What Companies Install Walk-In Tubs and How Do I Find One?

Walk-in tubs are installed by licensed local companies: plumbers, electricians, remodeling contractors, and resellers that both sell and install the tubs. Ella's Bubbles builds the tub and backs it with parts and free technical support, but it does not perform installations or send technicians, so the company that sets your tub will always be a local one. Companies that want to sell and install Ella products apply through the Ella's Bubbles Reseller Program, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can help you locate a reputable installer in your area.

The Kinds of Companies That Install Walk-In Tubs

There is no single national installation crew behind a walk-in tub. The work is done by local trades, and they tend to fall into four groups. Knowing which group a company belongs to tells you what to expect from it.

• Resellers that sell and install. Ella's reseller program exists for companies that want to sell and install Ella walk-in tubs and showers. Approval looks at the company's website content, its prior walk-in tub sales or installation experience, and how much it already invests in marketing walk-in tubs. Large plumbing companies with an established showroom are the classic example. A reseller is a company that has already shown a track record with this type of product.
• Remodeling companies and dealers. Many tubs are ordered by a remodeling company or dealer on the homeowner's behalf, and that same company then handles the bathroom work. This is a comfortable route when the tub is part of a larger remodel.
• Independent licensed plumbers and electricians. Any licensed installer is fine, and certification by Ella is not required. A walk-in tub has plumbing connections and, on therapy models, electrical connections, so the job often involves both a plumber and an electrician, or one contractor who coordinates both.
• Installers referred from Ella's network. Ella can refer installers from its nationwide network, which includes Angi Pro. This is the quickest path when you do not already have a contractor you trust.

One thing none of these companies will be is Ella's Bubbles itself. Ella never performs or charges for installation, and it does not send staff to a home to give a presentation or take measurements. Product presentations happen live over video, and the in-person measuring is handled by the local company doing the work.

How to Find an Installer Near You

1. Start where you purchased. Ask your Ella dealer whether the company installs as well as sells. Resellers in the program are set up to do both.
2. If you need a name, call the team at (800) 480-6850 or open a request at ellasbubbles.com/support and ask for help locating a reputable installer near your address.
3. Confirm the company is licensed and ask about its walk-in tub experience. Prior walk-in tub installation experience is one of the things Ella itself reviews when a company applies to the reseller program, so it is a sensible question for you to ask too.
4. Make sure the installer has the installation manual for your exact model before the work is scheduled. Ella's technical support is free for your contractor, with manuals and live video help available during the job.
5. Settle the installation price directly with the contractor. Installation by your contractor is its own part of the overall cost of a walk-in tub, separate from the model, the therapy package, the options and the freight, as explained in How Ella Pricing Works. Labor pricing belongs to the contractor, and Ella does not estimate it.

What a Careful Installer Does Before and During the Job

Before anything is connected, a good installer confirms that the tub on site is the tub that was ordered. Every unit carries a yellow model tag on the back, and the serial label sits behind the magnetic access panel next to the door. Sizes and left or right orientation are the most common mismatches, and installed tubs cannot be returned or exchanged, so this check has to happen while the tub is still uninstalled. The steps are laid out in The Tub That Arrived Is a Different Model or Is Missing an Option I Ordered. If a dealer or remodeler placed the order for you, remember that the tub is built to the order Ella received, and the team can confirm what that order said.

The other mark of a careful installer is leveling. The video on this page explains why: every Ella tub stands on threaded rods with feet, and the installer adjusts them so the tub sits level even when the floor is not. Ella tubs carry more leveling feet than the four corner feet most companies offer, including center legs down the middle of the tub on many models, with the layout varying by model and tub size. More feet spread the weight, which means less movement in the subfloor, less twisting in the frame, less vibration when the tub is running, and silicone seams that stay intact. Ask your installer to adjust every foot, not only the corners, because the feet are the foundation of the whole installation.

Timing the Installer Around Delivery

You do not have to line up the installer for the day the freight truck arrives. There is no deadline to install an Ella walk-in tub after delivery, and many customers take delivery before the bathroom is even framed so the tub is on site when the plumber and electrician are scheduled. The full picture is in Is There a Deadline to Install My Walk-In Tub After Delivery?. Keep the tub in its original packaging, indoors and out of the weather, until the installer is ready.

Two clocks do run from delivery, and neither waits for your contractor:

• Freight damage must be reported within 48 hours of receipt, so open the crate and inspect the shell, door and fixtures on delivery day, and keep all packaging material.
• The 30-day return window applies only to brand new, uninstalled tubs in original packaging, and it does not pause while the tub waits in storage.

If you are receiving two orders, such as a tub and shower items, and your installer is already booked for the first tub, it is often better to let that tub ship on its own than to hold it for a combined load. The trade-off is covered in Can Two Orders Ship Together on One Freight Shipment?. Ella tubs are assembled and tested to order, so confirm current timing for your specific order with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before you commit your installer to a date.

Who Is Responsible for What After the Tub Is in

It helps to know how responsibility is divided before you choose a company. Ella's Lifetime Limited Warranty is a parts warranty. Replacement parts ship under the warranty, and a local licensed plumber or electrician does the labor. The labor itself is warranted by the independent contractor or installer who did the work, which is a good reason to choose an established local company you can call back. Improper or negligent installation and modifications made by others are excluded from Ella's coverage, and Ella is not bound by warranty promises made by dealers, retailers, distributors or contractors.

Your installer also has a part in putting the warranty in force. The warranty is not activated at delivery. The 2-page activation form must be completed and signed by both the customer and the installer and returned to Ella's Bubbles once the tub is installed. Let your installer know about the form before the job starts so the signature is not an afterthought.

Watch: Walk-In Tubs with Extra Leveling Legs for Superior Stability | Voted Safest 2020 | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• What Installation Involves, How Long It Takes, and What Drives the Cost
• What Questions Should I Ask a Contractor Before Hiring Them to Install My Tub?
• Before Your Installer Leaves: The 16 Checks Explained in Plain Language and Why Each One Protects Your Warranty

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