Does Drilling Holes for a Faucet or Grab Bars Void the Ella Warranty? Pre-Drilled Holes, Reinforced Walls and Choosing an Installer
Updated September 2026
Drilling the holes your installer needs to mount a faucet and grab bars on an Ella acrylic shower does not void the warranty. Those holes are not predrilled, drilling them is a normal installation step, and it is expected. What does void or limit coverage is a short list of installation and ownership mistakes: improper installation, modifying or repairing the tub outside Ella's Bubbles, and relocating or transferring the tub. This guide separates the drilling that is part of a correct installation from the modifications that cost you coverage, explains how tubs differ from showers, and helps you choose an installer. The complete list of voiders lives in What can void my Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub warranty?.
What Voids or Limits Coverage
| Action | Why it affects coverage |
|---|---|
| Relocating the tub or transferring ownership | The warranty covers the first purchaser only, is nontransferable and is tied to the original installation address. It is void if ownership changes or the tub is moved. |
| Modification or repair by anyone other than Ella's Bubbles | Modified or repaired products fall outside the warranty. This means cutting or altering the shell, frame or equipment, not the drilling your installer must do to mount a faucet or grab bar where the product is designed to receive one. |
| Improper or negligent installation | Improper installation is excluded, and labor is never covered. A tub that is not level is the classic example, because the door and seal warranty depends on correct door alignment. |
| Leaning or applying the bather's weight on the door | The door and door seal warranty is valid only when door alignment is correct and unchanged. The door holds its own weight only. |
| Running the thermostatic control valve without an inline filter or mesh | The thermostatic control valve carries a one-year limited warranty, and cartridge fouling from calcium, iron or contaminated water is not covered. Fit an inline filter or mesh and clean it periodically. |
| Fitting a non-Ella brand faucet | Non-Ella faucets carry only their own manufacturer's warranty. |
| Activation form never returned | Activation is required to put your coverage in force. The two-page form must be signed by both the customer and the installer and returned with a copy of the sales receipt. If it was never sent, complete it now through the warranty activation page on ellasbubbles.com, and the team can help you finish it as part of any request. |
General exclusions also apply: negligence, abuse, misuse, improper installation, alteration or modification, and improper maintenance. Installation, plumbing and electrical connections, and water damage to the home are excluded as well. Display models are not covered, and Ella's Bubbles is not bound by warranty promises made by dealers, retailers, distributors or contractors.
Drilling for Faucets and Grab Bars
Ella acrylic showers ship without faucet or grab bar holes. The wall is not predrilled, and the grab bars are packed separately, so your installer drills for the faucet and for each grab bar during installation. That is the intended process, it does not void the warranty, and there is no way to install the fixtures without it. If another supplier has told you that drilling into an acrylic shower voids coverage, that is not how the Ella warranty works.
Shower models sold as grab bar ready are reinforced behind the wall at the grab bar locations, which is the real difference between a grab bar ready shower and a plain acrylic shower, and it is also why the bars mount where they do. If a bar does not match the layout or was missing from the box, see what to do when a grab bar is the wrong size. Seats, benches and the caregiver curtain rod follow the same logic and are covered in installing shower seats, benches and accessories.
Tubs Are Different
On a walk-in tub the faucet and interior grab bar mounting points are part of the design, so a replacement interior bar must match the existing hole spacing. Cutting or drilling a tub shell somewhere it was not designed for is a modification and can put the affected parts outside the warranty. If you want a different faucet arrangement, raise it at order time with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850; the options are listed in what can and cannot be customized. Fitting a deck-mount grab bar correctly is covered in how the deck-mount grab bar is fitted.
Choosing an Installer
Any licensed local plumber or electrician can install an Ella tub or shower, and certification by Ella is not required. Ella's Bubbles does not perform installations or repairs. Our technical support team guides your contractor for free with manuals and live video help and can point you toward installers from a nationwide network; see how to find a licensed installer. Labor is warranted by the installer who did the work, and parts are warranted by Ella. When a covered part fails, the replacement ships under the warranty and a local licensed plumber or electrician does the labor.
Related Guides
- Installation choices that affect your warranty and how to keep coverage intact
- Grab Bars: What Is Included, Installing the Deck-Mount Bar, and Add-On Wall Bars
- What Is a Fast-Fill Faucet on a Walk-In Tub?
Common Questions
Does drilling the acrylic shower for the faucet void the warranty?
Why do grab bar ready showers differ from plain acrylic showers?
Can I drill an extra hole in my walk-in tub deck?
Does choosing my own installer affect the warranty?
Is the warranty void if I never sent the activation form?
Still Need Help?
Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.
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