Which Ella Tub Fits 30x52 With a Heated Seat and Inward Left Door?

The Ella Elite 30x52 is the inward-swing walk-in tub built on the 30 by 52 inch footprint, and like every current Ella model except the Front Entry it comes in a left-hand version, with the door and seat on the left and the drains on the right. The heated seat and backrest is an optional comfort feature, so ask to have it included when your order is configured. Ella Elite 30x52 Versus the 60-Inch Inward-Swing Tub: Legroom, Therapy Room and What Stays the Same compares the Elite with its longer sibling if your alcove has room for more length.

Start with the Actual Footprint, Not the Nominal Size

The most common walk-in tub footprint is 30 inches wide by 52 inches long, which is why it fits so many standard tub alcoves. The Elite's actual size is 30 by 52 by 35 inches, so on this model the name and the spec sheet agree, but that is not true across the whole line. The Petite, for example, is sold as a 28 inch tub and its actual exterior width is 27 1/2 inches. Measure against the actual figure on the current spec sheet, which you will find on the download tab of each tub's page, rather than the size in the model name.

Three measurements settle the fit before you order:

• The opening between the finished walls. The tiled opening is smaller than the framing, so measure wall to wall at the finished surface rather than trusting the figure the house was built to.
• The narrowest doorway and hallway on the route in. Every doorway and hallway the tub has to pass through must be measured, and removable panels come off before the tub is carried into the house.
• The height of the alcove and the floor in front of it. An inward-swing door needs no floor space in front of the tub, which is often the reason the Elite is on the shortlist for a smaller room.

If the alcove is longer than 52 inches, which is normal in a home framed around a standard 60 inch bathtub, a cut-to-size extension panel closes the gap cleanly, and that panel can go on the right side or the left side of the tub. If you do not need it, you can opt out of receiving one. Left-hand and right-hand versions share the same measurements mirrored, so the footprint does not change with the door side. Will a walk-in tub fit in a small 5-by-7 bathroom? walks through a typical room of that size.

What an Inward-Swing Door Means in the Room

Inward-swing doors need no floor space in front of the tub, so they suit small bathrooms and layouts where a toilet or vanity sits close to the tub. The trade-off is inside the tub: the bather steps in, stands, and closes the door past the knees, so some room inside is needed. The door options video on this page shows the five Ella door styles side by side. The inward-swing U-shaped doors are made of brushed stainless steel, come with a tempered frosted glass panel and an interior chrome locking handle, and are removable for easy cleaning. The Elite belongs to this stainless-door family. By comparison, the outward-swing L-shaped Transfer door needs 36 1/2 inches of clearance in front of the tub, which is the kind of floor space a compact bathroom often cannot give up.

Getting the Left-Hand Version Right

Every Ella walk-in tub except the Front Entry comes in a left-hand and a right-hand version, marked with an L or an R at the end of the SKU, and the door and seat always sit at the opposite end from the drains and the factory-drilled faucet deck. A left-side door means right-side drains, with left and right always taken as you face the tub. Stand where you will approach the tub and note which side of the alcove the house drain is on. If the drain is on the right, the left-door tub is the natural match. The hand is set at the factory and cannot be reversed after delivery, so this is the decision to get right before the order is placed.

The house drain does not have to dictate the side on its own. There is roughly 3 inches of clearance beneath the frame for a 2 inch PVC line, and the drain body has ports on both sides, so a licensed installer can often run the line to a drain on the other side. Have your installer confirm the plan before you lock in the hand. How Do I Choose the Right Walk-In Tub for My Home? covers the full sequence of size, door side and swing.

The Elite Beside the Other Inward-Swing Choice

The two inward-swing tubs are described by the support team as very comparable units, and neither is a step up or down in quality. If your space measures 52 inches, the Elite gives you the inward door, the left-hand configuration and a full-featured tub with up to three therapies. If you have 60 inches, the longer tub adds legroom and room under the seat for a fourth therapy, and the heated seat and backrest is confirmed as an available option on it. Either way, the hand and the swing are the choices that cannot change later, so settle those first and add comfort options after.

How the Heated Seat Works Once It Is Installed

The heated seat video on this page shows the option in use. Push the button once and the heated seat activates. Turn it on 10 to 15 minutes before you enter the tub for maximum comfort, because the warmth builds before you sit down. The heated seat turns off automatically after 20 minutes, and if you would like it back on, you simply push the button again. Because it is an option rather than a standard fitting, tell your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 that you want it on the Elite when the order is configured, so it is built into the tub rather than missed.

Watch: Heated Seat Option for Your Walk-In Tub: Relaxed Bathing | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Which End Does the Elite Extension Panel Go On in a 60 Inch Alcove?
• Will it fit my alcove? Extension panels, end panels, and 60 inch spaces
• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tub

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