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Parts Are Missing From the Crate. What Do I Do?

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary5
  1. Likely Causes
  2. What to Check, in Order
  3. When to Open a Ticket
  4. Related Guides
  5. Common Questions

When parts are missing from the crate, they are usually not missing at all. Every small item, from drain handles and grab bar hardware to supply lines and the hand shower hose, is individually wrapped, boxed and placed inside the tub or under the frame before the tub is crated. The first thing to check is inside the tub itself: the manual and small instruction packs travel in a white envelope on top of the wrap, and it can slip down inside the tub during the ride. The full list of what belongs in the crate is in the what is in the crate inventory checklist.

Likely Causes

  • The parts box or envelope slid inside the tub or under the frame during transit and has not been found yet.
  • Small hardware is taped to the back of the panel it belongs to.
  • The part was never part of the package by design: two-seat and outward-swing tubs do not include a back panel, and shut-off valves and PVC drain fittings are supplied by your plumber.

What to Check, in Order

  1. Look inside the tub. Lift the wrap and check the floor and seat area for the white envelope and the wrapped boxes.
  2. Look under the frame and in the bottom of the crate.
  3. Check behind every removable panel. The two white end-panel screws, screw caps and similar hardware are often taped to the back of the panel itself.
  4. Open every small box and bag. The grab bar bag holds the bar, escutcheons, washers, bolts and an Allen wrench, and the hand shower hose ships with the faucet set.
  5. Confirm the part was supposed to be there. A two-seat or outward-swing tub covers its exposed end with the end panel and does not ship with a back panel, and a panel you opted out of at order time will not be in the crate.
  6. Photograph the crate, the packing and the spot where the part should have been, keep all packaging, and report within 48 hours of receiving the shipment per the 48 hour reporting window. Note anything unusual about the crate on the delivery paperwork per the delivery inspection checklist.
Ella's Bubbles: Walk-In Tub Quality Control and Testing
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Initial Inspection and Unboxing Each Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub is unboxed, and its surface is inspected for any shipping damage.
  2. 0:22 Rigorous Testing and Quality Checks The assembled tub undergoes extensive testing for leaks, pump function, and the integrity of all mechanical systems, doors, latches, locks, and seals.
  3. 0:43 Final Cleaning and Packaging After passing inspections, the tub is cleaned, dried, and prepared for boxing, with accessories individually wrapped.
  4. 1:17 Re-wrapping and Shipping Preparation The tub is re-wrapped in protective plastic and bubble wrap, and important installation paperwork is attached before secure mounting in its shipping case.
  5. 1:51 Invoice Verification and Shipment The individual invoice is double-checked and copied to ensure accurate records before the Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub is shipped to its destination.

The video follows a tub through final testing and packing and shows the accessories being individually wrapped and boxed before the tub is re-wrapped and the shipping case goes on, which is why the inside of the tub is the first place to look. Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Walk-In Tub Quality Control and Testing with chapters and a full transcript.

When to Open a Ticket

If the search comes up empty, contact where you purchased the tub, or reach your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 or through ellasbubbles.com/support. Include your order number, the serial number, the missing item, and photos of the crate, the packing and the spot where the part should have been. If your tub came through Home Depot, Amazon, Menards or another retailer, the missing item claim runs through the retailer, and the team can still help identify the exact part; see support for retailer purchased tubs and showers.

Common Questions

Where are the supply lines for my tub?
Ella fast-fill faucets include two 3/4 inch by 5 foot braided stainless steel supply lines, and they are packed with the faucet set rather than attached to the tub. Look for them in the parts box inside the tub. Shut-off valves are not included and are supplied by your plumber.
My tub came without a hose for the handheld shower. Is that normal?
The pull-out hand shower and its 5 foot retractable braided hose are part of the faucet set, which ships assembled but not hooked up so the tub can travel fully drained. Check the faucet box inside the tub first. If the hose or its collar nut is truly absent, send photos of the box contents with your ticket.
Why did my Companion arrive without a back panel?
Two-seat and outward-swing tubs, such as the Companion, do not include a back panel because the end panel covers the exposed end. If both ends of your tub will be exposed in your installation, a second end panel is available for purchase through where you purchased your tub. This design is intentional, as these specific tub models are not designed to ship with a back panel.
The swivel tray or grab bar arrived with no screws. What now?
Mounting hardware is bagged with the accessory or placed in the parts box inside the tub, and small hardware is sometimes taped to the back of a panel. If it is still missing after the search, photograph the bag contents and tell the team which item you have so the right hardware is sent.

About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.

Related guides

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