OK, so it’s not that bad. It’s “Blah”. I could easily make it “Look” awesome enough. The problem is that the tub placement is upsetting my living room plan and I JUST CAN’T GET PASSED IT!
That tub…right…there!
It just needs to be 8″ closer to the toilet! There’s room. I realize that would just make this already small bathroom even smaller but what is that weird extra space on the right of the toilet doing for anyone? Really? (It does make a nice place for the new “Flip Top” trash can that Brody can’t get into! (But I’d just put a trash can under the sink if I need to.)
So I’m considering moving the tub over or getting rid of it altogether and just having this be a pretty powder room. The bedroom that this bath “services” will never, not once, be used for Showering as long as we live here.
My question is:
What would you want if you were to walk into my house, if it were on the market?
Would you want two small bedrooms, each with their own bathroom?
Or, would you be OK with an office and one small bedroom with it’s own bath and then another bedroom with a bathroom upstairs (in addition to the master “wing” with bedroom, closet and bathroom AND the guest bedroom and bathroom downstairs)? So, it would still be 4 and 1/2 bathrooms in the house. (I’d just make the half bath upstairs a full bath and the full bath HERE a powder room.)
So, that’s three questions. Help me decide because I’m at an impasse here. I HATE this bathroom and would love to get rid of the tub altogether but I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot when it comes time to sell.
What would you do with this baby?
EDIT: I had to scratch this floorplan out for all those asking for clarification. Sorry it’s so hard to read…I was in a hurry!
Nothing is to scale but you can see where everything is on the main floor. The basement has a GIANT Guest bedroom and bathroom so our guests would NEVER use this TINY spare bedroom. There is a 1600 sq/ft open room upstairs that currently has a half bath. I want to make that a full bath with walk in shower and put in bunk beds so that upstairs would technically be a “bedroom”.
The only way I can see anyone actually wanting to use both of these small rooms as bedrooms is if they had two small children and then they wouldn’t really care if they had to use the en suite bathroom in the one bedroom. Right? Anyone with teenage kids would probably have the teens upstairs in the “Groovy Teen Hangout” room (that isn’t groovy yet but all in due time…)
Jessica says
Maybe instead of having a full tub, you could put in a shower. If you do ever sell that would probably be good enough for most buyers, assuming there’s another tub somewhere else in the house.
Sandra says
If I move the wall in 8″ there won’t be enough room for a shower (I don’t think). It wouldn’t take up less space than that tiny tub anyway.
paige says
I was going to say the same thing, put in a shower and call it a day. Some (older) people might just like having a shower only with no tub. I would!
Linda says
Am I correctly counting 4 bedrooms in all? Is there any way, given the floor plan, the bedroom on that floor can share the full bath if you make this a powder room? Every bedroom having its own bath seems a wee bit excessive.
Without knowing the floor plan as it is (I got totally lost on your video tour), it’s hard to advise, but my gut says make it a powder room.
Sandra says
Yes, there are 4 bedrooms and 4 full bathrooms (and one half bathroom upstairs.)
There is no way to do that. I would have to tear out 2 closets and reconfigure the “private” bath. I’ve considered it but it would just be too much cost and effort.
Jeanette says
I would definitely take the tub out and just make that a half-bath. I also would prefer to have two small bedrooms with their own bathrooms. Much more convenient for guests.
Sandra says
But if I take out the tub then one bedroom won’t have it’s own bathroom. But I’d make that my office and make a new “Bedroom” upstairs with a full bath.
kelly says
Every bedroom having it’s own bathroom seems a bit extreme. A 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath house with an office or den can still resale for as much as a 4 br 4.5 bath house.
I say do a powder room.
Katy says
Ok wait – are you saying that the current floorplan has 4 bedrooms with 4 full baths? And no half bath?
The only way that I want a house that has a bathroom for every bedroom is if the bathrooms are all en suite. Meaning if there are bathrooms that just open out into a hallway next to each bedroom, then that’s unnecessary.
If the bathrooms are not all en suite, rip that out because you need a half bath off the living area.
okay that’s my 2 cents. 🙂
Sandra says
The other small bedroom (Madison’s) has an en suite bathroom so it’s not accessible to the other bedroom. The bathroom I hate has a door from the hallway AND the second small bedroom that we are using as an office.
