It might depend on your hygiene habits and your job and your culture.

Some people shower first to clean off the dirt, sweat, etc and then while still wet take a bath.

If that is you, then a wet room works.

So does the old fashioned all in one :)

I just want to make sure I think it through so I appreciate all the comments. I'm not sold on anything... I like hearing the consensus before I decide.

If I were to do the wet room concept and grout mold definitely will be an issue then I need to minimize grout lines and will do big format tile panels as well as giving space all around the tub to efficiently clean.

The splash from the shower head won't leave the back of the tub wet everyday but the steam will wet everything a few times a week.

Definitely will shower before bathing because it really is just for relaxing and soaking in Epsom salts.

Re: mold, certainly you will get a fan and run it the entire time you are in there and for a good 20 minutes afterwards as well as leaving the door open when you are done.

That should be done for every shower and bath everywhere.

And get paint that has mold retardant in it, and you can buy some tubes of mold retardant and squeeze those in the paint for good measure, that's what I did.

Funny, if you grew up in an old, old place that had lead paint under all the other layers of pain, you never had mold even if you didn't have a bathroom fan or an open window. . Lead is toxic to mold and the lead percolated through a bit apparently.

We had this concept when we lived in Europe. I hated it. Always cleaning it but water drop marks everywhere. You will learn how hard it is to keep looking descent. Don’t recommend at all.

Good point about the lead loobab! I love facts like that. You need a wet venting fan system for a steam room and I was going to get the strongest one I can find. I'd also check to see if there is a waterproof floor heating system that can go into the shower. I was going to bring the heated floors to the shower door but if I can go in I will.

To be clear. I planned on an oversized well-ventilated steam shower and will do that for sure. The issue if whether to put the tub in there by making the room 2 feet wider. Any dirt or water drops or mold from not cleaning would happen anyway regardless of whether the tub is in there or not. The difference is it would be more difficult to dry behind the tub the few times a week it gets wet back there. Not sure I was clear with all that.

Oh, I just took another look at the photo, yes, it would be very tough to clean behind the tub.

And here's another tip, as you get older, it gets harder to get in a freestanding tub, too.

When a tub is built-in, it has a ledge you can sit on and swing yourself in. Much better if you have back or hip or knee problems.

There is no body and nobody that escapes arthritis.

Sure you can affix a handle to the edge of the tub later on, but that presupposes that your left wrist and left shoulder is strong enough to support the weight of your entire body.

And in your current set up, where would you put your soaps and shampoo and washcloth etc for when you are in the tub?

Sure you can have a little cart on wheels next to the tub, but it will slip away, or you have to get up out of the tub to get it, or reach way, way over, again, presupposing a good back and shoulders.

That's the thing about aging, you never know what is going to go bad on you first.

Here's the tub at costco and the likely style of niche I'd put above it.

Oh a niche for your jams and jellies, that's a thought.

Here's a question.

So you have to bend all across the tub just to turn it on?

That'll be hell on your back.

Kind of defeats the purpose of getting in the tub to soak your back, doesn't it?

Is there another place you can put the spigots?

Or is there a remote control to turn on the bathtub?

That shouldn't be too difficult to invent.

Please invite Joe Corlett into this thread, he knows about this sort of thing, also invite Verbo, I think he/she knows too.

You might also want a survey here of people who have had jacuzzis and rip the whole thing out rather than face the uncleanability of the nozzles and all the crap that builds up in the lines....

Well, now that you’ve mentioned it. Turning the water on with the faucet in that position would be difficult. I would place it on either end. As for the Jacuzzi functions I wouldn’t turn that on until I was in the tub so I don’t think that is an issue.

The whole wet room concept doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Every time you use the shower you get water on or in your tub? I wouldn't buy a house with one, or I would want to immediately remodel to get rid of it. That being said, it's your bathroom, so you have to decide what you're going to like.

Is it jacuzzi with water squirting in, or air squirting in (sorry I don't know the exact terminology.)

I have heard there are sanitary problems with the former.

Ok, here's a thought.

I would go to a bathtub showroom and pretend you have a bad back or shoulder, etc. and see how it is to get in a free standing bathtub. Make believe you are reaching for the controls. Reaching for your soaps up on a shelf, etc.

That will help guide your decision.

To me that is way more important than the esthetics of it all.

Never mind if the sales people think you are crazy.

That's one good thing about getting older.

The sales people are more patient with this kind of eccentric behavior.

Although they may be using another adjective.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/query/heated-bathroom-floors/nqrwns

I definitely would not want one, and it would be a deal breaker if I was looking at a house that had one. I agree with some of the others. yuck

I keep hearing yuck but really no reason for it. I’ve never dried off a tub after using it in my life. I find it hard to believe somebody would not buy a house because of the location of the tub.

