Can I put a deposit on a clearance tub and pick it up myself?

No to the deposit, yes to the pickup. Ella's Bubbles does not take deposits or partial payments on a walk-in tub order, so a clearance tub is paid in full on its confirmation invoice before it is released. Once that invoice is paid you can collect the tub yourself at the Chicago facility or have your own freight carrier pick it up there. Deposits and Partial Payments on a Walk-In Tub Order explains the payment rule; this page puts the two halves of the question together so you know how to secure the unit and how to get it home.

Why There Is No Deposit, Even on a Clearance Unit

Every Ella tub is built and tested to order, and the invoice is paid in full before a tub ships or is released for pickup. There is no partial payment or layaway arrangement, and no deposit that holds a unit for a set period. A proposal sets out the configuration and pricing, and placing the order is what secures a unit. Clearance and warehouse tubs are collected at the same facility as built-to-order tubs, and the published guidance does not set up a separate deposit arrangement for them, so plan on paying the full invoice. If you need to spread the cost, financing is the route rather than a deposit, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can explain how to apply.

Securing the Tub While You Wait for Funds

Not having the money on hand today does not mean you have to walk away. The support team's answer is to place the order now rather than wait, because the confirmation invoice can sit until you are ready to respond to it.

1. Call your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, say which tub you want, and mention that you plan to pick it up or send your own carrier so that is planned from the start.
2. Ask what clearance and warehouse tubs are currently available, since that stock changes.
3. Review the confirmation invoice when it arrives: model, door side, options and the pickup arrangement.
4. Respond to the invoice and pay it in full when your funds are available. Payment is what releases the order, and pickup is scheduled only after the order is paid.
5. Arrange the pickup date or carrier window with the team once they confirm the unit is tested, packed and ready.

For a built-to-order tub, placing the order this way secures a specific door side or faucet finish that may be in limited supply. For a clearance unit that already exists in the warehouse, ask the team directly whether that particular tub can be held on an unpaid invoice, because availability is confirmed for each order rather than promised.

Option One: Picking the Tub Up Yourself

Tubs, and when available replacement parts and clearance or warehouse units, are collected at the warehouse and production facility at 2700 W Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60608, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Central. There are no weekend pickups, and nothing is collected at the corporate office on South Carpenter Street. Pickup is arranged in advance through where you purchased or with the team at (800) 480-6850, so the order is tested, packed and waiting when you arrive. Picking Up in Chicago covers the full routine. The points that catch people out:

• Choose the vehicle from the shipping size and shipping weight printed on your model's spec sheet, not the tub's actual size. The crate leaves as one unit.
• Bring helpers, ratchet straps and moving blankets. A crated walk-in tub is heavy and awkward, and larger models need several people.
• Inspect before you leave: check the crate for damage and confirm the door side, drain side and therapy package match your order, with the accessory boxes inside.
• Keep the crate upright and the packaging on until the tub is in the bathroom.

Option Two: Sending Your Own Carrier

If you would rather arrange your own freight, your order can be set up for pickup at the Chicago warehouse. The warehouse has loading docks, so your carrier does not need a liftgate truck, and the shipping line on your paperwork is recalculated for pickup instead of residential delivery with liftgate service. Tell the team before your order is finalized, give the exact details, ask for updated paperwork showing the revised delivery type, and confirm it before payment is processed so the order is booked at the correct service level. Do You Need Liftgate Service, and Can Shipping Be Recalculated Without It? explains the service levels.

Dealers and trade buyers moving an order on their own carrier account send Ella a bill of lading, and Ella provides everything the carrier needs: the pickup location, the crated shipping dimensions listed as width, length and height, the shipping weight and the freight class. Walk-in tubs ship from Chicago, but shower bases and wall surrounds ship from partner facilities in other states, so the pickup address is confirmed for each order. Ella confirms the scheduled ship or pickup window when the unit is ready, your carrier books against it, and the carrier's own scheduling cut-off times apply. The full sequence is in Dealer Orders: Using Your Own Freight Carrier and Bill of Lading.

How the Ways of Getting Your Tub Compare

What the differences come down to is who handles the crate and when. Every option starts the same way, with a paid invoice and a tested, packed tub, so none of them lets you skip full payment. Picking up yourself or sending your own carrier removes the liftgate and residential delivery from the shipping line, but it puts the loading, transport and unpacking in your hands. Whichever you choose, pickups are scheduled Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays, and Ella can hold a finished tub until you release it, as Choosing a Ship Date Versus Guaranteeing Delivery explains, which is useful when your installer is only available on certain days.

Related Guides

• Clearance and Warehouse Tubs: What Is Different, What Is Final, and What Warranty Applies
• Can Ella Hold My Tub at the Warehouse Until My Bathroom Is Ready?

Common Questions