Use market trends in deciding on a bath, shower or both

Read article : Use market trends in deciding on a bath, shower or both

Actress Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in the famous shower scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film |Psycho.|" />

Actress Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in the famous shower scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film
Psycho.

TO bath or shower? That is the question.

I am not inquiring about whether you would rather have a relaxing soak or an invigorating shower.

I would like to focus on the decisions to be made if you are in the throes of planning renovations or extensions, or are about to build your new home.

In today’s modern housing market how do you decide on bath or shower?

Always include one bath or is it not worth the bother?

Are baths still relevant in all homes?

I was hoping to provide some up to date, recent in-depth research statistics about what Aussies want in terms of baths and showers in their homes, as considerable research has been undertaken about the water consumption for each washing option.

Like research showing that us Australian types are washing more frequently than other nationalities.

But these reports failed to focus on the simple question: do Aussies prefer a bath or shower given the choice?

Not forgetting the combination option of a bath with a shower over it.

So I will use my understanding and knowledge of the real estate market and its general preferences.

In my experience I would say the following rules apply generally, but of course there will always be exceptions.

■ In one or two-bedroom properties, or where every square metre is at a premium, the walk-in shower tends to rule.

Undersized baths or showers over a bath are usually not as popular.

We would usually swap a compromised bath option for an oversized shower in this property type.

■ For the more compact three bedders, townhouses, villas or some units, this can be a little more complex, as that extra accommodation can attract small families.

So including a bath in one bathroom could make sense.

But in a one-bathroom home go with the oversized shower as the bath/shower combo is rarely sought after.

However, minimum size baths are not ideal, so unless you can fit a bath 1650mm in length or more, don’t bother.

■ For larger homes, at least one bath is still a desirable and preferred option.

That bath should still be of a reasonable size — ideally 1800mm in length or more — but not too large.

Buyers might look at the huge bath as having little advantage with the cost and time to fill it up being rather prohibitive.

If you only plan one bath for the larger home that is usually enough, unless the property is at the upper end of the market.

But the question is where to locate this. In a family home, ideally the one bath is located in the family bathroom.

Alternative placement is within the main bedroom, ideally not in an open-plan design form, as other family members might want bathing privacy.

As a general guide, the small spa bath and the corner bath are all generally out of favour in my opinion across all property types.

The bath-in-the-room concept is often perceived as a luxurious option but not ideal if it is the only bath.

Baths are always popular for families, especially if you have young children, cold winters or quite simply a large home.

The shower I believe is king overall but most seem to dislike the standard size shower of 900mm x 900mm.

So go those extra few millimetres, minimise glass screen areas as they just need constant cleaning and don’t forget the recessed niche to place your shower products, ideally on a wall out of sight from the main space.

Andrew Winter is host of Selling Houses Australia on Lifestyle