In a few weeks time it's likely that some long-term tenants will be moving out of a 2 bed flat that we rent-out and I'm tempted to take the opportunity to gut and renew the bathroom. It's a smallish room and I'm wondering whether to fit a walk-in shower rather than a bath with a shower over it. What's the opinion of the assembled experts, and those who rent? Would you rather have a good walk-in shower, or a bath?
Dave Who hasn't had a bath for 20 years ;-)
Personally I prefer showers but spouse prefers baths. The trendy option would be to have your walk in shower or wet room but the practical solution is what you've already got - a bath with a shower in it, more or less pleases everyone.
It really depends who your target market is. For example - a couple with a very young kid are definitely going to want a bath tub... an elderly person or couple may well not be able to climb out of a tub, so will definitely want a shower... young professionals will probably want to be able to jump in and out of a shower quickly, but may still want to relax in a bath after a long day's work.
Personally (as a landlord) I hedge my bets by always providing a tub (even if only a shorty one) with a shower over; and the shower is always a proper, decently powerful one with a separate mixer valve, not a hose-on-the-tap job. I also go for fold-away screens which work very well I find for bet-hedging purposes (and without the mould and wet-leg-clinging connations of shower curtains).
David
+1
Everyone wants a shower for speed - but to not have a bath would be a bad mistake and as they can be conbined reasonably well, why not?
Is that really so? Some elderly might have problems bending down to wash feet etc in a shower. I'm not quite at that stage yet ;-) but I thought a walk in bath was the ideal for the elderly? But perhaps a shower with a seat might be as good - and take up less room.
As a renter I personally would not rent if there was no bath. (Unless it was exceptionally cheap!)
When I've ended up in the disabled suite in a hotel, it's always a shower, and no bath. The shower always has a chair available for it, so you can sit down.
Having dealt with my late mother's bathing problems, I'd say that a walk-in shower with a seat (either portable or fixed) would be ideal. The shower should have a longish hose and an adjustable height (sliding bar type). Getting in and out of a tub can be dangerous for those with limited mobility and/or balance problems, requiring assistance from others - which can mean a loss of personal dignity. Sensibly placed grab-bars and a non-slip surface are also essential.
i am in a rented house with a shower, and i bloody hate it, but i have arthritis and other bone/joint/muscle problems, and a good soak in a hot bath would do me a world of good, instead i have to be supported in the shower which is installed so the door opens against the sink, so can only open 1/3 of the way,
So a bath with a shower at the end would please everyone, as it's not that difficult to step over the bath side for most people to have a shower, but it's pretty hard to have a bath in a shower cubicle :)
I'm happy with a walk in shower provided it has enough space, standard square shower trays are too small me. Having said that I'd not be keen on a place without a bath, being able to sit and soak after a hard day is very relaxing.
So I'd much prefer a bath with shower over with a screen not a curtain and a "shower bath" to give the space at the shower end.
Yes - I've seen similar. Although what an hotel or similar short stay place provides might not be the best for home. Other thing is many standard shower cubicles wouldn't be big enough for a seat?
I'm 70 and not at all disabled but I struggle to get out of a bath. Stiffness and lack of strength are the problem even if you're fit. I only ever use a shower. I don't need a seat - yet.
Another Dave
AOL.
Owain
They aren't.
The shower here isn't a standard cubicle, it's a tiled enclosure with a flat floor, and a little bit bigger than most. This meant when I had my bust hip, I could get in the shower with a zimmer to support me.
Hotel disabled showers are enormous IME (wet rooms rather than distinct cubicles) and thus great. A walk in bath was also pretty good grandmother-in-law's one had grab rails too, which made it very easy.
That bath was a pretty poor bath though. The door means you have to sit in the bath while it empties, getting colder, rather than emerging from nice warm water into a warm towel. The "Bath Knight" motorised lifting belt thing seemed much better.
To the OP - so long as there's decent flow, space to stand, and whatever panel/curtain is fitted doesn't actually leak, a shower in a bath is fine for able bodied people and allows the choice of both. As a landlord, it's in your interests to keep it from leaking :-)
But fit a bath designed to have a shower over it. Nothing more annoying than not being able to get under the shower due to the slope at the end of the bath.
MBQ
ie fit the shower over the plug end on a normal bath or fit a shower bath.
And me.
This I think is getting away from the OP's original question If someone was that disabled living there then yes such adaptations are in order but for the usual public a bath with a decent power shower, a simple one like the Mira Event or similar is the best of both worlds..
I never use the bath, well too tall to fit, and SWMBO doesn't like bath's either but Wifey One loved spending hours soaking in a bath so no telling who your renters will be or want so cater for them both as it were..
But do make sure that the screen or curtain does contain the water OK don't really want any damp ceilings;).
And make sure the seal around the bath is easily clean-able and well done .. don't want any seepage either.....
In article , Gazz scribeth thus
FWIW Gazz.. I'm a bit bu^^ered in the joint dept and like the shower but in one room we have an enclosure and thats restrictive size wise for me, but the other thats a long curtain around the bath which I find a - lot- easier to move about in:)...
+1.
SWMBO has moaned about hotels with no baths. And then showered in the ones that have them...
Baths are much better for small kids and for doing the laundry.
Andy
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.