ᐅ Ground-level pool instead of a bathtub?

Hello everyone,

We’re about to start building our house soon and have some meetings with architects beforehand to discuss everything...

I’m a bit particular
– meaning: There are a few things I’m really tired of seeing, such as tiles, textured wallpaper (e.g., woodchip), and standard bathtubs.

We hardly ever take baths anyway, only occasionally when someone is sick.
I even had a wooden board made to fit over the bathtub so I can use the space on top for decoration and other items.

So here’s my question for you:

Has anyone here ever installed, within a regular bathroom—that is, inside the four walls—a sort of rectangular “pit” recessed into the floor instead of a regular bathtub? Something like a small in-ground pool or built-in jacuzzi at floor level?

My idea behind this is: such a recessed alternative to a bathtub could be covered with a sturdy board attached nearby when not in use, making the space usable for other things like placing a potted plant, a chair for sitting or putting on shoes, and so on.

Has anyone done something like this and can tell me if it’s significantly more expensive than a somewhat upscale, non-standard bathtub? Because, as I said, I’m really fed up with the usual types...

Since the small pool would probably need to be about one meter (3.3 feet) deep, I guess it would extend more than 1 meter (3.3 feet) into the floor below, considering there’s the ceiling/floor structure underneath as well as walls on all sides. The “pool” would have to be properly supported or braced somehow.

It would be great if someone has more details or maybe some references for me.

Thank you very much and best regards,
Honigkuchen

Hi,
I can’t quite imagine how this would look in the room below. Would that mean half a bathtub protruding from the ceiling, or what? Or would the room below then be one meter (3 feet) lower, or ???

by Klaus

Klaus schrieb:
Hi,
I can’t quite picture it—what would it look like in the room below?
Would there be like half a bathtub sticking out of the ceiling? Or would the room below be a meter (3 feet) lower?

by Klaus

Hi Klaus, yes, that’s roughly how I imagine it too.
But if exactly where the ceiling would be one meter (3 feet) lower below, there happens to be a bathroom, in a spot where you only have fixtures placed, or the toilet, where you have to sit anyway, or the utility room, or any room where having a lower ceiling wouldn’t be a problem, then it would be fine.

I mean, there are also sloping ceilings, so the wall ends up extending into the room; since we are planning a clear ceiling height of about 2.70m (8 ft 10 in), that means the total floor-to-floor height might be around 3.00m (10 ft), so it should be doable…

Regards
Honigkuchen

Hello Honigkuchen,
wouldn't it be easier to raise the pool and build some kind of stairs around it?
That way it’s easier to access and almost feels like it’s level with the ground.

Best regards, Mausi

Mausi schrieb:
Hello Honigkuchen,
wouldn’t it be easier to raise the pool and build some kind of stairs around it?
That way it would be easy to access and would almost feel like it’s level with the floor.

Regards, Mausi

Hello Mausi, of course that would be easier, and I have seen people who have “upgraded” a regular bathtub in exactly that way…

But as I already mentioned: we use the bathtub very rarely (maybe that will change in the comfort house), and I simply don’t want it to be in the way. Instead, as I said, just a board on top makes it visually disappear, and the space can be used for something else in the meantime.

Best, Honigkuchen

Hi,

isn't there a minimum ceiling height for rooms? I'm not sure if it’s allowed to do it this way.

Regards, Helen