Should You Remove Your Only Bathtub? A Resale Reality Check

By Daniel Kowalski, Home Renovation Writer · Updated October 19, 2026

Removing the only bathtub in your home can narrow your pool of future buyers, especially families with young children, but it does not automatically cut your home’s value, and the risk shrinks sharply if another bathroom keeps a tub. The honest answer depends on how long you plan to stay, who typically buys in your area and whether you can keep a tub somewhere. None of the sources below gives a Chicago-specific figure, so treat this as a framework, not a prediction.

Updated October 19, 2026. An informational article by Daniel Kowalski, Home Renovation Writer. All figures are national and linked to their sources.

Quick decision table

Key takeaways

• The widely repeated rule is to keep at least one tub in the home; the risk is about your buyer pool, not an automatic deduction.
• If a second bathroom keeps a tub, converting the other tub to a shower is generally described as neutral or positive.
• If you must remove your only tub, think about a tub-shower layout, a tub in another room, or an offer to the buyer at sale.
• Safety and daily comfort are legitimate reasons to remove a tub; weigh them against resale rather than ignoring either.

What the sources say about the “at least one tub” rule

A National Association of Realtors article from 2018 states the long-held belief that every home needs at least one bathtub to attract the widest group of buyers, then tests it. A New York appraiser quoted there calls a tub one more amenity that widens the buyer pool, and a Nashville stager says having no tub will hinder a sale to most buyers. The same piece also quotes the opposite view: a Chicago designer sold a house without a tub and did not think it hurt the value, in part because the showers were very nice, and a Northbrook builder was designing new plans without a tub in the primary bath and adding one in a secondary or guest bathroom for buyers who want it.

These are opinions from people in the trade, not a market study, and the article is several years old. Treat them as a way to see the two camps. Angi lands in the middle: having at least one bathtub may help resale, depending on home size and target market, and a tub helps you appeal to the widest possible market.

Fixr is blunter: if the tub you are removing is the only one, consider leaving it in place, because most homebuyers look for at least one tub in a home.

Who actually wants the tub

Angi’s guides name two groups: families with young children and pets, and buyers planning a family. Angi also reports a National Association of Home Builders finding that 72% of first-time buyers rated a shower and a bathtub as “essential” or “desirable.” That is a national survey statistic as Angi cites it; it does not say what Chicago buyers will pay.

The other side is just as real. Angi notes that showers are more desirable for single people and for those looking to age in place, and the Realtor article describes buyers who want a large, well-equipped walk-in shower. In a small condo, Angi says a missing tub is less likely to put buyers off, though it could still turn some away. In Chicago, many bungalows and two-flats have one full bath and condos are often small, so the question is sharper than in a house with three bathrooms. Ask a local real estate agent what buyers in your block and building type expect.

Does it change your bath count on an appraisal?

A common worry is that a bathroom without a tub counts as a lesser bathroom. The Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Uniform Appraisal Dataset instructions say a three-quarter bath is to be counted as a full bath in all cases, and that only quarter baths, which have just a toilet, are left out of the count. A shower-only bathroom with a toilet and sink is therefore counted as a full bath on those appraisal forms. That does not settle how buyers or an appraiser’s market adjustments treat a missing tub, and a listing may describe the bathroom differently. It only means the bath count itself should not drop.

What a conversion can return, nationally

Angi reports an average cost of about $3,000 for a tub-to-shower conversion and an average return on investment of 60%, with a range of 45% to 74%, and adds that the return holds only if the home still has another full bathroom that appeals to buyers. Fixr puts the average at $4,000 and most projects between $1,200 and $10,000. Those are national figures and mix very different projects; for Chicago-oriented ranges see the tub-to-shower conversion cost page. A “return” is also a rule of thumb, not a sale price you can count on.

Options if you want a shower and worry about resale

• Convert the bathroom you use least. Angi suggests an en-suite or primary bath as a common place for this change, leaving another bath as the family bath with a tub. See tub-to-shower conversion.
• Keep a tub and improve it. Replacing a worn tub is a simpler job; see bathtub replacement in Chicago.
• Fit both if space allows. Angi says a freestanding bathtub plus a separate shower can appeal to the widest range of buyers.
• Give a buyer a way back. The Realtor article mentions offering a credit toward a tub if its absence becomes a sticking point; a real estate agent can tell you whether that makes sense where you live.
• Choose accessibility on purpose. If a tub wall is a daily hazard, a shower may be the right call. Read about the walk-in shower and ask about curb height and grab-bar backing.

Condo and Chicago building considerations

In a condo, the tub is often the only bathing fixture in the unit, and building rules, work hours and waterproofing for the unit below add to the decision. See remodeling a condo bathroom in Chicago. For permits, the City’s Express Permit Program covers repairing or replacing an existing plumbing fixture with a licensed plumbing contractor, while altering or reconfiguring the plumbing system is listed as not eligible for that permit. Moving a drain for a different shower base may therefore need another permit path. The Chicago permit guide explains the options.

A short checklist before you decide

1. Count your tubs. If this is the only one, pause and weigh the options above.
2. Estimate how long you will stay. The longer, the less resale weighs against your daily use.
3. Ask a local agent what buyers like yours expect, and look at recent listings on your street.
4. Ask each remodeler for an itemized written scope and price for the shower, and a second one for keeping a tub, so you can compare. See how to choose a bathroom remodeler.

Frequently asked questions

Does removing the only bathtub hurt resale value?

It can narrow your buyer pool, especially families with young children. Angi and Fixr both advise reconsidering if it is the only tub. Sources do not give a Chicago-specific figure, and the effect depends on your market.

Is it fine to convert a tub to a shower if I have another tub?

Angi says tub-to-shower conversions do not hurt resale as long as you are not converting the only bathtub in the home.

Will an appraisal count a shower-only bathroom as a full bath?

Under the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac appraisal data standard, a three-quarter bath is counted as a full bath in all cases. Only a toilet-only quarter bath is left out. A market adjustment is a separate question for the appraiser.

What return can a tub-to-shower conversion give?

Angi reports an average national return of 60%, in a range of 45% to 74%, if the home has another full bathroom. This is a rule of thumb, not a guaranteed sale price.

What if I need a shower for safety but worry about resale?

Safety is a valid reason. Options include converting the bathroom you use least, keeping a tub elsewhere, or asking a real estate agent about a credit to a future buyer.

Do I need a permit to take out a tub in Chicago?

Replacing an existing plumbing fixture can use the Express Permit Program with a licensed plumbing contractor. Moving or reconfiguring plumbing is not eligible for that permit and may need another path, so ask your remodeler.

Sources

• National Association of Realtors, “Just How Important Is a Bathtub for Resale?” (Realtor Magazine, 2018): nar.realtor. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• Angi, “Is It Worth It to Convert a Tub to a Shower?”: angi.com; “Does a House Need a Bathtub?”: angi.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• Fixr, “Bathtub to Shower Conversion: Cost, Tips & More”: fixr.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• Better Homes & Gardens, “Should You Replace Your Tub with a Shower?”: bhg.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Uniform Appraisal Dataset, Appendix D field requirements (bath count): freddiemac.com. Accessed October 22, 2026.
• City of Chicago, Express Permit Program, Plumbing Work: chicago.gov. Accessed October 22, 2026.