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Future proofing the bathroom

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Jaxjacky Sun 31-Dec-23 20:02:21

Doodledog the day I have any little problem getting in and out of the bath is the day plans are kicked in for a wet room. At present our main bathroom is bath, washbasin and toilet, ensuite is shower, washbasin and toilet.
In the next year or so I’ll explore options and get plans drawn up for said wet room, then the plans will go away until the right time, but we’ll have a draft poised.

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Doodledog Sun 31-Dec-23 19:27:59

There is room for both a shower and a bath - we have both in the existing bathroom - but I would like more storage, and can't decide between keeping a bath as I'm still well able to get in and out or ditching it as that is unlikely to remain the case long term.

SueDonim I haven't had anyone in yet, no. I will when I'm closer to being ready to do it, but meanwhile I want to think it all through properly, so I don't make rash decisions when the time comes.

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foxie48 Sun 31-Dec-23 19:00:48

We've recently revamped a bathroom. We knocked into a small bedroom and have made a huge bathroom with a free standing bath (which I love) a big walk in shower, loo and basin set into a unit. We have masses of storage space. However, if I didn't have room for a decent shower and a bath and it was my only bathroom, I'd definitely ditch the bath. I have an en suite bathroom and did that too, took the bath out and replaced with a decent shower. I had a shower over the bath but although I'm very fit and agile for my age I could see that standing in a bath to shower was an accident waiting to happen. If you are concerned about having the loo in the main bathroom, just get decent ventilation and add some lovely fragrances or just accept that we all have to "poo".

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SueDonim Sun 31-Dec-23 18:54:36

My ds and dil knocked through their separate loo into the bathroom and my goodness, what a difference it made in size, definitely a case of the whole being more than the sum of the parts. Theirs was a 1930’s house so a common style. Have you had a bathroom planner take a look?

The ‘nasty niffs’ problem is easily solved by installing a decent fan into the room.

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Doodledog Sun 31-Dec-23 18:52:56

AskAlice

I'll be watching this with interest Doodledog. This is the next project on our "to do" list. We don't have a big bathroom and at present just have a mixer shower over the bath along with the handbasin a loo and it seems sensible, as neither of us bath very often, to just have a small walk-in shower. But I am prevaricating as the houses round here are all family homes and it might put off future buyers if we have to downsize in the coming years.

I wondered about that too, AskAlice, as if we sell it would probably be to a family. As Meryl says, though, showers are cheaper, and many younger people prefer them.

I do love my cast iron bath though.

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MerylStreep Sun 31-Dec-23 18:50:08

AskAlice
Young families are very aware of the cost of water so prefer showers.

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Doodledog Sun 31-Dec-23 18:49:04

Thanks, GSM. I will get a plumber, or a bathroom company in to discuss options, but wanted to have some idea of what I wanted first.

I don't care about the separate loo being dated - it has definite advantages, IMO - but it wastes space because of the door. I quite like the idea of blocking off the door, knocking through and using the space for a shower, but I have no idea what that will mean for the plumbing. That's where the experts will come in, though.

I am planning to start this in the summer, as we've had a lot of disruption with bedrooms and the kitchen being overhauled lately, and I want to relax for a while before starting again with men in the house and no water etc. I want to use the time to consider my options. I think I would miss a bath, though.

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MerylStreep Sun 31-Dec-23 18:48:21

I envy you your cast iron bath. We had ours enamelled, it looked amazing. Being only 5’ I could lay down flat in it with room to spare.
When we moved here in 2014 everything had to be built or renovated, we took the decision to take the bath out.

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AskAlice Sun 31-Dec-23 18:47:29

I'll be watching this with interest Doodledog. This is the next project on our "to do" list. We don't have a big bathroom and at present just have a mixer shower over the bath along with the handbasin a loo and it seems sensible, as neither of us bath very often, to just have a small walk-in shower. But I am prevaricating as the houses round here are all family homes and it might put off future buyers if we have to downsize in the coming years.

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Germanshepherdsmum Sun 31-Dec-23 18:32:07

With future proofing in mind I would definitely have a shower rather than a bath. Preferably a wet room - ours is marvellous, no step into the shower. I would also knock the wall down and have the loo in the bathroom/shower room. The separate loo is very dated and inconvenient - also unhygienic if there’s no basin to wash your hands in. Perhaps get a plumber round to advise?

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Doodledog Sun 31-Dec-23 17:39:27

My next house project is to revamp the bathroom. Currently we have a large cast iron bath, a freestanding shower and a washbasin in there, with a separate loo next door.

There is a large window at one side of the room, with the bath under it, and the door to the room is opposite. There is another largish window near the bathroom one in the separate loo space, and the door to that is similarly opposite. The two rooms together don't make a rectangle, as the loo is not as wide as the bathroom, so the door to that is set back from the door to the bathroom, if that makes sense. The space occupied by the loo has to allow for the door to open, which is basically lost space, so I did think about moving the shower to there and blocking off the door.

The main problem, apart from it all being a bit tatty, is that there isn't enough storage space. Oh, and it is the only bathroom in a family house, which is quite unusual nowadays.

My children say that now that there are just two of us living here we should knock the two rooms together (we have a downstairs loo), as this would create space and give more options. I can see the advantage of that, but I rather like being able to have my bath in an 'unpolluted' atmosphere, if you get my drift.

I am very much a bath person, and Mr D prefers showers. Ideally, I would like to keep the bath, but I have two arthritic knees, and realise that getting in and out is not going to get easier as I get older.

We have no plans to move, but who knows what life will bring, and the house is probably too big for one of us on their own.

The children also suggested getting a shower over the bath, but this seems to me the worst of both worlds. Yes, it will create more space, but if/when I can't get into the bath I won't be able to have a shower either.

So the question is, how should I proceed? Do I get another bath, knowing that it might not be a long-term possibility? Do I keep a separate loo, or knock them together? Do I make one big wet room, and get rid of the bath? Something different altogether? Oh, and is it worth thinking about getting the cast-iron bath re-enamelled? I'm not keen on getting disabled access things in yet, but nor do I want to spend a lot on something that might have to be replaced in a few years.

Has anyone made similar decisions lately? All bathroom-related thoughts are welcome, please?

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