Bath, shower, or both
With young children, keeping a bath is usually non-negotiable. A shower over the bath with a fixed screen is the standard answer and works well when the valve and screen are chosen properly.
Where there is a second bathroom or en-suite, the family bathroom can specialise: bath here, walk-in shower there, and the morning conflict largely disappears.
A shower-bath with a wider bathing end is a genuine compromise rather than a marketing one, and suits smaller family bathrooms.
Storage that is actually used
Recessed niches in the shower and above the bath keep bottles off the floor and out of the way of cleaning.
A vanity unit rather than a pedestal basin gives real storage in the space you were losing anyway, and hides the plumbing children like to investigate.
Tall, shallow storage beats deep cupboards in most bathrooms - you can see everything without unpacking it.
Safety and durability
Thermostatic valves with scald protection on both bath and shower, which is worth specifying explicitly.
Slip-resistant floor tiles rated for wet barefoot use, particularly where children run in and out.
Porcelain floors and epoxy grout in the shower zone handle the volume of use and the cleaning that comes with it.
Good extraction with an overrun timer, because a family bathroom generates far more moisture per day than a couple's.
Frequently asked questions
Should we remove the bath if the children are older?
Consider whether it is the only bath in the house. Keeping one bath somewhere in the property is usually the sensible call.
What floor is best with children?
Slip-resistant porcelain. It handles water, wear and cleaning better than vinyl and does not scuff.
Can you fit the bathroom in stages so we are not without it?
We sequence the work so the room is out of use for as short a period as possible and tell you which days at survey.
Is underfloor heating worth it in a family bathroom?
Many families rate it highly, mainly because the floor dries quickly after repeated use rather than for the comfort alone.
Next step
Tell us how many people use the room each morning - it changes what we recommend.
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