Should You Keep the Bath in Your Bathroom Renovation?

For many homeowners planning a renovation, one question comes up again and again:

Should we keep the bath, or remove it altogether?

We hear this every third quote we attend — and while there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, there are some clear trends emerging.

Most homeowners today are choosing comfort, space, and function over holding onto a bath they never use. In fact, in around 7 out of every 10 bathrooms we renovate, the bath is removed.

Do You Actually Use the Bath?

This is the first question we ask — and for many people, the honest answer is no.

The bath often becomes a place for laundry, storage, or just collects dust. If no one in the house is using it, it’s worth asking whether it’s really earning its place in the room.

Removing the bath allows for a larger, more open shower — often with walk-in access, a strip drain, and a layout that feels spacious and modern. No more cramped showers squeezed beside a tub. Just a space that’s easy to enjoy every day.

But What About Resale?

Understandably, some clients worry that removing the bath could hurt their future resale value. In our experience, this is rarely the case.

Buyers today often prefer a large, luxurious shower over a bath they won’t use. In fact, we’ve had clients purchase homes with freshly renovated bathrooms only to call us in and ask us to re-renovate and take the bath out.

By contrast, we’ve never been asked to install a bath in a newly renovated bathroom that didn’t already have one.

So, What’s the Right Choice?

If you use the bath regularly — absolutely, keep it. But if it’s just taking up space, don’t hold onto it purely for resale value 10 years down the track. Renovate for your lifestyle now.