My wife and I are looking to sell our house in the next few years to upgrade, but not in the immediate future. It is a small house built in the 1940s, one stall garage, 3bd, 1 and 1/2 bathrooms, one and 1/2 story in a small town, probably in the 140k price range. So a starter house that "needs" no immediate repairs. We are looking to do a bathroom remodel on the main level, the bathroom is small and space wise it is what it is, I am not looking out walls to expand it. Right now it has a bathtub/shower combo in there, I would prefer a to not have a bathtub, just replace the bathtub with the same size shower stall with glass doors and no tub. There is no other bathtub or shower in the house. Would the lack of a bathtub in the whole house be a negative for very many buyers? A family with young kids? Am I the only one that thinks a bathtub is a stupid waste of space?

 

I think it would reduce your pool of potential buyers. If you had a second bathroom, it would be ok to not have a tub in one, but to have no tub at all in the house might be a deal breaker for a lot of people.

 

No such thing as way off topic. That's what this section is for, after all.

 

ROI is typically 70-80% but that depends on several factors such as market, how far of a renovation is done, and quality of work and fixtures. I am remodeling a house now and to determine the level I go to I am running local comparables to gauge what level I need to go to, since we are on the beach and just a few minutes from the French border on the Med people expect higher end finishes, but in a smaller town more people will respond better to a mid level job because I mean going too far will price yourself out of the market. Look at regional ROI but national average is a return of about $1.70 per $1.00 spent.
Giving the basic description of the bad/ bath ratio not having a tub would discourage young families so look at the buyers market and build what will attract the most buyers.

 

Yes it would lower you value by about $10,000.00 and once people either read that there is no tub or found out upon a walkthrough they'd pass on it.
For most young families with small children or planning on having one a tub is a must & they sure don't want to buy a house where they'll have to pay to renovate to install one

 

Put in a SHOWER ONLY if you are going to keep the house for a while. Use the Schluter shower system tile it up and be done. Make it big enough so you can have nookie in it also. If your going to stay there for a while if not then: BUT now let me take a guess.

A real guess says the Realtor says to do it. AND the realtor will always say yes do it you will raise for sale price. BUT you'll get about 3/4 of what you paid back. ITS all about raising the sale price so that the realtors pay is higher. Next thing is DON'T USE a REALTOR!!! DON'T!!!!!

 

I wouldn’t even go and look at a house that didn’t have a tub.

 

Most women like bath tubs
If you are big on a shower why not create an outside shower?

 

The tub and surround are old and shitty looking and need to go anyway, it is just a question of what it gets replaced with. The half bath is fine as is, i am not messing with it beyond maybe paint. I am glad i asked, i am suprised at how many people would pass because of the lack of a tub. After reading this I think we will just do a new tub/shower and surround with glass doors and go from there.

 

As far as an outdoor shower, that wouldnt be very practical for me, its just to cold here 9 months of the year, also my main goal is to get rid of the eyesore that is there now

 

The house is in a decent neighborhood of older houses close to the elementary school, I really think that is our market, young families. It doues not have the square footage for a larger family, and it has to many stairs for old farts. So having said that, I really want to avoid loosing out young couples, and there are alot of houses for sale just a bit higher priced than mine, so i dont think it makes sense to drive the price up, I really just want what is there to look presentable

 

Here's what a cheap bastardo like me would do. Just do a nice job with the remodel by putting in a new tub/shower combo with nice fixtures and new tile.
It will serve the purpose, look clean and new and maintain your resale value.

 

Whatever you do don't go for one of those bath refitter jobs, you know where they place a plastic tub covering over your old tub with the plastic wall covering attached. It makes the buyer wonder what you are trying to hide. (rotting wood,walls,mould,etc.) And home inspectors really advise their clients to demand you replace it or knock $$$ off their offer.

 

I would not buy a house without a tub. While I hardly use mine for me, it came in handy when I had young kids. Plus I have a dog so she gets bathed in the tub.

 

My cousin is redoing the entire house.
From 2br 2bath, garage, add on den.
To a 3br. 2bath, making garage dinningroom. Den third br.
Both bathrooms will have walking showers only..
It was built in the late forties early fifties. He's lived there over 20 years.
Old cloth covered wiring. Lead waters pipe under house started leaking.