How Is a One-Piece Ella Shower Stall Installed From Delivery to Finish?

A one-piece Ella shower stall is installed by a local licensed plumber or contractor in a framed alcove that matches the unit's rough-in diagram, leveled on shims you cut yourself and then fastened to the studs. The job starts before the truck arrives, because the molded unit cannot be broken down and needs at least 33 inches of clear opening at every doorway and hallway on its route, as explained in How Do I Measure Doorways and Hallways for a One-Piece Ella Shower?. Below is the sequence from delivery to the last bead of sealant, drawn from Ella's published guidance for its low-threshold stalls.

Before the Truck Comes: The Route and the Framing Pocket

The most common problem with a one-piece stall has nothing to do with plumbing. The unit is molded as a single piece and cannot be broken down, so it needs at least 33 inches of clear opening at every doorway, hallway and stairway between the delivery point and the bathroom. Measure each opening at its narrowest point, starting with the exterior door the freight carrier will use, and include any turn where the unit has to pivot. Most finished homes have at least one opening narrower than this, which is why Ella aims the one-piece stall mostly at new construction. If the bathroom is not yet framed, plan with your contractor to set the shower in place before the doorways and hallways are finished.

The pocket itself has to match the rough-in diagram for the unit: square, plumb, and on a level floor, with a 6 inch floor opening for the 2 inch drain. Notching a stud or shimming the pan is a normal part of the job, not a sign that something is wrong. Have your plumber locate the supply lines and the drain before the stall is positioned, since the drain has to align with the base once the unit is in the alcove.

Because the unit cannot be broken down, the team contacts you before the order goes to production. They confirm that you understand the shower is one piece and needs the clearance, ask you to verify it will fit the project, and confirm the seat side, the drain side and the number of grab bars you selected. They also make sure the phone number on the order will be answered, because freight deliveries are scheduled by phone. Once everything is confirmed, the order is released to production.

Delivery Day: Inspect Before You Sign

• Someone must be available for the appointment. The freight carrier calls ahead to schedule delivery, and if you bought through a retailer, the retailer sends tracking once the unit ships.
• Inspect every carton with the driver present. Note any damage on the delivery document before signing, or sign "subject to further inspection".
• Freight damage, including concealed damage found later, must be reported within 48 hours of delivery, and all packaging must be kept.
• Never install a damaged unit. A hole, a crack or a coating coming off the base has to be reported before the stall is fastened in.
• Check the drain side and the hand of the unit against your order before anything is fastened. A wrong-hand unit is a shipping error to report to where you purchased.
• Grab bars ship loose in the carton rather than factory installed. Set them aside for the installer.

Setting and Leveling the Base

Shim blocks are not included with Ella low-threshold stalls, including the 33 by 60 inch one-piece unit sold through home improvement retailers, so cut your own before the unit goes into the alcove. Each wedge should be about 6 inches long with the thick end 1 1/2 inches, tapering toward the other end, and you will want several because the number depends on how far out of level the floor is. A mortar bed is not used. Mortar applies only to Ella's barrier-free roll-in showers, and the low-threshold stalls are leveled on wedges exactly as the instruction sheet describes, which also removes any worry about mortar finding its way down the drain pipe. The one-piece stall keeps its factory blocks or legs in place under the base. The shim sizes and leveling method are covered in Shower Stall Shims Are Not Included: What Size to Make and How to Level the Base.

1. Dry fit the unit in the alcove before fastening anything. This confirms the drain location and the fit against the studs while the stall is still easy to move.
2. Check the floor with a level and the walls with a level or plumb line. Correct both before the unit goes in, because a stud wall that pushes on the stall is the usual cause of trouble later.
3. Set the base in place and slide shims into any gaps beneath it.
4. Check level front to back and side to side, and adjust the shims until the bubble is centered in both directions.
5. Fasten the unit to the studs as the instruction sheet describes, then recheck level after the last screw.

If the pocket turns out to be out of square, or the base is damaged, What If My Shower Stall Wall Is Out of Square or the Base Is Damaged? explains what to check in order and when to open a ticket.

Finishing the Installation

Once the stall is fastened, the plumber makes the drain and supply connections and the installer mounts the grab bars in the positions you confirmed on the order. The joint between the stall and the surrounding wall surface is then caulked and finished so water stays inside the shower, the same approach Ella uses for its other wall products. If the room was never a bathroom, bringing a water supply and a drain to it is part of the contractor's work.

A few care rules protect the floor from day one. Clean it only with warm water and liquid detergent or a non-abrasive cleanser, never wax the textured floor, and remove any rubber mat after each use. Ella shower bases carry a 30 year limited warranty that asks for a defect to be reported within 10 days of discovering it, and stalls carry their own printed terms, so report anything you notice promptly at ellasbubbles.com/support.

Who Does the Work, and Where to Get Help

Ella's Bubbles manufactures the stall and does not install showers or send technicians. A local licensed plumber or contractor handles the installation, and any licensed installer is fine, since certification by Ella is not required. Ella's technical support team is available at (800) 480-6850 to answer your contractor's questions while the job is under way, so keep the model number handy. Who installs Ella acrylic shower walls, and how do I find them? explains how the split between manufacturer and installer works and how to locate a contractor if you do not have one.

If one opening on the route is too narrow, the three-piece stall is the alternative. It ships as separate sections that pass through ordinary doorways and can be set against finished walls, as described in Installing the Freedom 3-Piece Shower Stall Over Existing Drywall. Ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 which stall suits your project.

Related Guides

• Will a One-Piece Ella Shower Fit Through My Doorways? The 33-Inch Clearance Rule and New Construction
• How do I install a one-piece Ella shower stall?
• Who installs walk-in showers, and does Ella's Bubbles install them?

Common Questions