Can I Install a Walk-In Tub Inside My Shower Enclosure?

Only if the tub is a soaking-only model. A jetted walk-in tub, whether hydro massage, air massage or a combination, has a pump, an in-line heater on packages that include one, and electrical connections that your installer must reach during installation and that must stay reachable for service. The walls and curb of a shower enclosure typically block that, so for a jetted tub we recommend placing it somewhere else in the bathroom. A soaker has no jets and no pump, which is why it is the one type that can work inside a large enclosure.

Why Jetted Tubs Need Clearance

Every hydro or air massage tub carries its equipment under the deck, behind the access panels. Hydro units have a hydro pump, air units have a blower, and combination units have both, along with the ozone generator and controls. Your installer needs room to make the plumbing and electrical connections, and a plumber or electrician needs to reach the same equipment later for any service. See which Ella tubs include an in-line heater for how the packages differ. A licensed electrician makes the electrical connection for a jetted tub, and that connection needs to be accessible rather than sealed inside a wet enclosure.

When a Soaker Can Go in the Enclosure

A soaking-only walk-in tub has no jets and no pump, so it needs only water supply and drain connections. An oversized shower enclosure can house one if the following check out:

1. Measure the enclosure's interior length, width and the height of the curb, and compare it to the tub's actual footprint plus room for the door to swing fully open.
2. Confirm the drain location. The tub's drains sit on the side opposite the door, so a right-door tub drains on the left and a left-door tub drains on the right as you face the tub. The house drain has to be reachable from that side.
3. Plan the faucet and supply lines. Deck-mount faucets connect under the tub deck, so your plumber needs access to that side during installation.
4. Make sure the tub can be leveled on the enclosure floor. Shower pans are sloped toward the drain, and the tub must sit level, which your installer confirms before final connection.
5. Have your installer confirm the tub can be brought into the enclosure through its opening, since the opening of many enclosures is narrower than the tub.
6. Ask your installer whether any optional features on your order need an electrical connection, and plan access for it.

If You Want a Jetted Tub

Choose a spot in the bathroom that leaves clearance on the equipment side and keeps the access panel free. Any Ella tub fits a standard three-wall alcove or stands free against one or two walls, and models shorter than 60 inches include an extension panel to fill the gap. Model, size and door-side choices are summarized in the walk-in tub general overview. If showering is the goal, faucet packages with a pull-out hand shower let you shower while seated in the tub, and a bath screen or sliding door can be added; see sliding shower doors and bath screen installation.

Replacing the Shower Instead

Many customers remove the enclosure entirely and install the tub in that footprint, which gives the installer full access. If you would rather keep a roll-in or walk-in shower and add a tub elsewhere, the shower builder tool and the product line overview show what is available. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can review your bathroom layout before you finalize a design.

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Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.