Can I Order a Left-Side Door With Right-Side Plumbing?

Yes. A left-side entry door with the plumbing on the right is the standard left-hand configuration of an Ella walk-in tub, because the door and the drains always sit on opposite sides. Every current Ella model except the Front Entry is built in a left-hand and a right-hand version, so you order the left-hand tub and the drains and faucet deck land on the right end. Should My Walk-In Tub Door Be on the Left or Right Side? explains how to match the hand to your room.

What Left-Hand Means on an Ella Tub

Sides are always described as you face the tub, ready to step in. On a left-hand tub the door and seat are on your left, and the drains and the factory-drilled faucet deck are at the right end. A right-hand tub is the mirror image, with the door on the right and the drains on the left. The hand shows at the end of the SKU, for example HC3260L for a left-hand HomeCare and HC3260R for the right-hand version. Left and right tubs share the same measurements mirrored, so only the swing side changes, never the footprint. What Is Door Side (Left-Hand vs Right-Hand) on a Walk-In Tub? decodes the rest.

How to Order It

• Stand where you will approach the tub and confirm the house drain is on your right. That calls for a left-hand tub, which puts the door and seat on the left.
• Tell your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 that you need a left-side door with right-side drains, and share the spec sheet with your installer so the drain positions are known before delivery.
• Read the item description on the final invoice before you approve it. It states the hand of the tub, and the hand is set at the factory and cannot be reversed after delivery.

If the House Drain Is on the Other Side

The house drain does not have to dictate the hand. Plumbing can run under the tub in either direction, with roughly 3 inches of clearance beneath the frame for a 2 inch PVC line, and the four-port drain bodies connect from the left or the right with the unused ports capped. Installers often move the supply and drain lines to the side that gives the best access and the right door swing for the room. In a three-wall alcove, choose the drain side that keeps the drain connections reachable through the front of the tub, since the side walls are closed off once the tub is in. Choosing the Drain Side for an Alcove or Slab Installation and Prebuilding the Drain Line walks through that decision, and your licensed installer should confirm the connection plan.

Check the Door Swing on the Left

Once the hand is settled, check the floor in front of the door side against the door style that comes with your model. Inward-swing doors need no floor space in front of the tub and suit small bathrooms and a nearby toilet. Outward U-shape doors swing 165 degrees and need about 21 inches of clearance in front, and the L-shape Transfer door swings 172 degrees and needs about 36.5 inches. Note where the toilet and vanity sit relative to the left side. The swing direction is built into the tub and cannot be changed later, as Can My Walk-In Tub Door Be Changed to Swing the Other Way? explains.

Related Guides

• Left-Hand or Right-Hand? Choosing Door, Drain, and Faucet Side

Common Questions