Does Ella's Bubbles Recommend Local Installers or Contractors for Service?

Yes. Ella's Bubbles does not have installation crews or service technicians of its own, but it keeps a nationwide network of partner dealers and independent installers, and the team will look up the partner closest to your installation address whether you need a tub installed or a repair done years later. You are never required to use that referral: any licensed local plumber and electrician can do the work, because no Ella certification or specialist training is needed. Who Installs My Walk-in Tub? Hiring a Licensed Contractor and How Ella Supports Them covers the installation side, and this page explains how the referral works, what changes when the request is for service on an installed tub, and why your regular plumber is usually the right person to call.

What Ella Provides, and What the Contractor Provides

Ella's Bubbles manufactures walk-in tubs. It never performs or charges for installation, it does not send technicians to your home, and it does not set labor prices. What it provides, free for the life of the tub, is technical support for you and for whoever does the work: installation manuals and specification sheets for every model on each product page's Downloads tab, a one-page installation requirements checklist, an installation video library arranged in the order a job actually happens, phone and email support, and live video chat on request so a support agent can see the tub and answer your contractor's questions during the job.

The contractor provides the site visit, the labor and any materials the job calls for. Because installation and repairs are arranged directly between you and that contractor, labor pricing is set by the contractor and never by Ella, so ask anyone you are considering for a written estimate. Does Ella Install the Tub? How to Get Connected With a Local Installer in Your Area describes this split in more detail.

How an Installer Referral Works

1. Send your full installation address to the team through ellasbubbles.com/support or by calling (800) 480-6850. The contractor needs the complete address to plan the visit.
2. Tell the team which model you are considering and which therapy options interest you, such as hydro massage, air massage, microbubble, or a heated seat and back. The electrical work depends on those choices.
3. The team identifies the partner dealer or installer closest to you and sends an email introduction, usually with the contractor copied so both of you have each other's contact information.
4. Ella shares the tub specifications with the contractor, including the dimensions and the electrical diagrams for your selected therapies, so they arrive prepared.
5. The contractor contacts you directly to schedule a site visit, take measurements, review your doorway and bathroom, and provide an estimate for the work.

Partner installers are third-party contractors, not Ella employees. Once the introduction is made, you coordinate scheduling, materials and timelines with them directly, and any labor coverage on the installation comes from them rather than from Ella. It helps to ask for that labor coverage in writing before the work begins. The network includes Angi Pro contractors alongside Ella's own partner dealers.

Getting a Referral for Service on an Installed Tub

The Lifetime Limited Warranty is a parts warranty, so when something fails Ella does not dispatch a repair crew. Instead, Technical Support troubleshoots with you by phone, photos and live video to determine which part needs exchanging, ships that part at no charge once the defect is verified, and a local licensed plumber, electrician or handyman fits it using the directions that come with it. Who Can Come Out and Fix My Walk-In Tub? walks through that process, and here is how the referral piece fits in.

• Contact where you purchased first. A dealer installation gives you one number to call for follow-up. Be aware that some dealers will not work on tubs they did not sell or install, and if that happens the team can point you to a dealer in your area.
• Open a ticket or call before lining up a contractor. Many fixes turn out to need no part at all, just a reconnected air tube or a plugged-in cord, and a phone or video session can settle that before anyone is paid for a visit.
• Ask the team to check the installer network by your installation address when on-site work is needed. This is the same network used for new installations, and it works even if your original installer is unreachable or the dealer who sold the tub has closed.
• Have the basics ready: a one or two sentence description of the symptom, photos or a short video, your model and serial number from the label inside one of the removable panels, and where and when the tub was purchased.

Nearly every repair on an Ella tub, from a button and air hose to a valve or a control box, is ordinary plumbing and electrical work. That is why a referral is a convenience rather than a requirement, and why a local tradesperson you already trust is a perfectly good choice.

Can My Regular Plumber Install or Service an Ella Tub?

Yes. Experienced plumbers and electricians can install the bathtub by following the installation manuals and the directions of Ella's technical support team, and certification by Ella is not required. The same applies to repairs: the team answers questions from any licensed plumber, electrician or handyman by phone or video, so prior Ella experience is not required. If your plumber hesitates because they have never seen an Ella tub, have them call (800) 480-6850 with the model in front of them.

It is still best to hire licensed and experienced contractors who know your local building requirements and codes. If you are handy and plan to do most of the work yourself, the one step that always goes to a licensed electrician is the electrical connection. Your plumber can also check the hot water supply before the tub arrives; the recommended tank size is 75 gallons for most Ella models and higher for the larger two-seat and bariatric tubs, as listed in Recommended Water Heater Size by Walk-In Tub Model.

If Your Contractor Wants to Be on the Referral List

Ella's Bubbles works with three kinds of trade partners: dealers who sell and often install Ella tubs in their territory, independent installers who receive customer referrals from Ella's network, and contractors who buy tubs for their own clients' projects. Each starts with an application on ellasbubbles.com, and the partnership team follows up. A plumber who has done one good Ella installation for you can read about joining in Becoming an Ella Dealer, Joining the Installer Network, and Contractor Pricing.

Related Guides

• Does Ella's Bubbles Install Walk-In Tubs, and How Do I Choose an Installer?

Common Questions