we ripped out our 4 year old jetted tub, and replaced it with a soaking tub during our remodel

I think that 5 - 10 years ago a jetted tub was a "must have". Since then many people who own them have found that they spend more time dusting the tub than actually bathing in it, and large multi-head showers have become much more popular.
I know that there will be several responders say that a tub is essential for them, but I believe that is not true for most people.

I think the bathtubs that open on the side so people can walk in will become more popular as the population ages. Some have built-in seats as well.

No more stepping over the edge of the tub, or stepping down into a sunken tub. Open the door, walk in and sit, close the door, fill the tub. Then relax!

Personally, I don't need a jetted tub, but I do like a tub large enough to lay in every once in a while. I don't need a separate shower, though. I think that's just silly and takes up way too much room. Nothing wrong with the old-fashioned combo tub/shower IMHO!

Personal preference is going to vary. I currently have a very large tub with jets and use it frequently. However, although I still would want the large soaking tub, whether or not it has jets wouldn't be as important as the depth of the tub for soaking.

I'd suggest still installing a "garden" tub, most folks do still want a tub in the master. As a comprimise for re-sale, have your electrician install a seperate circuit and outlet as though you were doing a jetted tub. If/when you sell, you can put a little sign in the tub that says it's wired for a jetted tub.

I would MUCH rather have a kick-@ss shower over a jetted (or soaking tub) any day. I don't like taking baths, but I love showers, and would kill for a shower with multiple heads.

For resale purposes, the separate shower & tub in the master has the most value. Lots of people find jetted tubs to be a negative and soaking tubs have become very popular. If you are building a house using 20sf for a tub is a good idea for possible resale even if you don't think you will use it.

I have a separate shower with a very deep cast iron soaking tub. I use the tub no more than twice a week but I really appreciate it when I do!

I stayed in a B&B w/ one once. We tried it and HATED it. SO noisy. Like a flaming jet engine. and I didn't really see any benefit to the bubbles. Now, a jet of *water* on the neck might be nice for relaxing knotted muscles, but it'd have to be a really deep tub--more like a swimming pool--to be able to be in the right position.

Why not put in what you want, and not worry about the next buyer?

One of them came with our previous house (though not in the master), and we ended up covering it with 3/4" plywood and using that for a plant shelf, extra storage, etc!

I tore mine out during the remodel. Huge waste of square footage. Put in a 4x4 shower with bench instead which I love. A realtor friend said that as long as there is one tub in the house for washing the kids, lack of a master bath tub is not a major turn-off for the majority of couples, who just never use it and know they won't.

If I were building, I would put in what I wanted (well, within reason). I would definitely NOT put in something I wouldn't use. That sounds like a waste of money and space.

FWIW, I wouldn't say a jetted tub is a necessity - more a 'nice to have' for those people who like them.

I think the huge whirlpool tubs are passe. I've enjoyed our airjet tub -- takes three minutes to fill. We had a whirlpool tub 'left over' from a teardown and put it in the guest bath with a shower head over it. It takes a loonnng time to fill, but if you need therapy, you need a whirlpool. (Also a pain to clean those water jets, whereas the airjets flush themselves after each use.)

We put extra shower heads in our shower and NEVER use them. If you're going to have a lot of heads, remember that you will need a lot of hot water! We have plenty...just don't care about the extra heads.

I agree that master baths in upscale homes tend to have some sort of tub and separate shower -- and a toilet room.

I also agree that it would be hard to sell to a family with small children if there were NO tub in the house.

Giant dust collector and way too noisy!

My husband and i are shower people -- I would prefer no tub at all and just one of those huge, doorless, walk-in showers. The sales rep at the developement where we hope to live someday will not budge about omitting the tub and giving us the big shower we want. He says that after we buy we can do anything we want to the interior of the house. Now isn't that dumb? If I have to rip out the tub, I'm not going to buy new -- I'm going to buy one of the several resale homes in that community that are now priced lower than the new ones, and then I will eliminate that stupid tub which we would NEVER use! And developers wonder why their sales are off.

kit -- That sounds unreal. I suppose the tub is cheaper for the builder than all the tile, etc. for a large shower.

BTW, I wouldn't get too carrried away with that BIG shower unless you have a designated shower cleaner! (And remember the needd for a lot of hot water.)

When we were looking at houses I didn't necessarily care if there was a jetted tub or not, but I insisted on a mater bedroom/bathroom. We ended up falling in love with a house that had a seperate double jacuzzi and walk in shower in the master bath. On our second walk-through I notified the realtor in advance that I'd like to fill the tub and run it because I'd had an experience at a vacation rental where their jetted tub was so noisy that it could have woke up the whole building. The jacuzzi in the house we were looking at passed the noise test. (It would have been a deal breaker). Now that I've lived here 15 years I can tell you that I use it about twice a week although I use the shower everyday. In 15 years it sounds the same, never got to the level of the rental units tubs. There are times when it is just nice to lay back in the tub and soak! Mine is quite deep, long and wide. We have our own well so paying for water is not a factor. We have talked about enclosing the shower all the way up to the ceiling to make it into a steam room as well as a shower.

