No, a house does not necessarily need a bathtub. The International Residential Code requires a dwelling to have a toilet, sink, and either a bathtub or shower. A code-compliant shower can therefore provide the required bathing fixture. Because jurisdictions adopt and amend building codes locally, confirm the requirements that apply to your property before remodeling.
Whether your house should have a tub is a different question. Keeping one may make sense if someone in your household takes baths, you regularly bathe young children or pets, or you want to retain that option for future buyers. Removing it may be the better decision when it is rarely used and the space could provide a safer, more comfortable, or better-designed shower.
The answer depends on how you use your home, how many bathrooms it has, whether another bathtub will remain, and how long you expect to live there.
The model residential code does not require a bathtub specifically. Section R306.1 of the International Residential Code states that every dwelling unit must have a water closet, lavatory, and “a bathtub or shower.”
That means a house can generally have showers without having a bathtub. The shower must still comply with applicable plumbing, waterproofing, drainage, ventilation, and dimensional requirements.
The IRC is a model code rather than one universal law. States and local jurisdictions decide which edition to adopt and whether to amend it. Before removing your home’s only bathtub, check with your local building department or the professionals managing your remodel.
Building-code compliance also does not settle the design question. A shower-only home may be legal but still less convenient for a particular household or less appealing to certain future buyers.
A bathtub earns its place when it supports a real household need. That might mean bathing children, washing a pet, soaking after exercise, or simply having a feature someone uses regularly.
Keeping a tub deserves stronger consideration when it is the only one in the house. Removing a tub from a primary bathroom is a different decision from removing the last tub from a three-bedroom family home.
The location also matters. A homeowner who prefers a larger shower in the primary suite may keep a tub-shower combination in a secondary bathroom. That arrangement preserves bathing options without assigning valuable primary-bathroom space to a fixture the homeowners rarely use.
A tub may be worth keeping when:
The decision should be based on actual use, not the assumption that every bathroom needs the same collection of fixtures.
A tub-free home can make sense when the people living there strongly prefer showers and do not expect their bathing needs to change.
This is particularly relevant when a poorly placed tub makes the bathroom harder to use. Removing it may create room for a wider shower entrance, built-in seating, better storage, or more comfortable circulation.
A standard tub wall also creates a threshold that users must step over. For someone planning to remain in the home as mobility changes, a properly designed low-threshold or curbless shower may provide better long-term access.
Removing the tub may be reasonable when:
Good bathroom design does not preserve a fixture solely because it has traditionally been there. It assigns space to the features that will support daily life.
A bathtub is not required to sell a house, and removing one does not produce a universal percentage loss in property value.
It may, however, affect buyer appeal. Some buyers will not consider a house without a tub because they take baths or expect to bathe children that way. Other buyers would rather have a generous walk-in shower than a bathtub they do not plan to use.
The National Association of Realtors has presented opinions from real estate and design professionals on both sides of the question. Some recommend keeping one tub to appeal to more buyers, while others report selling tub-free homes without an apparent loss in value.
The effect depends on the local market, home type, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, quality of the replacement shower, and expectations of likely buyers. There is no credible rule that removing a bathtub automatically reduces a home’s value by a fixed percentage.
If you plan to sell soon, ask a local real estate professional to compare similar homes in your area. Local sales evidence is more useful than a national rule of thumb.
If you expect to remain in the house for many years, give greater weight to how the bathroom will serve you during that time. Designing every decision around an unknown future buyer can leave you living with a feature you never use.
A primary bathroom does not have to contain a bathtub. Many homeowners would rather use that space for a larger shower, improved storage, a longer vanity, or easier movement through the room.
The important question is not whether the tub sits in the primary suite. It is whether the household wants a tub anywhere in the home.
If you want to retain one for children, guests, pets, or resale flexibility, a secondary bathroom may be the more practical location. A tub-shower combination can provide both bathing options without requiring room for two separate fixtures.
A separate soaking tub belongs in the primary bathroom when it supports how the homeowner actually uses the space. In the Teak Soaking Tub Bathroom Remodel, the imported teak tub was not added to satisfy a checklist. The bathroom was deliberately designed around it as the central feature.
Another Lamont Bros. primary suite renovation paired a Japanese soaking tub with a curbless shower. That arrangement worked because both fixtures supported the homeowner’s preferences and the redesigned layout.
