Do you ever bathe?

You could go with a bath and a panel for taking shower if your bathroom is small. But as emmarene asked - do you bathe? It is your bathroom, so if you do not bathe, then maybe it would be better to include a big shower and add an additional sitting space outside the wet zone - like a bench or a comfy, luxurious chair.

I guess the question for me would be, who lives in this house, how many bathrooms do you have, and when are you thinking of selling the house? If you're two adults with no kids and no plans to sell, forget the bath. If you've got toddlers, you need a bath somewhere. It sure doesn't have to be in the en suite.

If having a tub means having anything less than a 36" x 48" shower, I 'd definitely skip it unless you or someone else will be in it every night. It is for most folks, the ancillary bathing fixture in a master..... very nice to have, a lovely focal point if a beautiful soaking tub, but not a deal breaker versus having a spa fresh and roomy shower.

IMO there should be one tub in the house somewhere it does not need to be in the master bath

Replacing the tub with a shower in the only bathroom is riskier than switching from tub to shower in a second or third bathroom. Eliminating a home's only full bathroom could turn off potential buyers. Many parents prefer to bathe children in a tub rather than a shower; many buyers like to soak in a tub. The National Association of Realtors says as long as the home has at least one tub, switching from a tub to a shower shouldn't negatively impact resale value.

According to a survey conducted by NAHB to determine what home buyers want, 51 percent of respondents said they did not want a master bath with only a shower stall; 81 percent of respondents said they wanted a full bath on the main level, with 45 percent of them considering the main level essential or must-have. However, the days of the massive whirlpool bath are coming to an end regardless of bathroom location, according to Regents Renovation in Atlanta, GA. The remodeling company says it is now renovating more of its clients' bathrooms with inviting showers. The spa shower is becoming increasingly popular.

Personal preference. I have been seeing more model homes being built in my area with large luxurious walking showers and no tub in the master.

Cinar, true but model homes aren't always a reflection of what the general public wants. For home assessments, every extra piece adds to the value.

With all due respect ranmarie, it's personal preference. I can't tell you how many jobs we completed last year where the homeowner tore out the tub to create a larger walk in shower. Model homes, spec houses, remodels. More and more people are liking the idea of more space in their master for other uses. I had 2 customers turn the area into a small steam room. Now I'm not saying tubs are out because they're not. It just depends what that person wants within their home. Not what everyone else thinks.

That's pretty much what I was saying, personal preference. I just know that it upped the value of our home when we put in a corner tub, shower with 2 shower heads and double sinks. Of course we have kids and it's nice to have more than one bath going at a time. It also might depends on where you live. I know of quite a few people putting in tubs for the whole luxury feel.

Sorry, the model home comment may have been a wrong way to state it. :)

No problem at all! totally understand what you're saying now.

if you dont want a tub in there, my advice is to make a large shower that could, without moving walls, allow a future owner to replace with a tub/shower combo.