But how often do you use your tub? versus how often do you use your shower, and get the tub splashy?

I first experienced wet rooms in Europe where small is the norm. I think it’s fine for that, but I would not want a large one like you show. It would put me off from buying a house.

It’s a 40K terrible shower by the time you vapor proof all of that acreage for steam. A steam shower is NOT like a regular shower build. No windows in it. No openings at all, other than the sealed door, and an operable transom. It’s framed and built entirely differently, and should NOT include a tub.

Steam shower, I missed that.

Jeepers, I am starting to get like that character on Saturday Night Life, RIP.

Wait, why do you need a steam shower?

What is the purpose of a steam shower?

A regular shower makes plenty of steam, just take a look at the mirror, if you are doubtful.

@loobab Standing up and getting out of a modern, deep, free standing tub is even harder than getting in! I couldn’t do it without assistance in a showroom (I was told to try). And who wants to clean all that tile in a wet room? Definitely not me.

This is the stupidest idea ever who the heck want to wipe down the tub every time they have a shower some idiot thought this was great photo and does not live with it day to day. You have lots of space and I agree wet rooms are great in the tropices where you have a tiny bathroom with a shower with no walls IMO no where else . Steam showers are best when smaller to encapsulate and keep the steam in the space so another reason to not do this. BTW have you actually tried getting in and out of a freestanding tub, they are a PITA even as a teenager I hated our free standing clawfoot tub .

Ummm, why would anyone need to wipe a tub dry?? Have you ever wiped a tub dry after a shower? Is it just me? Of any reason not to do this, that one is the most invalid. BTW, calling another design professional an idiot for their design is rude and uncalled for. It says more about you than them.

Well, actually, we wipe the top rim the tub and the tile enclosure of the shower after every use, we don't wipe the inside well of the tub every single time, and of course that takes more cleaning because soap dries on it. Probably most people do not do that, but we do.

I would think that because the enclosure will get condensation inside it no matter whether you use the tub or not it will get dirty and behind the freestanding tub you will form mildew if everything is left to dry on its own. Just the exhaust fans will not dry it entirely.

The outside of a tub doesn’t usually get wet unless it is in a wet room. Surfaces inside a shower, including a tub if present, need to be cleaned on a regular basis. It’s just more work for whoever does the cleaning.

I'm a girl who loves a good, hot soak in a tub! I find it so relaxing before going to bed, especially in the winter. Although the stand alone tubs are beautiful, I don't think they are as functional as a drop in if you are going to use the tub regularly. You won't have a space to place your products, and certainly look a little dangerous for entering and exiting. Also, the last thing I'd want while relaxing in a tub is a loud fan going to pull out the moisture. That would be a real joy killer for me. And I'm one who dries the shower out daily with the fan and I find that quite effective. I don't put the fan on when I soak in the tub.

Hot tip! There is a shower spray called Wet & Forget. It is amazing. It's way more powerful that Method's 'Daily Shower' product. In the first use, you spray your dirty shower glass, tub and tile with Wet & Forget and all the scale, dirt & soap scum runs off during your next shower and a residual film it leaves keeps it clean for a full week, no spotting. I haven't had to scrub my shower/tub/tile in a couple years. If a dot of mold appears once in a great while, I give it a little bleach spray. See it here ----> https://tinyurl.com/fp7zwnre

In a wet room, the splashing water from taking a daily shower will go all over the tub plus the faucet etc….not to mention soap spotting from shampooing and regular soap as well as conditioner getting splashed around. That’s a LOT of water spotting and potential gunk getting on the fixtures and tub. If you don’t wipe these areas down after each shower, it will end up looking like many glass shower walls/door with potentially hard water stains, mineral deposits and soap scum that becomes a beast to clean (if not done regularly). I hate cleaning showers, so whatever system makes keeping the area easily clean and looking good is my friend. A wet room is not that!

Great for age in place

Why do fads matter? I think it's a terrible idea, I'd never build one nor buy a house that has one.

I've always been against stand alone tubs mostly because of the difficulty cleaning behind and around them. I'm a roomba type of guy. When I saw this picture of putting a standalone in a shower stall where it can be hosed down it made me reconsider them. It seems the most hygenic set up so I'm not getting the yuck factor at all.

Normally I get a good consensus as to whether or not an idea is good or not, this time not so much. Maybe I used the wrong term... wet room. I believe in a traditional 'wet room' everything gets wet including the toilet and sink. I think the commenters saying they lived with it in europe were picturing that.