Katy says
sorry i just saw your comment above
Denise says
Get rid of the tub! An office and powder room would be great. Your house sounds like it has a good bedroom/bath ratio already. I love watching your projects!
Sandra says
Yeah! Office and powder room sounds easy. (Thanks)
Janet says
IF you have a full bath relatively accessible to each bedroom (same floor, don’t have to go through public rooms, hallways ok), then I would remove the tub and make a half-bath.
But that’s gonna leave you with 2+ additional feet in your half bath. Or 2-3′ inset in your living room. Guess you could put built-ins in the living room. Or ????
Sandra says
I can always figure out how to use up extra space. 😀
Amanda S. says
I would get rid of the tub and put in shower (that way it will not likely affect the resale value of the house. )And each bedroom will essentially still have their own bathing quarters. lol
I mean c’mon the master bedroom closet alone would make me want to buy your house!
CateyesMD says
I was thinking the same thing, LOL.
Sandra says
I won’t have room for a shower though. Dilemma continues…
Sarah says
I like the shower idea. personally i have a office (coulda been a bedroom) downstairs with a half bath across the hall. We use it as an office and when we moved in we said it would never be a bedroom. Fast forward a few years and unfortunately my dad is staying with us do to a stroke. I so wish we had put in a shower – not a tub. so that we wouldn’t have to figure out how to get him up stairs to shower. My gut says plan ahead and a shower might be important. I would move it in though to fix the other side of the wall. I noticed too the tile on the floor is cut. to me it’s screaming builder measurement error. Ugghhh…
Janet says
Very good point, Sarah.
Sandra says
There is no room for a walk in shower especially when I move the wall in more. There is a ginormous bathroom and bedroom in the basement but that would be hard for elderly or handicapped. This house has 3 floors so it’s probably not a house that someone in that situation would choose. I suppose if I found myself in that situation, the bath in the other bedroom could be used.
Linda says
Four and a half bathroom! I just have one. And 4 bedrooms. Fine by me, I guess the bath/bedroom exprectations differ a bit per country (I amDutch)
Sandra says
Yes, a little different. 🙂
Amy says
I’ve never lived in a house with more than 2 baths and the house I grew up in had 6 bedrooms! My current house has 5 bedrooms and one bath. A little tight when my husband’s teenage daughter is here, but manageable.
The house I moved out of 3 years ago had only 2 bedrooms and 1 bath, but sold in one month after some quick paint and staging.
That all said, I don’t believe having an excessive number of full baths would be that huge a selling point.
Amanda S. says
Oh, and eliminate a door. No bathroom really needs two ways in/out! Just my two cents though =)
Sandra says
I totally agree! This TINY bathroom definitely only needs one entrance.
Rosalie says
I say put in a shower, make the sink a pedestal sink to make the bathroom feel bigger, and call it good.
Sandra says
Maybe on the pedestal – but a shower would take up as much room as a tub, wouldn’t it?
Megan says
I don’t think you would be shooting yourself in the foot if you made it a half bath..just my two cents. 🙂 Megan
Sandra says
Yeah!
CateyesMD says
I too say make it a power room. You definitely have more than enough “other” bathrooms to accomodate.
You may need, want, or have to disclose when you sell though that there is water access there when you close if up.
Sandra says
Thanks for the vote. I think I need a powder room! 😀
Val says
So this is the tub that juts out into that “closet” that is no more? Please tell me it doesn’t jut out to the right of the shower head- it makes that extra space next to the toliet even more goofy if is does! Are you able to maybe draw a pic of the floor plan and scan it in for us to look at? I am thinking pedestal sink, small shower and maybe some type of linen closet but I need to see the floor plan to understand why you think a shower would be too big?
Sandra says
Floorplan added. The shower/tub did get bumped out to the right of where it needed to be. SO DUMB! Uggggh!
Stephanie says
Maybe you could do one of those fancy open showers like this so you could move the wall a little closer to the toilet. It would never be a deal breaker for me to not have a full bath connect to every bedroom, but it is a huge plus since you already have it. Especially since the room you’re using as an office seems to be a logical place for a guest room for future buyers.
Sandra says
Very pretty inspiration rooms. Wish I had a bit more room!
Val says
Doh, just took a look at all of the pics again. Wondering if the other door is on the wall to the left of the shower? Another grand idea (I am all about grand ideas) since the rough ins are there– could you: 1) Close off the door to the left of the sink. 2) Take the sink out. Put a small diagonal shower where the sink is. Put a sink where the shower is. I don’t know that I am sharing my thoughts well, might need to send ya a pic, lol.
