Walk-in shower vs tub
Space and accessibility vs. resale and family-friendliness.
By The T.A.P. Team · May 2024 · 5 min read
When remodeling a bathroom, one of the biggest decisions is whether to install a walk-in shower or keep a tub. A walk-in shower feels open and modern, saves space, and is far easier to step into as you age. A tub is better for bathing young kids and is something many buyers still expect. The nuance most people miss: it's about which bathroom, not just which you prefer. Here's how to decide between a walk-in shower and a tub.
- Walk-in shower: open, modern, space-saving
- Walk-in shower: best for accessibility / aging in place
- Tub: best for bathing young children
- Keep at least one tub in the home for resale
- Master bath is the usual place to go shower-only
The case for a walk-in shower
Walk-in showers are the strong trend in master baths for good reason: they look clean and modern, make a small bathroom feel bigger, and — with a curbless entry and a bench — are dramatically easier and safer to use as mobility changes, which makes them a smart aging-in-place choice. Converting a cramped, little-used tub into a spacious shower is one of the most popular high-impact bathroom upgrades — see our tub-to-shower conversions.
The case for keeping a tub
Tubs still matter. They're far more practical for bathing babies and young children and pets, and some people simply love a good soak. Just as important is resale: many buyers, especially young families, want at least one bathtub in a home, and a house with no tub at all can be a harder sell. A tub in the right bathroom is both a lifestyle and a resale asset.
Space, cost, and the real answer
A walk-in shower and a tub take comparable space and cost, so it's rarely a budget decision — it's a use decision. The widely followed rule: keep at least one tub somewhere in the house (often the secondary or kids' bath) for resale, and feel free to go shower-only in the master, where a big walk-in shower is the modern favorite. That gives you the best of both.
How to decide
Ask who uses the bathroom and what the home needs overall. Master bath, no kids at home, and you want a spa-like shower? Go shower-only. Only one bathroom, or young kids, or it's your sole tub? Keep the tub. Factor it into your full bathroom remodel plan, and our bathroom team can lay out the options for your space.
| Consideration | Walk-in shower | Tub |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Open and modern | Traditional |
| Accessibility | Best (curbless) | Harder to step over |
| Young kids / pets | Less practical | Best for bathing |
| Resale | Great in a master | Keep at least one in the home |
| Space | Makes a small bath feel bigger | Takes similar space |
You don't have to choose globally — choose per bathroom. The approach that keeps both lifestyle and resale value is to keep at least one tub in the home (usually a secondary or kids’ bath) and go with a large walk-in shower in the master, where it’s the modern favorite and a real selling point. A home with zero tubs can turn off family buyers, so that one retained tub protects resale.
Showers and tubs in North Texas baths
Whether it’s a spa-like walk-in shower or a family-friendly tub, we build and convert bathrooms across Allen, Frisco, and Southlake. See our bathroom remodeling team.
The short version
- A walk-in shower is open, modern, space-saving, and best for accessibility and aging in place.
- A tub is more practical for bathing young children and pets.
- Many buyers expect at least one tub, so a home with none can be harder to sell.
- The two take comparable space and cost — it’s a use decision, not a budget one.
- The common rule: keep one tub in the home and go shower-only in the master.
- Decide per bathroom based on who uses it and what the whole home needs.
Walk-in shower vs tub — frequently asked questions
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