you all.
There will be no underfloor heating, the towel rail radiator does a good enough job.
We already have an extractor, so that's sorted, ditto the hooks on the back of the door.
So, in theory it's a relatively straightforward job 
Remove tiles, bath, vanity unit, toilet and existing shower.
Put in paneling, new L shaped bath (1600mm length) new washbasin/wc combi unit and possibly talk cupboard thingy (the wc we have chosen is square
, just hope we don't have to have our bottoms adjusted to fit it!) shower, taps etc. The shower might be a challenge, could need a pump, but final decision not yet made.
Then once that's done, decide on new flooring, dye towels and bath mat.
After that, spend time thinking that perhaps that other flooring/paneling/shower etc just might have been the better option.............
Ailsa if you are changing the loo as well, consider a higher one. You may not need it now but you will in a few years. My two are Godsends and were great after the major surgery I have had.
I have found the no. if you have not found it!
I have still to redo my bathroom but have experience of both good and bad conversions for age. My in-laws scrapped their bath for a shower but not one that was easy to get into si it has eventually to be redone . So extra expense and the rest of the bathroom was not redesigned so it did not look good and it could have been made into a really nice bathroom , so it actually cost them more than doing it properly in the first place.
When my parents couldn't get in and out of the bath easily and we were getting carers in, she looked at the bath and said that had the taps been at one end they could have had one if those things to get you up out of the bath, but you can't with taps on the side, so a shower it was. Unfortunately my brother was supposed to be supervising the new shower but didn't really, and u had to eta a new hose as the original one was too short for someone sitting in a still, or the controls were too high, so consider how high the controls are, also the fitter put the door on the wrong way round for an assisted shower. So when the carer comes in mum has to et in first and shut the door, it really is not good. So work out whjch way to hang the door with the future in mind, if you need a carer to help. And if possible open the bathroom or loo door outwards so you càn get a zimmer in. Carefully consider where grab rails are needed, the other bathroom does have ap shaped bath, and it does havegrab rails but not in the right plaxe. Future proof by imagining what you need to grab getting in and out, I have to use the towel rail when I go and one day it will come off. I don't fill the bath rii full, it's not a very big p so while it certainly needs more water it's not that much more
We had our upstairs extended about 15 years ago, which meant a complete new bathroom. I insisted on having a bath, (we were having a separate walk in shower) We had never had a shower before and I just couldn't imagine not having a bath! We even took space from one sons bedroom in order to fit it in! However I think it has been used less than a dozen times! Never, by my husband and once or twice by sons, who have now left anyway! I used it possibly a handful of times initially then realised how much better a shower was! I did try a bath a few months ago as I had a bad back and couldn't get out of the damn thing without help! Showers are more eco friendly too. 
combination wash basin/wc Yuk, yuk !!!
My son and dil have a smaller sized bath in their house. It is takes less water and an adult (my son is 6ft 7) can sit in it with legs out.
Only the little boy uses it, the adults prefer the shower.
We went down the ‘must have a bath in case we decide to sell’, some years ago, and compromised on a short bath and small shower cubicle. The bath was used only a few times. Eventually neither of us could comfortably or safely use it. DH died 4 years ago. I always regretted the compromise bathroom, and recently had the bath removed and a large walk-in shower installed. My plumber managed to find matching tiles for the gap, and we had sheeting (or whatever it’s called) inside the shower. It was fitted over the existing tiles, and is much easier to keep clean.
The whole job cost under £2,000 and was completed in 2 days. I am delighted with the result.
BradfordLass72 what on earth is "Yuk, yuk" about this?
www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/brooklyn-black-combination-furniture-pack-1100mm-wide?FT=5013&pgno=1
Or did you think I meant one those where the basin is above the toilet?
phoenix are you going to get one of those new Gerbit shower toilets as recently advertised. The one where the arm comes out and washes your bits 
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