Sandra says
Interesting option I had not thought of! It might be weird to enter the bathroom with the shower being the first thing you see…but it might work – space wise.
liz says
That is NOT a small bathroom. The bathroom I just had redone in my NY west village studio is 4′ x 7’11. I think it’s always nice having another full bathroom. I’d rip that tub right out and put a groovy standing shower. Get some of those great gorgeous spa tiles and put a glass door up. I love having a bath and shower on the first floor, it’s great for guests.
Sandra says
I think my wide angle lens distorts the picture because it is small. Very small.
SN Harden says
Hi Sandra
My wife follows your blog here in Australia and she loves it. Being a builder myself she asked me for a few ideas about this bathroom. First if you have 4 full baths now why on earth do you need another one even if it is a half bath. Most houses only have at most 2 full baths and alot more have only one so why not make it a study or maybe a library or even a craft room. Another bath just seems a little over the top to me. Or even it could become just storage for whatever. Anyway good luck and always think outside the square. Also when it comes to resale I don’t think one more bath or shower is gonna make a dimes worth of difference when you decide to sell considering how many baths you already have.
Sandra says
Thanks for your input. I think I regularly think outside the square! LOL The only downside to tearing it out is that the other two bathrooms on that floor are both en suite baths and not accessible outside their designated bedroom. I do agree with you that making that other small bedroom an office/craft room… will make it OK to have just a powder room there. Sweet.
Lynne says
I would be totally okay with a small powder room there. It would not phase me at all to not have the tub if I were a buyer. From what you’ve described it sounds like there are sufficient bathrooms to meet the needs of each bedroom already. I say out with the tub!!! 🙂
Sandra says
Sweet! Thanks for your 2 cents!!
Megan says
I think the best bang for your buck is to rip out the tub because
1. Who likes those enclosed tub/shower combos anyway? They are U-G-L-Y.
2. Replace that bad boy with a walk-in shower. You still get the benefit of having a “full” bathroom for resale purposes, washing the dog, cleaning stuff, putting in pretty new tile, etc.
3. You get your extra space that that you want!
If you have other tubs in the house for resale purposes it is not going to make a HUGE difference if you have 1 less tub in your house. I ripped out our master bathroom shower and LOVED the walk in shower. I think tubs are nasty so I am more of a walk in shower girl.
Good luck. I know whatever you decide it will turn out great!
Meg
Sandra says
Wish I had enough room for a shower. It seems to be a popular choice. If I move the wall in, there won’t be much room for anything.
Krys72599 says
Since I’m living in a 5 bedroom/2.5 bathroom home configured like this (basement with powder room, 1st floor with no bathroom, 2nd floor with 3 bedrooms and 1 separate bath, and an attic with 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath in between the 2), I’m okay with the powder room.
I say take out the tub, close the door to the office, make it a powder room, and call it a day!
And a great house!!!
Krys72599 says
Actually, it’s a basement with a toilet in a room and a work sink outside it…
Sandra says
Goodness, that sounds like an interesting house you live in. Big and interesting. One door powder room vote – noted. 😀
Amy C says
Is this bathroom near the kitchen? It sounds to me like having it be a half bath would be fine, and that is one less bath/shower for you or a future owner to have to clean. 🙂 Are there any other full baths on the main level, with the bedroom(s)?
Sandra says
Yep, it’s near the kitchen and there’s another bathroom IN the other bedroom.
m @ random musings says
I agree with the peeps before me who say yank out the tub, move that annoying wall and replace it with a shower. You can get custom liner pans online, so really *any* size is possible – and using tile instead of that fiberglass unit is sooooo much classier 😉
Regarding the location of full/powder baths: We use our den (on the main floor) as a spare bedroom sometimes, and it is a pita for our guests with bad knees to have to walk upstairs to use the shower. My vote is any configuration that allows for a toilet + shower (or bathtub) on each floor that has a bedroom is ideal. I’m guessing that your house is fancy-pants enough so the plumbing isn’t all in one wall; having a shower on a different line is really nice for dealing with clogged lines/reno work.
Whether to have an office or two bedrooms: umm, I’m a little confused by your description of how many bedrooms are already in the house. But….. it is awfully nice to have extra closet space to organize [read: hide] stuff. Even if you just use it as an office for now.
