Walk-in shower or bathtub? It is one of the most debated decisions in bathroom remodeling — and the answer depends on which bathroom, who is using it, and whether you are thinking about resale. At Alexandria Kitchen and Bath Studio, we have helped hundreds of homeowners make this call. Here is the complete framework, with real estate data, practical considerations, and the Alexandria-specific factors that matter.
The Resale Rule: Keep One Tub
Real estate data across Northern Virginia is consistent: homes should have at least one bathtub. Families with young children need a tub for bathing. Converting every bathroom in the house to walk-in showers shrinks your potential buyer pool. You do not need a tub in every bathroom — but you need one somewhere. If your home currently has two full bathrooms and you are remodeling the master, you can safely convert the master tub to a walk-in shower as long as the hall or guest bathroom keeps a tub. If you only have one full bathroom, keep a tub — or at minimum, keep a tub-shower combo rather than going shower-only. Your real estate agent will thank you later.
Master Bathroom: The Shower Wins
For the primary bathroom, walk-in showers are the strong preference among today’s buyers across all age groups. A spacious shower with frameless glass enclosure, a rainfall showerhead, a handheld sprayer on a slide bar, built-in niches for shampoo bottles, and a bench or corner seat feels luxurious and functions beautifully. If you have the space, a double shower with two separate showerheads and controls eliminates the morning negotiation and adds genuine daily value. The oversized corner jacuzzi tubs that dominated 1990s master bathrooms are increasingly seen as wasted space — they take up 20+ square feet, use enormous amounts of water, and in surveys of actual usage, most owners admit they use the tub less than once a month. Converting that underused tub to a generous walk-in shower is one of the highest-impact bathroom upgrades you can make.
Guest and Family Bathrooms: Upgrade the Tub, Do Not Remove It
For the bathroom your kids or guests use, keep a tub. If the existing tub is dated — think 1980s fiberglass insert with yellowing caulk — upgrade to a deeper soaking tub with a tiled surround and a glass shower door instead of a curtain. A tub-shower combo serves both functions in one footprint and satisfies families with young children, pet owners who bathe dogs, and anyone who occasionally wants a bath. A standard alcove tub is 60 inches wide and 30-32 inches deep. Soaking tubs are deeper — 14 to 17 inches of water depth versus the standard 12-13 inches — and feel dramatically more luxurious for essentially the same footprint.
The Accessibility Factor
If you are planning to stay in your Alexandria home as you age — and many of our clients are — a curbless walk-in shower in at least one bathroom is one of the smartest long-term investments you can make. No threshold to step over. No lip to trip on. Wide enough for a future shower chair or caregiver assistance. Grab bars integrated into the design so they do not look institutional. This is not just for seniors — anyone of any age can slip in a wet tub. Curbless showers have the added benefit of looking contemporary and high-end, so the accessibility feature works as a design feature. If you are building a new master bathroom or doing a full gut remodel, strongly consider a curbless entry. The waterproofing requirements add some cost, but the long-term value is impossible to argue with.
Alexandria Historic Home Note
If your Old Town home has an original clawfoot tub, think carefully before removing it. A restored clawfoot tub with refinished exterior, updated plumbing, and a freestanding tub filler adds character and charm that modern fixtures cannot replicate. In the right bathroom — a guest bath with vintage-inspired tile and wainscoting — an original clawfoot tub is a genuine selling point. Refinish it professionally, upgrade the plumbing, and keep it as a statement piece. Not everything in a historic home needs to be modernized.
Shower or tub — or both? Let us help you decide. Alexandria Kitchen and Bath Studio — (703) 836-5141 or akbs-oldtown.com.