What I know is, I shower in a tub now and drying a tub is not on my maintenance schedule. The Wet & Forget also makes cleaning easier for scale, soap/scum, etc. Cleaning behind a standalone tub is a challenge no matter where it is, in or out of a shower stall. I'd opt for it being in a hoseable area though if I had one.

Now I know that I can put the floor heating system IN the shower floor too instead of stopping at the door so I can quickly dry things out if I get mildew problems. I can certainly put the tub further away from the wall for easier cleaning behind it. I've had a steam shower before and a full 3 walls were ceiling to floor glass. Not sure were Verbo gets that a steam shower can't have a window?? Steam showers are a luxury that are unrivaled in my personal experience. Sore muscles, eucalyptus leaves in the steam for chest congestion, etc. The shower stall I demo'd out in this property was actually designed as a steam shower but did not have the steamer installed... I've been waiting to do this for years.

Of course, if I'm taking a bath without steam I wouldn't need to run the fan. The controller for the steam shower is a 10" LED screen that can play Netflix and other apps! I'm pretty excited about that, I love gadgets. All that being said.... I'm still not sure where I'll be putting the tub. I did not get the definitive objection that immediately puts me off an idea when I float it here! Haha! Thanks for the input everyone!

Fad or not, I don't like them. I'm actually in the market for a new home at the moment and that's one of my deal breakers.

I get that. A standalone tub that can't be hosed around would be on my negative list for sure if I were looking for a property right now.

There are plenty of stand alone tubs which are not in wet rooms that have a ton of open space which surrounds them making cleaning easy. It’s all in the planning. Proper planning is just as important with a wet room. Most of the ones I have seen (including the one in your inspiration photo) have the tubs completely crammed up against a wall or glass and even with the ability to hose it down, it’s virtually impossible to actually clean or wipe those cramped areas…..they are inaccessible. It’s just a bad design for an area of the home that needs regular cleaning. Hosing down doesn’t quite cut it.

"Normally I get a good consensus as to whether or not an idea is good or not, this time not so much."
I've been following along with this post and I just have to laugh at this statement you made. This sounds like you're saying you are not getting a good consensus from the comments given. I would have to say the consensus is pretty crystal clear... it's not a good idea. I'm thinking maybe you just don't like the consensus. Which is fine, then build your wet room. But to say people aren't understanding what you want to build seems to be just selectively hearing what you want. do is

Amy, I guess what I meant to say is that I usually get mostly logical objections here from real world experience. A lot of the commenting seems to be speculating as to why they might not like it but have no experience with a wet-room or even a steam shower. They just 'feel' they might not like it. The european wet rooms mentioned are an entirely different thing and I agree would be a nightmare to have wet toilets, floors and sinks.

The biggest complaint was thinking that wiping the tub or fixtures would be necessary after a shower even though no one (almost no one) does that now in their tub showers at their homes. I don't see this as a valid suggestion. Squeegeeing all that glass is my biggest fear but for the luxury of a steam shower I'd willingly do it.

Now, clearly mold must be taken seriously and cleaning behind and around the tub as well as safely getting in and out of a standalone tub must be addressed. Logic tells me the tub being IN a hosable area would be a solution to, not a cause of a couple of those problems. That's all I meant. Usually some Houzz genius comes through at the last second and tells me why something won't work or fixes my problem with a logical suggestion and that did not happen here. I'm still not sold either way on a 'tub in the shower' concept after posting this yesterday and that is the problem!

Is this wet room concept a fad that I'd regret?

It isn't a fad -- layouts can't be fads -- it's a solution for a small bathroom, and you don't have a small bathroom. The concept could work for you too.

What I would worry about most is that GOOD plumbing, tiling and other bathroom work is just plain hard to get -- how many bad installations have we heard about on this board? So if you're going to do anything "out of the ordinary", you've gotta be sure-sure-sure that you're getting someone who's going to do it right, and that's not always easy to do -- plumbers don't tend to say, "This is different and maybe a little out of my realm."

I'm not sure why you think that's easier to clean.

Agree. A stand-alone tub, whether it's in a wet room or a typical bathroom is going to present you with under-tub space to be cleaned.

Re: mold, certainly you will get a fan and run it the entire time you are in there and for a good 20 minutes afterwards as well as leaving the door open when you are done.

Mold does sound like a realistic fear; however, with this in mind -- and with a pretty large bathroom -- you have the option to choose the best fan on the market. Maybe two of them?

I keep hearing yuck but really no reason for it. I’ve never dried off a tub after using it in my life.

Uh, yeah, I don't think anyone has.

I would go to a bathtub showroom and pretend you have a bad back or shoulder, etc. and see how it is to get in a free standing bathtub. Make believe you are reaching for the controls. Reaching for your soaps up on a shelf, etc.