Sandra says
I’m pretty sure this house is not fancy pants in the least! Doubt there is a separate plumbing line for the shower. Would be nice…
RN Kris says
I have to say I think moving the shower/bath inward and making it just a shower. You could even do a corner shower if space is a huge consideration but walk-in shower on the first level is a huge re-sell draw because it helps with older/ailing relatives and my mother just spent MONTHS house-hunting trying to find that exact setup and it’d be a fun DIY job too! (I just got done doing it and loved it, personally)
Sandra says
No space for a shower if I move that wall in. Darn, ’cause that seems to be a popular suggestion.
Connie in Hartwood says
If you have enough clearance to move the tub, I vote to move it. It’s the simplest solution to your problem.
Connie
Sandra says
Move it or take it out. I’m considering both. Is that any closer to a decision? LOL
Wendy says
Ummm, so w/o knowing what your foundation is or how accessible your plumbing is, my vote is to rip out the tub move the wall in and replace it with a shower with no threshhold if you can; that way you get the ‘accessability’ aspect that is so handy when gma and gpa come to visit… and I agree full baths are a good thing when you have company often… and there are two openings into this bathroom? which one are you going to close in? Could you perhaps flip the tub and vanity? … hummmm … can’t wait to see what you decide; I know it will be the right thing…
Sandra says
You want to make more work for me reconfiguring the whole room, hmmm? LOL I want easy but smart. Definitely closing the door from the bedroom and leaving the door in the hallway. Guests need somewhere to “powder their noses”.
Liz VanKirk says
I say lose the shower all together and have a nice spacious 1/2 bath- powder room. You would get what you want for space in the living room. You could even possibly build a built in there or something. Can’t wait for your desicion!
Sandra says
Yes! (I think I love the Powder Room votes!)
sondra says
I would get rid of the tub and make that bedroom an office and close off that door. You could turn this into a really nice powder room! I think you have plenty of full baths to worry and this one. JMO
Sandra says
Thank you for your JMO. I appreciate it!!!
And I like it. 🙂
Barbara says
Hi there…I’m in agreement with all the comments suggesting….pull out the tub & install a shower….and 2…get rid of the door into the bedroom office that’s a lot of wasted realestate with 2 doors…and you’ll be able to install a small storage/shelving unit for toiletries & guest towels. Really…noone will mind walking into the hall to use the bathroom. Ensuite is overrated in this case.
Sandra says
No room for a shower if I pull that wall in though I will get rid of tat second door. Wha’s up with that?
Donna G. says
I vote powder room! I would love to do that to my main floor bathroom.
Sandra says
Great!
Diane Y says
Dump the bathtub! If you’re adding a full bath upstairs by most of the bedrooms, just pull out the tub and make an AWESOME looking powder room. I bet just making it beautiful would more than cover anything you might “lose” by taking the tub out.
Sandra says
Awesome! Thanks for your vote.
Amanda says
I know you are getting loads of comments, but, I thought I would chime in too. If you move the tub over, how does that affect the accessibility of comfortably reaching the tub filler? Also, if you want to replace the tub with a shower, it’s nice to have 36″ depth of finished shower space for a comfortable shower. How much is left when you move the wall closer to the toliet? If you don’t have space for a comfortable shower then I say close up one of the openings, lose the tub and convert it to a powder room for guests who are visiting for dinner etc.
Alternatively, can you close up a doorway and rejig the configuration of the fixtures and gain some space with a better layout?
Sandra says
There definitely won’t be enough room for a shower with the wall moved in. I think I’ll for sure remove that second door.
Diane Y says
Of course, I may be biased…I was just telling my husband that I wanted to do pretty much the exact same thing in our main floor bathroom …but I wouldn’t be adding another shower upstairs.
Sandra says
Maybe I won’t either. LOL Just trying to make the best decision. Where is that crystal ball?
Lynn R says
Having lived in a very large house as a kid, and having a summer home as well, my vote is this: go powder room! You can make it a much nicer powder room than it would otherwise be, a powder room has a different feel to it for guests…. nicer and more “just for them”. I don’t think that other 2 bedroom with one having it’s own bath is a big deal. Easy enough to work around, and turning the one into an office is a great solution. Every house needs an office!
You know you want to get rid of that tub. Just do it.