A tub can be a worthwhile focal point, but only when it earns the floor space.
Removing the only bathtub deserves more consideration than converting a tub when another one will remain.
Start by asking who currently uses the tub and whether those needs are likely to change. Consider how long you expect to own the home, whether accessibility is becoming more important, and whether the proposed shower will materially improve the bathroom.
You should also consider how difficult it would be to add a tub later. A future installation may require changes to plumbing, waterproofing, flooring, walls, or the surrounding layout. Preserving the basic alcove dimensions does not guarantee that reinstalling a tub will be simple.
If the existing tub-shower combination is difficult to enter, uncomfortable to use, or poorly designed, keeping it for a hypothetical future buyer may not be the best use of the room. Lamont Bros.’ guide to tub-to-shower conversions explains how plumbing, drainage, waterproofing, accessibility, and shower dimensions affect this type of project.
A tub-shower combination can preserve both bathing options within one fixture footprint. It is often a practical choice for a secondary or shared bathroom.
The combination gives household members access to a shower while retaining a basin for baths. It can also preserve flexibility when the homeowners are uncertain about eliminating their only tub.
The tradeoff is access. Stepping over the tub wall can be difficult for people with limited mobility. The showering area may also feel more confined than a dedicated walk-in shower.
A tub-shower combination is most valuable when the household will use both functions or wants to retain a tub without dedicating room to separate fixtures. It is less compelling when accessibility and shower comfort are the clear priorities.
Replacing a tub with a shower does not automatically reduce the fixture footprint. Many conversions place the new shower in the same alcove previously occupied by the tub.
The improvement comes from how the space is used. Removing the tub wall can make entry easier, while glass, better lighting, and a more open enclosure can make the room feel less confined. Depending on the layout, the shower may also be expanded or repositioned.
A separate tub and shower require more planning than a combined fixture, but the exact space depends on the chosen products and room configuration. There is no universal rule that separate fixtures require exactly twice as much room.
If you decide to retain a tub, our guide to choosing a bathtub for a bathroom remodel covers placement, size, material, and bathing style.
Start with the way your household uses the bathroom. A tub that receives regular use has a clear purpose. A tub that serves as storage while making the shower harder to enter may not.
Then consider the whole house. Removing a primary-suite tub is less consequential when a practical tub remains in another bathroom. Removing the last tub deserves a closer look at future household needs and resale plans.
Finally, evaluate the proposed replacement. A shower-only layout should provide a meaningful improvement in access, movement, storage, or daily comfort. Replacing a tub simply because showers are currently popular is not a strong design reason.
Before making the decision, ask:
The right answer may be a shower, a tub-shower combination, a compact soaking tub, or separate fixtures. The decision should come from the home, the people living in it, and the problem the remodel needs to solve.
Yes. A house can have showers without a bathtub, subject to the building and plumbing codes adopted by the local jurisdiction. The International Residential Code permits either a bathtub or shower as the required bathing fixture.
Not automatically. Removing the only tub may reduce interest among buyers who specifically want one, but there is no universal percentage loss. The effect depends on the home, local market, likely buyers, and quality of the replacement bathroom.
The terminology varies among real estate listings, appraisers, tax records, and local markets. The U.S. Census Bureau defines a full bathroom as having a toilet, sink, and either a bathtub or shower. Confirm the terminology used in your market before making a decision based on the bathroom label alone.
Neither is automatically better. A bathtub supports soaking and can make bathing young children or some pets more convenient. A walk-in shower may offer easier entry, more standing room, and greater design flexibility. The better choice depends on how the household uses the bathroom.
If the primary bathroom would work better with a dedicated shower, the home’s only tub can be placed in a secondary, guest, or shared bathroom. The best location is the one that makes the tub convenient for the people most likely to use it.
A bathtub should not stay simply because it is expected, and it should not be removed simply because walk-in showers are popular. The better decision comes from how you use the room, what the household may need later, and whether the new layout makes better use of the available space.
Lamont Bros. Design & Construction helps homeowners evaluate these choices as part of a complete bathroom remodel. Our team connects layout, fixture selection, waterproofing, accessibility, and construction planning so the finished bathroom supports the way you use your home.
Review our bathroom remodeling portfolio to see how different homeowners have incorporated tubs, showers, and combinations of both. When you are ready to discuss your bathroom, contact Lamont Bros. to schedule a consultation.