There should be at least one bathroom somewhere in the house. It doesn’t have to be in the master bath.

Someday, a young family with children may buy the house. They’ll want a tub in which to bathe children.

If you are asking the question--you know the answer. 8~)

It doesn't have to be the trendy freestanding tub but a basic tub in one of the secondary bathrooms is a 'yes'.

Absolutely design your suite for aging in place. And plan a secondary bath for your visiting adult children and grandchildren, with a tub shower. A 3 bathroom home is 1 bathroom too many for a true retirement home, unless you are planning on paying for home maintenance help.

Are you in a retirement community? Then no you don't need a tub.

Are you in a regular neighborhood where there's a mix of ages, etc? Then yes you need a tub in one of the other bathrooms.

As Verbo states, do you need 3 full bathrooms? We are retired and we have 2 1/2 baths and it's plenty.

When husband and I were 20 something newly weds we shopped for a house and would not consider less than 2.5 bathrooms.. Now we are empty nesters with occasional overnight guests and still have and appreciate 2.5 bathrooms. My in laws raised a family in a 1.5 bathroom house. My parents did the same in a 3.5 bathroom house. Everyones needs & budgets are different.

In reference to the tub…if you dont have a jacuzzi…i think a tub is something you will enjoy as you age….the least friendly thing about getting old is tired bones and aching muscles…both of which love to soak in hot water…

We bought a house with a big jacuzzi in the master bath 3 years ago. I’m 67 and I’ve never used it. Achy muscles? Sure! But my muscles will ache even more if I slip and fall getting in/out of the d@mn thing.

It is hard to come up with any positives in any jacuzzi you have to fill for each use…we never take baths…just showers..but get in our outdoor jacuzzi everyday…hubby in morning ..me at nite…would not be able to live with the regular aches and pains without it…we have had several over the years..this last one is the best yet as it is small..like a roomy bathtub….so much easier to clean…faster to empty and refill…less chemicals required…

You don't need a tub in a master bath unless you want to take baths. Most adults - especially those who have "aged in place" don't take baths.

Many people would prefer to have a large luxurious walk in shower versus a crappy shower and tub they don't use and still have to clean.

In terms of resale, you are just as likely to attract buyers who want a great shower as a tub in the master bath and likely more. At this point if I were house hunting I would NOT get a home with a tub/shower in the master nor would I get a house where there was a tub and a mediocre shower.

You should design your shower (and bathroom) so that it designed for aging in place which would include grab bars installed in the studs as well as a comfortable bench. I find my built in bench to be much more functional than something that isn't built in as you have to deal with cleaning around a freestanding stool or shower chair and/or find a place to store it.

My shower was designed to age in place and has the grab bars as well as an additional hand held by the bench which is very functional for me as I don't have to snake the hand held across the shower. There is a second hand held by the other shower fixtures as well. Relatively inexpensive to install when you are building the shower.

As to whether you need 3 bathrooms - while the minimum is 2 1/2 or 2 if there are space constraints, why not since the additional space and money would be relatively negligible in a new build. However do consider the functionality since one of those bathrooms would be the powder room and therefore would need to be accessible from the public areas. Would someone actually be using that third bathroom to shower in as most people don't typically shower in bathrooms that are off the living room or other public spaces.

thanks for the input Helen. we are not planning a tub for our ensuite. the 2nd bathroom/powder room will be used by company and 2 guest bedrooms. friends of ours who had a major remodel done had said they would not have had a tub just a shower . my husband thinks we should include a bath in the 2nd bathroom.

i wanted and appreciate everyones feedback..Thanks everyone !

@btydrvn What kind of outdoor jacuzzi tub do you have? It sounds perfect!

We got it so long ago… but had to search long to get that size… as it turned out we found a manufacturer who sold to retailers.. and would put their brand on it… it is 43”x83”.. we built a little roof over it so we could use it “ rain or snow”…and we do!

You may be able to see it flips open halfway for snowy or rainy weather…