I Just Ordered My Ella Walk-In Tub, What Happens Next?

Once your order is confirmed, your walk-in tub enters production planning and is built to order, then assembled, jetted, tested and crated before it leaves the facility. From there the path is a shipment confirmation email with the freight tracking number, a call from the carrier to set a delivery appointment, curbside delivery, your inspection, and your installer's work. Because freight carriers can only schedule by phone, the first thing to do today is check the number on your order, which Why Ella Needs a Working Phone Number Before Your Walk-In Tub Ships explains in detail.

Your Tub Is Built to Order, so Production Starts Once the Order Is Confirmed

Every Ella walk-in tub is assembled and tested to order. After your order is confirmed it goes into production planning, and then it is built, assembled, jetted and tested before it is wrapped and crated for the move. Because the tub is made for your order rather than pulled from a shelf, the total time from paid invoice to delivery varies by model, options and current stock, and this knowledge base does not quote a production or delivery timeframe. The team confirms the current timing for your specific order: open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with your order reference.

If you need to change something, do it right away. A change to the door side or to the therapy package may still be possible early in the build and may not be possible later, so open a ticket with your order reference as soon as you know, and the team will tell you what is still open at that point in the build.

Shipping is a separate line from the tub itself. Freight rates are set by the carrier rather than by Ella's Bubbles, so the shipping portion can differ from an earlier quote if there was a gap before you ordered. Payment Options and Shipping Costs for Your Walk-In Tub Order covers the accepted payment methods, ACH, wire transfer and credit card, and how freight relates to the tub figure; your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm the specifics for your order. If a glass screen on your order is back-ordered, the tub does not wait for it. The tub ships first and the screen follows later.

Before It Ships: The Phone Number the Carrier Will Call

Walk-in tubs travel as less-than-truckload freight, and freight carriers do not simply show up. When the tub reaches the terminal nearest you, the carrier calls the phone number on the order to schedule a delivery window and to confirm someone will be there to receive the curbside delivery. That is why Ella's Bubbles confirms a valid, working US phone number on every order before the tub is released to ship.

• Check the number on your invoice or order confirmation and make sure it is the number you actually answer.
• If a contractor, family member or property manager will receive the tub, give that person's number before the ship date so the carrier calls the right person.
• Turn on the ringer and set up voicemail. Carriers usually call from an unfamiliar number and leave a message.
• Reply promptly to any email or voicemail asking you to confirm your number.

If you bought through a retailer such as a home improvement store, the tub still ships from Ella's Bubbles as the manufacturer. If the number that came with the retailer order is not reaching you, Ella's Bubbles will email you, identify itself as the manufacturer, reference your retailer order and the product you purchased, and ask for the best number. Replying quickly keeps the order moving. A US number is needed for delivery even if you normally take calls from another country.

When It Ships: The Tracking Email and the Delivery Appointment

Once your tub leaves the facility you receive a shipment confirmation email with the freight tracking number. Use it to follow the shipment to the terminal nearest you. From there the carrier calls to schedule the delivery appointment, and the delivery itself is curbside, so plan for someone to be present at the agreed window.

If the carrier cannot reach the number on the order, the tub waits at the terminal. The carrier then asks Ella's Bubbles for an alternate number, and the team starts calling and emailing you as well. If nobody can be reached, the order may have to be cancelled, which is why confirming the number before the ship date matters so much.

Delivery Day: Inspect, Keep the Packaging, and Bring It in by the Frame

Your tub arrives fully assembled and tested, wrapped in plastic and bubble wrap and crated, with the side panels packed for the move. Three things protect you on delivery day.

1. Save all packaging material. Keep every piece until you have confirmed nothing is damaged or missing.
2. Inspect before installation. Check the tub against your order for visual damage and for operational damage, since concealed damage is only found by looking closely and by running the tub. Freight damage must be reported within 48 hours of receipt of the shipment, so do this inspection the same day and open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with photos if anything is wrong.
3. Carry it by the frame. Remove the side panels before carrying the tub in, and lift only by the frame, never by the plumbing, the panels or the fittings.

Lining Up Your Installer and Putting the Warranty in Force

Ella's Bubbles does not send technicians. A local licensed plumber or electrician does the installation labor, and the support team guides your installer by ticket or phone. If you do not yet have an installer, the team can send your contact information, the tub specifications and the electrical diagrams for your model to a recommended contractor in your area, as described in Getting Installer Referrals and Leads for Your Walk-In Tub. The installer then contacts you directly, visits the home to measure the installation space, and gives you an estimate for the work. Having the installer lined up before the delivery call means the tub does not sit in the garage any longer than it has to.

After installation, the last step is warranty activation, which puts the warranty in force. The 2-page activation form is completed and signed by both you and your installer and returned to Ella's Bubbles, and the quickest route is online at ellasbubbles.com/warranty-activation/. Your serial number is on the label behind the magnetic access panel next to the door, so note it before the panels go back on.

Related Guides

• Your walk-in tub has arrived, how to inspect the delivery before signing
• Video Tour: How Your Tub Is Assembled, Tested, Packed and Shipped From Chicago
• Common Installation Questions: Tile Order, Leveling Legs, Subfloor, Panels, Drain Size and the Outdoor Test

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