You and I think alike. Investigating and making up your own mind based upon fact is always the right answer.

I'm a girl who loves a good, hot soak in a tub! I find it so relaxing before going to bed, especially in the winter.

Yes, you and I also think alike. When I'm cold down to my bones -- that's when I want a soak.

What I'd do with this space -- it keeps the big shower that you want but moves the toilet out of the difficult closet. It gives you a linen closet, which is always a positive, and the linen closet is located near the shower and toilet, which is where you'd need most of the storage -- I mean, toilet paper alone is big. I'd downsize to a single sink so each spouse can have a full stack of drawers for at-sink storage -- and that sink is located conveniently right in front of the door -- and then you have a nice tub at the other end:

Paul, thanks for the clarification. I understand where you are coming from much better now.
My take on the comments about having to wipe down the tub is mostly referring to the outside of the tub and the fixtures.  For the most part, when you take a tub bath, water, shampoo, conditioner, etc. does not make it's way to the outside of the tub or the fixtures. We have hard water in our area and deposit build up is an issue. I wouldn't want to have to wipe down the outside of the tub and fixtures after each shower like I do the shower door to prevent water spots and deposits. Mainly for that reason I would not be in favor of it.

Mrs Pete...thanks for the new layout! I appreciate it. Unfortunately my architect just went with my old layout in the plans so all the windows were ordered back in August and at least one is as low as 42" off the floor (the one over the tub). He is pretty much out of the picture now due to 'personal problems'. I'm on my own. Moving the tub into the shower seemed the only easy change that wouldn't affect window placement.

It boils down to personal taste and whatever functionality in a bathroom the homeowner wants. However, I could see having a wet room with the tub and shower would be challenging to keep the bathtub clean and mildew free.

Residential steam shower makers usually suggest smaller enclosures than you have planned. Bigger, even with a steam generator, is draftier. Showering sans the steam generator will be cold. You will need a very large generator and multiple steam heads in your plan. This is why I see issues with your design. You will need more than waterproofing with a steam room. what plans do you have for vaporproofing and is the ceiling sloped?

Well, the enclosure that was removed was vapor proofed for steam with a sloped ceiling. There was a conduit in the wall for someone to put in the steam generator at some future point but I guess I need to check to see if the generator will handle such a big space now that I've removed the wall to the shower stall and added the corner window.

Now that I know that I can heat the shower floor I'm definitely going to do that to take care of cold drafts that way along with extra insulation in the wall of the bathroom.

Here's a floor plan that uses a 54" undermount tub and the surround that will create benches inside and out of the shower... all using the showers old footprint. The red line is the glass.

I read most but not all of the comments. I am now marvelling at the conflicting personality things you mention: desiring a high-end steam shower v. I'm a roomba kinda guy; having a very large bathroom with a lot of floor area v. wanting the bathtub inside the shower; desiring a showpiece stand-alone bathtub v. then hiding it inside the shower (behind the entrance door?); not being worried about cleaning daily v. only wanting this high-end expensive bathroom if you can drag a hose in and hose behind the tub.

I don't get the whole wanting a stand-alone tub crowd. I agree they're very pretty, but I prefer function over form, and this bathroom doesn't have that, nor do many stand-alone tub bathrooms we have seen. You have a big bathroom, but almost no storage. I'd prefer separate sinks and more storage, but to each his own.

I should have pointed out the latest floor plan doesn't use a standalone tub and frees up area for more storage and a chair. People will see my master bath once then its off limits. This is all for me.

If it's all for you, then why have 2 sinks?

One can hope.

As far as the medicinal therapeutic values mentioned above,

nothing beats a good old-fashioned massage.

And boiling hot water, throwing in whatever herb or leaves you like, and throwing a towel over your head and the pot and breathing it all in.

And even better, a Thai spa where you can get all that done at the same time (hopefully) by someone who studied with someone who studied with someone who studied it all at Wat Pho.

Some observations/questions…

1. The door to the toilet room opens inward. Are they not supposed to open outward? But that doesn’t look likely to work given the wall configuration. Could you just make a door into the bathroom, say, a pocket door & eliminate the one leading to the toilet?
2. I see the tub/wet room layout as creating a shower that feels claustrophobic + a tub that represents a tripping hazard. Where will the shower head be + the handle to turn on the water or adjust temperature, especially given the location of the windows? Where is the access to the shower or wet room? Will you have a raised sill? Towel/washcloth bar or hook in that area?
3. It looks as though you have windows over your sink area. People frequently look in a mirror over the sink when brushing teeth, drying hair, shaving, etc. I assume you have taken that into account somehow & I am just not seeing it.
4. Storage for spare towels? Medicine cabinet? Towel bars?

Old post.