Loos like link didn't send. Here it is again: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3186933/enlighten-me-cost-breakdown-of-small-full-bathroom-remodel?n=17

Where do you live? I doubt that the shower plumbing is on an outside wall unless you live in a non freeze area of the country. I would bet the plumbing is on the partial wall next to the vanity. A 60" (5') tub is the rough in size, once you get the cement board up and the tile, it will be close to 58" across, finished measurement. A 6' tub is very long. I have a 6.5" wall and but in a 60" tub. At one end is a cabinet to hold my plumbing and some pull out shelving.

So my cabinet is about 18". I don't know how a 12" would function. It could be set up like a pantry pull out, floor to ceiling. You could access the plumbing by removing the pull out if needed. It might be too tight a fit though, I'm not a plumber.

This doesn't seem logical to me. You *have* a tub (and shower). Changing the tub would only make sense if you were replacing it with just a small shower -- not a good idea if this is the only bathtub in the house.

Junk the existing vanity and top. Buy a deeper sink cabinet. Position the sink and faucets forward. Run the vanity top from wall to wall, over the toilet, making sure you can still remove the tank top.

How deep could wall cabinets be? 8 - 10 inches? Run them all along the wall over the toilet and vanity. Mirror the front of a wide cabinet door that is centered over the sink. Voila! A 'built-in' medicine cabinet. Leave plain fronts on each side of the mirror for sconces. (I have electrical outlets in my built-in medicine cabinet to recharge stuff.)

Thank you for the replies!

We're metrowest Boston so it will get cold! Good point about the shower pipes not being on the outside walls. Will have to check that.

I'm still not clear if it's possible to put in a bathtub on the 6' wall - would it fit? Not too bothered about length of the tub as long as it's not tiny. Its the 'is it possible' bit that I'd like to know. There'd still be one internal wall available for shower pipe to come through.

As chisue said, we do have everything but really need more vanity shelf space with storage underneath. Changing the window wouldn't be a biggie if we had to.

Visiting the house tomorrow so I'll make sure to take measurements.

In my picture, the tub is on 2 outside walls. The wall with the window and the wall with the cabinet and plumbing. But the plumbing is about 18" from the finished side of that exterior wall, so no problem. My toilet is against an exterior wall too, but my water supply comes up from the basement and through the floor in the room about 5" or so away from the finished wall of the exterior wall. It has been that way for 80 years and has not been a problem on this north wall in Central Iowa. My walls are insulated 4" studs. The vent pipes are the only plumbing that is in the wall assembly.

Yes you can fit a tub in the 6' wall because most tubs are 5' long. You could have a 1' wall to house the plumbing inside the finished room, if a plumber can access it to fit the copper. The drain will need to be moved too. Is the floor accessible from below? Can you get the runs in that are needed to drain the tub? If not I would think your options are to keep the tub where it is and just remodel with the same layout.

To free up room you could install an 18" depth vanity. I have one in one of my bathrooms and I love it. It is easier actually to get to the mirror to put makeup on, and for my husband to shave.

Here is a lovely bathroom that went with 18" vanity. I know this isn't your issue exactly, but its always good to look at different options that seem like they don't relate, cause it might spur insight into your issues.

Help with tight master bath: 18 inch or 22 inch depth vanity??

I read your post as wanting more *storage* and *countertop*, not more space to move around in the room.

Wall cabinets are more convenient than lowers.

Running a countertop from wall to wall (less deep over the toilet, of course) would add space to set things down. Pulling the front of the vanity forward would add countertop behind the faucets.

It is possible to put a tub/shower along the outside wall, but you're looking at big plumbing bills, a new tub, wet-board, painting, and re-tiling the floor and walls. How would you open the window?

Are you willing to lose the tub and build a shower to gain more wall space?

Rebecca - if we can figure this design/redesign out, sharing a contractor might be a good idea! :)

Chisue, You read it right. I do want more storage space and shelf top space around the vanity to put things of everyday use and store extras underneath.

We can do straightforward paint and tiling(floors) ourselves. Window would be accessible by leaning over bath tub but I'd think it'd be more a case of using it as a light source than for ventilation or as additional ventilation.

Didn't have enough time to look around today but hopefully on Monday I can go in and take some measurements etc.

Windows inside showers are drafty and they rot. You'd need to add changing out the window to the many expenses of moving the tub/shower.

Do you USE a tub? A lot of people only have one for supposed 'resale to people with small children'.

You can see where I'm going with this...lose the tub and make a shower in a portion of the same space. Least plumbing expense would be to put the shower next to the existing sink -- where the plumbing and drain already exist. This would leave space beyond the shower for at least a linen closet -- possibly for a second vanity and sink. (Check the elbow room and consider if two people would ever use this bathroom at the same time.)

Chisue - Young children and resale is exactly why we have to keep the tub. We always use the shower but with a 3 year old and another on the way, we need to keep the tub.

We currently live in loft with the master bath the size of a decent bedroom with huge storage, shower, double sink, toilet and tons of space to walk around. The toddler has her own spacious bathroom with tub. Going from that to just one family bathroom will be quite a step down so we'll defo need storage and shelf space.

Need to sort out a plumber soonish I guess so we can work out the cost of things. We previously have had a similar styled bathroom with tub against exterior wall with window in it - no problems at all. It was a standard double glazed window with top tilting panel - but I'm talking about the UK here, not the US. No problems with it at all in terms of draft etc.

The bathtub had to be painstakingly sought though as we had a much smaller space and it was not a typical sized tub. We were able to find one that worked and in the more modern square style design as well - Hence the being unsure if standard tubs would work on a 6ft wall.

OK, got it. What is 'around' this bathroom? Is there any place to steal some space? What's beneath it? (Thinking plumbing.)

The bathroom is sandwiched between two bedrooms and all the rooms (Bed n bath) open in to/ lead off from the same landing space at the top of the stairs.

Neither bedrooms have anything on the walls shared with the bathroom. The window wall overlooks the back garden.

Its a colonial from 1900 Rebecca. 1 family bathroom to 4 bedrooms! One bedroom is on the third floor and there is definitely space to put a shower n toilet up there with sink etc so that might be another thing we do.

Costs are crazy!

Have you had a plumber in yet to look at things Rebecca?