How do I remove an old bathtub before installing a walk-in tub?

Removing the old bathtub is contractor work. Ella's Bubbles is the manufacturer and does not perform installation, but the contractor who installs your new walk-in tub can take out the old one, and the team at (800) 480-6850 can recommend installers in your area. The removal itself comes down to taking out the screws that secure the tub to the wall, cutting away the caulk and prying the tub off the wall, and once the old tub is out the empty opening is measured against the actual size of the model you are considering, which is the fit check described in Will a Walk-In Tub Fit Where My Old Tub or Shower Stall Is Now?.

Who Takes the Old Tub Out

Ella manufactures walk-in tubs and ships them, and it does not install them or send technicians. A licensed local contractor, usually a plumber working with an electrician, removes the existing bathtub and installs the new one, and a professional can explain the removal process to you before they begin. If you hire your own contractor, confirm before the work starts that the job includes both removal and disposal of the old tub, because the two are separate tasks and not every installer includes hauling the old tub away.

Ella's technical support is available to you and to your installer throughout the project. Have your measurements and the model you are considering ready, because the support team can review the space with you or your installer before you order, and that review is far easier while the room is open than after the new tub is set in place.

How the Old Tub Comes Out

Most alcove bathtubs are held in place the same way, and the removal follows the same sequence:

1. The existing fixtures come out first. The old spout, handles and drain hardware are disconnected so the tub is free of its plumbing.
2. The screws that secure the tub to the wall are taken out.
3. The caulk along the walls and the floor is cut away so the tub is no longer bonded to the finished surfaces.
4. The tub is pried off the wall and lifted out of the alcove.

If you are replacing a shower stall rather than a tub, the seat, the glass enclosure and the curb all come out as well, and the wall-to-wall measurement is taken only after they are gone, since none of those parts belongs to the finished opening. The exposed walls can then be finished with panels or a surround.

What Gets Reassessed Once the Tub Is Out

With the old tub and fixtures removed, three things need a fresh look before the new tub goes in: the drain, the water supply lines and the electrical connections. In some cases walls have to be taken down to fit a larger tub.

• The drain. On every Ella walk-in tub the door and the drains are on opposite sides. A right-side door tub has its drains on the left, and a left-side door tub has its drains on the right, with sides taken as you face the tub. Choosing the door side that puts the tub drain over your existing drain saves plumbing work, and your plumber confirms whether the existing drain and supply lines need to move to meet the tub.
• The water supply. Ella tubs use their own deck-mount faucet packages, so the old tub spout and wall handles are normally replaced rather than reused, and the tub is drilled at the factory for the faucet you select. If reusing a wall-mounted faucet matters to you, the LayDown 30 by 60 has no factory faucet option and requires a customer-supplied faucet, typically wall-mounted.
• The electrical supply. Your electrician confirms the electrical supply the tub needs. Ella tubs come with ground wires on all electrical components and on the tub frame, and the short grounding video on this page shows why securing a proper ground connection, following all local and state electrical codes, is a vital part of the installation.
• The walls. Ella walk-in tubs are built for a standard three-wall alcove and can also stand free against one or two walls. If walls are opened during the removal, that is the moment to plan where wall grab bars will go, because Where and how should grab bars be installed around a walk-in tub? explains that every bar must anchor into studs or solid in-wall backing that a licensed contractor has confirmed, with horizontal bars 33 to 36 inches above the tub floor and a vertical bar near the door.

Measuring the Opening, Not the Old Tub

Once the alcove is empty, measure the finished space rather than the tub you just removed. The old tub may have been shorter or narrower than the opening it sat in, and it may have sat under a window that limits the usable height. How big is a standard bathtub, and how do you measure yours? covers the measuring in detail, and these are the figures that matter:

• The length between the finished walls at the two ends of the alcove, compared with the tub's length.
• The width from the back wall to the front edge of the alcove, compared with the tub's width.
• The height from the floor to the bottom of any window sill, compared with the tub's height.
• The doorways and hallways the tub must pass through on delivery day. A crated tub is larger than the tub itself. The Escape, for example, ships in a crate measuring 40 by 76 by 49 inches at 398 pounds.

Compare those numbers with the actual dimensions on the spec sheet, not with the name on the brochure, because the size in a model name is nominal. The Ella Petite is marketed as a 28 inch tub, but its actual size is 27.5 inches wide by 52 inches long by 35 inches tall, and the Ella Elite is 30 inches wide by 52 inches long by 35 inches tall. A standard bathtub alcove is commonly 60 inches long, and a walk-in tub does not have to fill that length on its own. Ella tubs shorter than 60 inches include an extension panel that closes the gap between the tub and the end wall, so a 52 inch model goes into a 60 inch alcove and still looks finished.

Why the Old Tub Is Replaced Rather Than Modified

Some homeowners ask whether the old tub can stay and simply have a door cut into it. Ella does not cut a walk-through opening, add a door or alter an existing bathtub in any way, and there is no Ella cut-in kit. Can Ella Cut a Walk-Through Opening or Add a Door to My Existing Bathtub? explains why. A walk-in tub's door, seal, frame and threshold are engineered together, so removing the old tub and installing a complete walk-in tub is what gives you a sealed low door, a built-in seat and grab bars. The Capri, for example, has a 3.5-inch threshold, far lower than the wall of a standard tub.

Watch: Proper Grounding of Your Walk-In Tub with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• How Are Walk-In Tubs Installed in an Existing Bathroom, Step by Step?
• What Is Needed for a Walk-In Tub Installation in My Home?
• What Installation Involves, How Long It Takes, and What Drives the Cost

Common Questions