Thanks everyone - I am sold on retaining the tub. I am a nomad - this is home number 7 and whilst I fantasise about a forever home, I have declared it before only to get itchy feet.. Ellen you sell the soak really well. The 21 year old son (who usually uses this bathroom) promises he is leaving home soon. I might create a seriously girly bathroom /laundry which might make a long bath appealing rather than a gross prospect. I can mediate to the sound of the dryer tumbling around.

Hi Joanna We love both! A common misconception we've found with freestanding baths and spas is that they're simply be too heavy to move around for cleaning purposes. To make cleaning manageable, our 100% Australian made baths and spas are manufactured using Gelcoat composite construction which is extremely strong yet not overly heavy (5mm thickness to ensure structural rigidity and increased thermal properties). So one of our baths is typically around the 40-50kg mark which allows most people to easily slide the bath out from the wall for easy cleaning access. Freestanding stone baths are a different story altogether! Regards, Brad AQVA Luxury Baths & Spas

It's not a simple debate between what you want/need more or less....understand that this a regulatory thing.........if you are dealing with a building permit then it's pretty cut & dry - as the BCA reads, a separate trough is technically required to consitute a laundry....happy to be corrected in my interpretation in this regard but we have had to deal with this exact issue on a few occasions....... But if you are doing just an under the radar laundry reno/refit (no permit) then potentially you can get away with none, but you'll of course need to practically connect the washer into the drainage somehow, which still requires an isolated trap set-up, that technically will be illegal. No you can't just connect straight into a sewer waste as if the connection fails and their is no water trap it would be hazardous (not to mention unpleasant) to have exposed sewer gas. If it's in a kitchen an can connect a washer to a sink waste (similar) to the dishwasher) then arguably that could be passed. The easiest way is to fit a small trough next to the washer that even if you develop a cover for so you can use the area as bench space. It then keeps flexibility and everything above board/compliant for future resale.....

Thanks for all your comments. I'm adding a photo. Follow-up to some of the comments: tub is in good working order; cost of removal not a factor as I do the work myself; wife wants to replace with rattan etagere with plants & ceramics on shelves. Again, key question: is tub appropriate in powder room off living room, character or not?