Freestanding or in-built bath tub: Which should you choose?

A beautiful bath can take bathing to new heights of sophistication as well as add elegance and a distinctive edge to any bathroom. Over the past few decades, bathtubs have gone from being a purely functional fixture to having the capacity to be the focal point of a bathroom. In fact, there are so many options – beautiful, stylish, and practical options – out there that it can be hard to choose what bathtub is right for you. Do you love the exposed curves of a freestanding bath? Or do you prefer the design of a built-in bath?

A freestanding tub is a bathtub that is finished on all sides and is able to stand-alone. Often, freestanding tubs are more like furniture creating a strong design feature, be it a traditional clawfoot or pedestal bath. Freestanding bathtubs often work best in larger bathrooms where this is plenty of space for you and importantly clean around the bath. There is a large range of tap wear to choose from including floor mounted tap wear or wall mount tape wear.

When installing a freestanding bath, it is important to ensure there is adequate space between the wall and the bath to ensure easy cleaning. Make sure you can get the bath freely with a mop. Design considerations must also be taken into account, from the fall of the tiles beneath the bath to how you will control overspray.

The built-in bath is as seen as the standard option for the home. A built-in bath is built flush to one or more walls and has the plumbing fully concealed. The tap wear for the bath is usually mounted on the wall. The beauty of built-in baths is that they fit any size bathroom from the smallest to the largest.

Available in a range of lengths, depths and sizes but there is usually a set range of standard sizes to choose from. As well as the plain inbuilt bath, you can get corner baths or baths that are fitted with space jets for a more luxurious experience.