Sandra says
I agree. A powder room would be much nicer…
Cheri says
Jumping in with my thoughts:
You might want to run this by a local realtor who “specializes” in your area of town. It’s good to know what the buyers are looking for, and seeing in your ‘hood.
Have you thought of making it a wheel chair- accessible shower area? install a wider door, remove the tub insert, and you’ll gain a few inches on the walls. Move that ill-placed wall to its rightful spot. Tile the walls, and make a shower without a “curb.” I’ve seen it in a guest room a friend put in her home (on the main floor) and it is lovely. Even if you never have a wheel chair-bound guest, you may have family members who have knee, ankle, or foot issues… (my hubs had major knee surgery at 50).
Sandra says
Talking to a Realtor is a really good idea Cheri. Thanks.
Mhairi says
This might seem like a strange idea but why can’t you delete that room all together. If you changed the room and created a media room/office/studio type room then there is no need to have a bathroom at all. If you want to leave something then a toilet will suffice. If you continue with your plan to create rooms upstairs then the number of bedrooms will increase and you can change this room’s (that is causing so many problems) purpose. If you remove the closet and create a media centre then use blockout curtains you would have a great cinema room.
I do not think that removing the bath would change the value of the house. I think that the house is large enough to accommodate this change and that in the end you will be happier with the house and you are the one who has to live in it.
Good luck with whatever you decide, I look forward to seeing how you deal with this problem.
Sandra says
Well I want at least a powder room so guests have somewhere to “do what they need to do” so I don’t want to get rid of it completely.
Beckie says
What are you using the small living room for? Honestly, I would open up the walls to the formal living room and make a bigger bathroom and a larger bedroom/office. Not sure how big your family room is, but when we designed our house, we chose NOT to have a formal living room. It has worked out well. Also, to resell the house, the larger bedroom/bathroom setting could be used for a handicap-accessible setting. Our master bedroom is on the second floor, but when I had my knee replacement, I was grateful to be able to be on the first floor with a full bath and room, etc. That just my 2 cents. Love your abilities!
Sandra says
I don’t like that everything on this side of the house is so small. 🙁 But, I don’t want to lose the openness that living room created after I tore the wall out. If it were a closed wall in the main hallway, it would feel small and closed in the main part of the house as apposed to that back bedroom. I’d rather have the space in the main area. I would opt out of the formal LR if our living room were larger though. Good idea.
Emma says
Easy! Powder room and delete one door. Oh, I wish I had this problem!
Sandra says
I’m leaning…
Megan says
Ditta above: easy, powder room with a single door, done. For me, I’d much rather buy a house with a functional living space plan than with an excessive number of bathrooms.
Sandra says
Yeah, yeah, yeah! (It might be because I think this will be the easiest but I think most people are voting for the powder room) 😀
Katie says
If you were going to make the office a true office, with built-ins (something unchangeable by the future owners), then I would say make the bathroom a powder room. However if you keep the office an ambiguous undefined space I would say leave the tub.
I’ve been recently looking at buying a house, and if I had decided that the “small bedroom 2” room in question was going to be my new guest bedroom I would be annoyed that they wouldn’t have their own shower/tub and would have to share with the “small bedroom 1”. My thought is if you define the space, then there wont be a problem when future buyers are looking.
Hope this helps. I just found your site and your projects are totally amazing.
Sandra says
Good points Katie. Thanks for your input.
And Welcome! 😀
Wendy says
Ok, another thought. If the walk in closet is big enough, could you switch the guest room closet with the bath room? I mean if the other bath is so close, it might be easy to move the plumbing??? Then just move the fixtures ….I know easier said than done, been there, but just a thought.
Sandra says
I think I need to call in a plumber to see about that. Maybe an option.
Mary says
It’s really too bad that you couldn’t change things around to create one Jack & Jill bathroom that both bedrooms could share, especially since both bedrooms and both bathrooms are so small. Then both bedrooms would still have access to a full bath and it wouldn’t seem like as much of a loss if the tub was completely taken out of the second bath. But I do get it that it would be a real pain to do that with your existing floor plan.
That said, I think I agree with the others who said they would change out the tub for a really nice tiled walk in shower (the kind without a door or curtain), move it closer to the toilet to give you the space you want in the living room and close off the door to the bedroom.
I think that with the cost of long term care skyrocketing and the average age of the population in general rising, there are going to be more and more extended families sharing living space. As others have noted, having even one bathroom with a handicap accessible shower could be a huge plus to future buyers.
