How long from ordering a walk-in tub until installation is complete?

Ella's Bubbles does not publish a standard timeframe from order to completed installation. Every Ella walk-in tub is assembled and tested to order, so the time to delivery depends on the model, the therapy options you selected, current stock and your delivery location, and the installation that follows depends on your contractor and your bathroom. The steps your order moves through are laid out in Ordering and Shipping Policy: What to Expect From Order to Delivery, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 confirms current timing for your specific order.

Two Timelines, Not One

The question really has two parts: getting your tub, and the installation work itself. The first part runs from the day you order to the day the freight carrier delivers, and Ella handles it. The second part runs from delivery to the first bath, and it belongs to you and the licensed plumber and electrician you hire. Ella's Bubbles does not install tubs directly. There is a network of third-party installers across most areas, and you are also welcome to hire your own installer. Either way, plan on both trades.

Because the two parts are independent, the smoothest overall result comes from lining them up rather than from rushing either one. Many customers take delivery early and have the tub on site when the plumber and electrician are scheduled. Others keep the tub at the Ella dock until the room is ready. Both routes are described below.

Stage by Stage: From Order to Delivery

Here is the sequence you will see, and what each step waits on.

1. You receive a confirmation invoice by email. Review the model, door side, drain position, options and delivery details carefully before you confirm, because this is the document that drives production.
2. You confirm the invoice and pay it in full. Ella does not take deposits or partial payments, and nothing moves to assembly until payment is complete. Wire transfer or ACH carries no Ella processing fee, while a credit card payment carries a card processing fee stated on the invoice before anything is charged, as explained in Is There a Fee for Paying by Credit Card on a Walk-In Tub Order?.
3. You receive a final invoice marked paid.
4. Your tub is assembled, jetted, tested, cleaned and carefully packed at the Chicago facility.
5. The transit company picks up the crate. At that point your tracking information is emailed to you, and you can follow the shipment to your door.
6. The carrier delivers. Inspect the crate and the tub on delivery day before anything is moved inside.

Transit time to your state is part of what the team confirms for your order rather than a published figure, and the tracking email is your live view of it once the tub is on the truck. If you want the configuration secured before your money is in hand, you can place the order and respond to the invoice later, as covered in Can I Order a Walk-In Tub Before My Funds Are Available?. If a single option is back ordered, the invoice is still paid in full, and you can then hold the whole order until the item arrives or have the tub ship now with the item sent separately.

Decisions That Set the Clock Before You Order

A few choices are locked in once the tub is drilled at the factory, so settling them before you order prevents the longest kind of delay, a tub that does not fit the plan.

• The finished size of the opening the tub will sit in, and the delivery path from the truck to the bathroom.
• Which side the door and the drains fall on. The door and the drains are on opposite sides of an Ella walk-in tub, so a right-side door puts the drains on the left and a left-side door puts them on the right, as you face the tub.
• Who will do the work, and whether that contractor has given you a realistic start date.

Confirm all of these on the confirmation invoice before you approve it.

If Your Bathroom Is Not Ready When the Tub Is

Once your order is placed and paid, Ella can hold your tub at its dock at no charge and ship it when your contractor is scheduled, your remodel has caught up or the weather allows delivery. The hold is for a limited window set for your order at the time you purchase, so tell the team your expected timing when you order, note the window you are given, and contact the team before it ends if the project slips. The full process is in Can Ella Hold My Tub at the Warehouse Until My Bathroom Is Ready?.

Once the tub is delivered there is no deadline to install it. If it arrives before your installer can set it, keep it out of the cold to be safe. The warranty is put in force separately, when the activation form signed by you and your installer is returned with the required documents, so installation day is also paperwork day.

What the Installation Itself Involves

How long the work takes depends on your site. A condo is a good example of why: wires may have to be pulled through finished walls and inside existing conduits, and your contractor also has to coordinate with building management beforehand. Even a straightforward replacement of an existing tub involves two trades and several distinct steps.

The video on this page follows a Transfer 60 delivery and installation in the Chicago area and shows those steps in order. The crate and packing material come off and the tub is inspected for shipping damage. The end and side panels are removed before the tub is moved inside. The tub is filled outside and the pumps are run to check for leaks before it ever enters the house. The floor is modified to accommodate the oversized 2 inch drains, and the installer caps one side of the T-type dual drains and connects the other to the house main drain. The supply lines are tied in with shut-off valves placed within easy reach, and Ella fast-fill faucet sets include 5-foot water supply lines. A licensed electrician adds the correct breakers and GFCI protection at the panel. Finally the tub is leveled, because a tub that is not level will not close its door properly and could leak. Every home's drain configuration is different, so your installer's version of these steps will vary.

Planning Tips That Keep the Whole Thing Moving

• Order once your contractor has given you a realistic start date, then set the dock hold to end just before the tub is needed on site.
• Pay by wire or ACH if you are working toward a date, and send the transfer confirmation as soon as it goes out, since the order is released once funds are received.
• Have the tub on site, or scheduled for delivery, for the dates the plumber and electrician are booked.
• Ask for current timing on your specific order at ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850 rather than relying on general figures.

Watch: Walk-In Tub Installation and Delivery Ella's Bubbles Transfer 60 with chapters and a full transcript.

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