For new age homebuyers an issue which hounds them is whether they should pay extra and opt for a house with a bathroom fitted with a bathtub or should they forgo the same.
Tired after a long day at work fighting the stress, traffic and the risk of picking up the virus you step into your house, leave your belongings at the entrance and walk straight into the bathroom and shedding your apparel in the laundry basket plonk yourself into your bathtub … sounds heavenly, eh?
With escalated stress and muscle aches bathtubs are fast emerging as a mandate in new age structures. Gone are the days when a bathtub was treated as a luxury; today it’s fast becoming an essential in most upper middle class households. However, the reviews say that customers nowadays feel that a bathtub is a waste of space and can be used for something more important like vanity or cabinet space or a shower area. They say that no one has time for soaking in tub anymore… But no one can deny the fact that bathtubs eat into a lot of resources – space, finances and time. Additionally, you can shower in a bathtub, but you can’t bathe in a shower.
Gharpedia brings you a lowdown of the bathroom with bathtub through this blog.
Bathroom with Bathtub Pros and Cons
Well before you take the plunge and re-work on your house renovation budget it’s important to cast a glance at the advantages and disadvantages of fitting a bathtub in your bathroom –
Benefits of Having a Bathtub in Bathroom:
- Bathtubs are the perfect solution to relax your sore muscles
- They are best suited for households with small children as it facilitates bathing them vis-à-vis showers
- Bathtubs come in – a plethora of sizes to suit bathrooms of any size; and a huge variety of designs in terms of style, material, tile surrounds et al.
- If you opt for freestanding bathtubs then as they are finished from all sides they can be placed practically anywhere
- Bathtubs provide you with a range of special functions and features like – air jets, whirlpool versions, et al.
Drawbacks of Having a Bathtub in Bathroom:
- Most bathtubs pose a challenge for older people and people with injuries in terms of stepping in and out
- They occupy a huge amount of space so are not the best options for flats
- Bathtubs demand loads of water throwing out of the window your pledge to be a water conservationist!
- In winter and perhaps even in chilly monsoons a water heater with required capacity is a mandate in order to fill up the tub with hot water
- Bathtubs exercise your patience and consume your time! As you need to fill the tub, continuously check the temperature of the water and then only can you step in and bathe.
Well in a nutshell for households with the following characteristics – financially sturdy; children aged below 5 years; no senior citizens or physically challenged members; abundant space; and members blessed with patience and time and a lesser concern about saving their carbon footprint – bathtubs are the perfect solution to their bathing woes. If any of these criteria doesn’t fit your household then it would be wiser to let bathtubs remain in the bathroom fitting and accessories showroom!
Gharpedia would like to reiterate – bathtub bathing requires a lot of time which unfortunately is paucity in the fast-paced modern era life. Informal chats with Gharpedia patrons reveals that barring children hardly a handful of people are able to afford the luxury (in terms of time) to use the bathtub. The balance segment prefers a quick shower any day!
Types of Bathtubs
Well if you’ve decided to fit your bathroom with bathtub as it’s more of an essential than a luxury in your case then the first step to take is to brainstorm with your family and your interior designer on the specific size, style and colour that will perfectly complement your style and fulfil your bathing needs.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the popular bathtub variants available in the market –
01. Walk-in Bathtubs:
These are the best option for households accommodating elderly and physically challenged as they are fitted out with doors which open and close very near to the floor doing away with the need for lifting and bending legs. Additionally the seats and interior rails add to their convenience and safety quotient.
02. Standard Alcove Bathtubs:
One of the basic types they are available across standard length, width, and height – around five feet long, fourteen to sixteen inches high and 30 inches wide. These have three sides attached to the walls of the alcove and one finished side making it a child’s play to remove the existing tub and slide in the new one whenever one needs to replace the same.
03. Soaking Bathtubs:
These have soared in popularity in the recent decade and are available in a plethora of material – economic acrylic, sturdy stone, expensive hand-crafted wooden versions modelled in the ancient Japanese tradition and many more. The plus of these bathtubs is that their construction facilitates addition of water right up to the neck-level while one is seated on the built-in seats; hence they guarantee muscle comfort and relaxation.
04. Traditional Claw or Ball Feet Bathtubs:
One of the oldest forms of bathtubs these are self-supporting tubs resting on four feet that resemble either claws or balls. While some have flat tops others feature a higher curve on the head end of the tub. As they are cast as one single piece they are perfect for lounging; additionally their faucets can be fitted either into the tub, or on an adjacent wall, or kept separately from the tub. They come in hues of white, along with greys and blacks.
05. Platform and Under Mount Bathtubs:
Bereft of finished sides these bathtubs provide the owner with the freedom to place the tub either in a way that it is free of alcove walls; or to allow the bather to enjoy the view through panoramic windows.
06. French Bateau Bathtubs:
These bathtubs get their name from their boat-like (bateau is French for boat) shape and with both their ends raised their fixtures are bang in the middle making them accessible from both ends. These bathtubs are a perfect blend of aesthetics and functionality and come in manifold finishes like – cast iron, white porcelain, blue etc.
07. Corner Bathtubs:
These are the perfect solution for modern day space-challenged bathrooms as they nicely fit into a corner of the bathroom. They come in multiple varieties – standard alcove tub; with bells and whistles; whirlpool corner tubs; soaking corner tubs et al. The best part is that as the plumbing options are freestanding these can be fitted into just about any corner space.
08. Contemporary Freestanding Bathtubs:
Their USP is their flexibility and sleek appearance which enables them to fit into almost any interior décor. On another note their wide palette of faucets and plumbing suit a variety of design needs. Not only do these bathtubs come in a plethora of shapes (oval, cylindrical, square, rectangular, cylindrical et al) but they are available in materials ranging from stainless steel to black granite to chiselled stone or even to marble.
09. Air and Whirlpool Bathtubs:
These comprise of jets which shoot water (or air) from strategically located jets thereby providing a relaxing massage for those suffering from muscle or joint pain after a strenuous day at work. Slightly steeper in cost they guarantee a pleasurable bathing experience.
Common Material Used in Bathtubs
While zeroing-in on the perfect bathtub for your bathroom a key factor to keep in mind is the material from which the bathtub is made as it is the material that will impact the durability, appearance, heat-retention capacity et al of the bathtub.
Some common materials from which bathtubs are prepared are –
- Acrylic
- Cast Iron
- Cast Polymer
- Ceramic Tile
- Fiberglass
- Porcelain Over Steel
- Solid-surface
- Stone
- Wood
On a concluding note…if resources (space and finance) are not a constraint and more importantly if you have the time; and if there’s no one in your household with mobility issues or elderly in age then Gharpedia would strongly recommend opting for fitting a bathtub in at least one of your bathrooms. The classic tub – shower combination would be the best choice as it offers flexibility of dual use.We hope that you liked our article on bathroom with bathtub which is a good idea to implement or a regrettable trend. Since you are riding high on the topic of bathroom, we have listed various accessories a bathroom need. Have a look at them:
And before you take a leave from us, here we provide you some interesting tips to design bathrooms of your house:
Image Courtesy: Image 9
Author Bio
Huta Raval – An English Literature and Journalism Topper, Huta Raval has graduated from the L D Arts College, Ahmedabad. Post serving for 23 years in the NBFC and Public Library Sectors her desire for ‘writing the unwritten’ brought her to the creative field of content writing. Her clientele comprises of NGOs, Blogging Platforms, Newspapers, Academic Institutions, et al.