Sandra says
Those bedrooms need a Jack and Jill! It’s the logical solution. I’m going to have a plumber come in and check it out. Love the ideas. Thanks so much!
Mary says
My hubby is a plumber, and one of his first projects once we move at the end of May will be to add another 3/4 or full bath in the basement where my work space / craft room will be. 🙂 It’s SO nice having a plumber (and painters!) in the family!
Traci says
My vote is for the powder room. Every house should have one that guests can use. And with the bedroom being converted to an office a powder room just makes more sense. I would make the office a dedicated office/study space with some built in bookcases and maybe a nice window seat. We are looking at converting a one car garage into my hubby’s man cave with a storage room in back for a freezer/extra fridge and other “stuff”. Just a thought!
Linda @ MyCraftyHomeLife says
This is so easy for me. Just a powder room. A friend of mine has a “hall bath” with a shower, no tub…and when she has company, they (I) must use it. I hate feeling like I am in their private space. Well organized, but still…shampoo, towels…not a guest feeling at all!
Maureen says
Sandra,
I haven’t read every comment so I hope I’m not repeating anyone and wasting your time.
Now that I have a better idea as to your layout and that the other room is going to be your office, I say make the hated bathroom a powder room. Wih the extra two feet or so from where the tub was, make that a storage wall with cabinet doors to cover up the linens or candle sticks or whatever is in there. Line up the wall in the living room so that is even and looks more cohesive.
The room that is going to be your office – if you are going to use it as an office then make sure that everyone that may buy this house in the future knows it’s an office or library by making built-ins to house books or DVDs or…
I know that the built in closet in the bathroom and the shelving type units for the office are much more work for you but you would be working with a clean slate basically and could make it as you want it.
As for the room upstairs, you want to make that a full bath and if I remember that room is huge. It could be split into two bedrooms for resale value and then those rooms would share said bath.
I hoped I helped.
Maureen
Tami says
I, too, had to chime in…
When we built our huge (not so much now) home with one child, pregnant with the second we were so excited to have a guest room. We laugh now that we have four kids and are tucking them into every corner, no guests here :)Our “kids” bath is configured as yours is and I’m wanting to tear out the tub combo and build a tile walk-in shower. You know the specs a whole lot better than I, but have you considered turning the shower so that it is situated next to the toilet but entered from the hall wall side (within the bath of course!)? I know you say there isn’t enough room, and not to second guess, but wondering if that could work instead for both of us! I love watching your projects, especially the time lapse videos, so great! My husband, I’m sure, doesn’t like that I enjoy it!
On that note, should my idea not be possible, lose the tub and leave the plumbing in the wall for future buyers’ reno. Lose the door, or install a pocket door!
Can’t wait to see your decision come to fruition! Living vicariously, I guess!
Peter Pepper says
Main floor, common area? Get rid of the bath. I wouldn’t want Grandma to walk out of the shower into the family room.
The real estate listing won’t reflect the location of all those bathrooms, anyways. Just extra selling power I guess?
cheryl says
Oh. My. Goodness! Get rid of that doggone thing and put in a closet or something useful. Having the extra shower adds something to the “paper” listing, but what’s more important than the number of full baths in a house is useful, purposeful, well-planned space and that shower does absolutely nothing for it. I’ve always been annoyed at those full bathrooms in the downstairs where a half bath would have been perfectly OK. The only time I would see this being useful is if you had someone in your home with special physical needs, but then the bathroom would have to be redone anyway since that toilet right in the middle would be difficult to access. OY! Go with yer gut, lady!
LoriD says
Oh, definitely make it a powder room. You have so many full baths, I don’t think it will make any difference at all on resale. One less tub to clean!
Tiffany says
IMHO- powder room it is. dump the tub.
You are such an inspiration. I love your courage for jumping in and fixing what you don’t like. I can’t wait to see your progress!
Christy says
If you are doing it just for you, not considering resale, I would go for the powder room. But, if you ever have to sell, having two bedrooms that don’t have access to a tub or shower without going through another bedroom becomes a problem. My MIL had a very customized house similar to this. HUGE master suite downstairs with his and hers bathrooms (yes, two full bathrooms accessible only through the bedroom) plus a half bath in a hallway. Upstairs were three bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths. The half bath opened to the hallway, but the full bath was ensuite to one bedroom. It took forever for it to sell with the strange configuration. No one wants their guests (or a sibling) to have to access shower facilities through another bedroom.