It's because the builder doesn't want to get stuck with a house without a master bathroom tub if Kit2007 decides to back out of the deal after the house is built. Then he would be stuck with a house that isn't worth as much.

we have a jetted tub in our bathroom. It is connected to the masterbedroom via pocketdoor. I have Fibromyalgia so soaking in a tub is essential for me. Both hubby and I are tub people, so we didn't put one in our bathroom. We have a full bath with a shower[old fashioned kind, tub/shower combo] in the kids bathroom in the basement, as the kids love to shower.

I wouldn't do the jetted tub again. I thought it would be great, and did use it more at first, but no matter how often I clean it, there is always brown flaky stuff coming out of the jets and it smells. I don't know if its the type of water we have or what.

WHEN we sell, and move into town, IF the house we buy has a master bathroom, I would perfer a tub, but most have just a shower. Since we plan to build again a number of years after we get into town I won't worrry too much about it.

I just hope that because we didn't put a shower in our main bathroom that it won't be an issue.I wanted the tub to be a focal point and put a niche in the arched tub area.

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: tub

I think a least one bathroom should have a tub--kids, grandkids, soaking sprained knees & ankles, pet bathing etc. But I think jetted tubs are a waste of space unless you use them often. Instead have a huge bathroom with plenty of storage and a big walk in or snail shower that is safe for the older person with room for a seat. That way if you need water therapy you can direct the spray to where ever you need it without falling. When you sell new owners can then rip out the storage and put in their jetted tub.

sweeterthanhoney, I'd say it's going to be an issue not having a shower in your master bath. Most people prefer showering over bathing for every day use, and I think buyers would consider it a pain in the butt to shower in the kid's bathroom in the basement. Granted, I'm a shower person (if I do happen to soak in the tub, I always stand up and do a final rinse off under the shower, because I feel scummy otherwise), but I'd probably pass on your house unless it's an easy fix to add a shower head to that tub. Given that it looks like the back and side walls are just drywall above the tile, I'm assuming it would be costly to properly install a showerhead.

sweeterthanhoney - I would definetly discount your house a lot if I liked everything about it as I take a shower in the am and before bed and wouldn't want to walk to the basement to do that everyday either (Neither would my husband). I would make sure I paid a lower price so I could install one. However, I think many people may not even consider that.

sweeterthanhoney -- I also think that no shower in the master was a mistake. The vast majority of buyers will want a shower in the master. If and when you sell, I think it would be wise for you to have a shower head installed before you list. I'm a tub person and like to soak a few times a week in my tub, but shower daily -- and no shower in the master would be a huge no-no for me.

The idea of not having a shower in the master bathroom is a major mistake,MAJOR

sweeter -- Can you add a filter to your water? My UltraBain jetted tub doesn't have the 'crud' you mentioned. I'm always amazed at how the airjets seem to suspend particles in the bath water, so they go down the drain instead of ALL forming a ring around the bathtub. It's one of the unexpected things I love about it.

Fruitgirl -- We have a spray on our airtub. Makes it easy to rinse out the tub...or yourself. LOL

when we built our house 6 yrs ago, it was with the intent that we would be living there until we retired. Things in our life have changed dramatically since then. At this point, there isn't anything we are going to do to put in a shower, though I guess its possible. There is 6 inches of empty wall space at the front of the tub where the niche is. You could take that out, rip out the drywall and extend the plumbing to make a shower and finish it off with cement board and tile.

There is no way we are going to do that. We do have a hand held shower mounted to the tub with the roman faucet that I use all the time for washing my hair, the dog, and rinsing the tub.

2 of my husbands sisters and their families have tub/shower on the main floor, but all go down to the basement to shower. Now that makes no sense!

chisue -- sounds like your tub has airjets? Ours isn't. We do use a water softener. I don't know what we could do to prevent the flakes of whatever coming off the pipes. I would want a soaker tub next time instead of the jetted tub.

So..... may the chips fall as they may... not spending anymore money on this house.

sweeterthanhoney,
I found this tub when I was dreaming of a bathroom remodel, and if I ever get to have a jetted tub, it is the only kind I would have. The jets each have individual motors, so there is no tubing going between the jets around the outside of the tub. Those tubes are where the water sits and gets gunky. Sanijet says not only are their tubs sanitary, but they are quiet. I have not seen one in person, so I do not know how quiet. If you love the motion of the water, it may be worth it to you to look into these tubs.

Meanwhile, you may want to try this trick: a B and B we visited had replaced the tubing in their tubs with longer tubes, giving them enough slack to use wooden sticks to prop up each tube so that the middle of the tube was higher than the jets, thereby making the water run downhill at the end of a bath and drain out of the jets.

Here is a link that might be useful: sanijet

sweeter -- Yes, the UltraBain is an airjet tub. You must have a traditional whirlpool where the water itself is forced out of the jets. Our guest bath is that type (and is the only true 'massage' type. I've rinsed the system with bleach after each use -- use it infrequently now I have two new hips!

Yuck,
I can think of so many reasons That jetted tubs are passe.

Technology has improved them somewhat with air stream tubs. However, I don't think they are worth the cost when you can simply soak in Epson salts and get a more therapuetic result.

Our new house has 2 lovely soaking tubs in each of its master suites Plus basic walk in showers. The additional baths only have walk in showers no tub.

Most adults and definatly guests love to walk into the shower without stepping over a cumbersome tub