Pam says
My vote goes to taking out the tub and it becoming a powder room. It isn’t necessary with all the others in the home. Can’t wait to see the progress on this one!
Laura :) says
Rip out that annoying tub and don’t look back!! Powder rooms are where it’s at, baby!! 😀
Lynda says
Rip out that tub! It seems everyone is looking for houses with home office space now anyways so I think a powder room would be just fine.
I’m all about the powder room. I’m always a little weirded out when I’m just visiting someone and have to use the bathroom in a full bath. I feel like I’m invading their personal space…but that’s just me.
Alaina says
I have read most of the comments and I have to agree with the get rid of the tub and an extra door. Due to already having a bedroom with an attached bath downstairs is plenty. However, I would not get rid of the idea of having a 1/2 bathroom downstairs because coming from a mom with three kids, that bathroom will get used a lot. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Cindy says
As a Realtor I would advise to never take away a bath for resale. You never know what the next owner wants/needs?
Carla says
What if you make that bathroom into a half bath, and turn your half bath upstairs into a full bath? That way you still have the same number of full baths when it’s time to resale.
Carla says
Sorry, just saw that was one of the things you suggested. I would definitely go with that option.
Banana says
My vote is to get rid of the tub and make it a powder room. It will be a really nice and big powder room. My initial thought was that you should never get rid of a bathroom for resale value. However, if I’m understanding right, then a half bath upstairs will become a full and you still have the exact same amount of baths that you started with. Go with what will work best for your family. Everybody’s situation is different. If you will never ever use the tub, then get rid of it and make the house flow better for you.
Lynda says
Another vote for the half bath. If you ever sell, then play up the office/bonus room feature to the hilt! You have enough bathrooms for heavens sake!
~ Lynda
River Babe says
My two cents (a little late). Make it a powder room. If you only have a daughter and have guests who need to be on the main floor, she can go stay in another room for the weekend. I would be in heaven with 5 kids and have 4 full bathrooms. And I echo the comment, “with a closet like yours who cares if there is another full bath” Amen! Good luck!
Nancy says
Tear the darn tub out!! MY attitude is, I want the house to be the way I want to live in it and I’m darned if I’m going to compromise for the sake of whoever comes after me!!
Bj says
My 2 cents … make it a pedistal sink, thin toilet and bring the tub closer. When you go to feel it … it will sell easier if it can still be used as a bedroom. Not many people want to walk into another bedroom to take a shower/bath. Just sayin’.
Hugs,
Bj
PS I can’t wait to see what you do! 🙂
Bj says
That was to say … “when you go to sell it” not feel. LOL
Roisin says
Either get rid of the tub and replace with a shower or just leave the toilet & sink.
Sharon says
It looks like you may have made up your mind…..but I vote for tearing out the bathtub and having it be a powder room. When you have guests visit for a few hours a PR is much nicer for them to use. I would use the small room for an office too, which only needs a PR. If you did have so many overnight guests you needed to use the office, they could share a bath area. I think a PR downstairs is more appealing and marketable than the excess you currently have.
Thanks for sharing your project!
jl says
I didn’t read all the comments [my bad] but I think having a bath tub backing on the walls of your living room is sort of weird. Even in the tiniest houses I’ve lived in the bath tub backed the bed room. Here it backs public space. Not so private. Get rid of it. That’s my vote.
Kathy says
I vote with “Lose the Tub”.
Plus, it’ll feel great to right one of the “wrongs” in this house!
Carrie says
No brainer. Make it a powder room and one of the bedrooms becomes an office. Our only bathroom on our main floor is a powder room and really, that’s all you need if there is another bathroom for the bedrooms.
(There’s no such thing as an excessive amnt. of bathrooms. We have 5 bedrooms (& 5 kids) all w/ en suite bathrooms and it’s awesome. “Hey kids! Everyone hit the showers” It does help having 2 water heaters for that purpose :))
liz says
Leaving to bath onsuite with that bedroom refigure the entire other rooms into 2 berooms with a jack and jill bath and try to use the plumbing in that area for that jack and jill Its seems like a lot but between the formal LR bath and office I think you canget2 bedroon and a bath but I dont see the sizesof the rooms