Support Center / Plumbing & Electrical / Can I Choose a Left, Right, or Center Drain on an Ella Shower?
Back to Plumbing & Electrical

Can I Choose a Left, Right, or Center Drain on an Ella Shower?

▶Glossary6
  1. Why the Drain Cannot Be Moved
  2. What to Check Before You Order
  3. When Your Existing Drain Is in the Wrong Place
  4. Related Guides
  5. Common Questions
  6. Still Need Help?

The drain position on an Ella shower is molded into the base at the factory and is fixed for each model. It is not an option you select when ordering. A stall or base built with a center drain is only available with a center drain, and a base molded with a left-hand drain is only available that way, with no center or right-hand alternative. If the drain in your floor does not line up with the model you want, the solutions are a different base whose drain location matches, a custom-size base, or having your plumber relocate the rough-in.

Why the Drain Cannot Be Moved

Ella shower bases and one-piece stalls are molded with the drain opening as part of the floor. Because the location is set when the base is made, Ella does not offer alternate drain positions on a given model and cannot relocate it on request. Most Ella stalls and bases are center drain, and some bases are molded with a left-hand drain only. Base sizes and thresholds are compared in the shower base size and threshold comparison, and the general base and wall options are described in this overview of bases and wall panels.

What to Check Before You Order

  1. Measure the center of your existing drain from the back wall and from each side wall.
  2. Compare those measurements with the drain location on the Specification drawing for the stall or base you are considering. Ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 for the drawing if you do not have it.
  3. If the locations match, or your plumber confirms the trap can be moved within the space available, the model will work.
  4. If they do not match and the plumbing cannot be moved, look at a different size whose drain location fits, or ask about a custom base.

Do this check before the order is placed. A drain that does not line up is usually discovered only when the base is set on the floor, which is the hardest point to change course.

When Your Existing Drain Is in the Wrong Place

A licensed plumber can tell you whether your floor construction allows the trap to be relocated to match the base. If moving the drain is not practical, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 about a custom-size base, subject to the placement rules described in the custom-size shower base article. How close to a wall the drain can sit, and whether it can be centered, is covered in this article on custom base drain placement. Ella does not send technicians, so the drain connection is made by your local licensed plumber.

Common Questions

Can I order this shower with a left-hand drain instead of center?
No. The drain location is molded into the base and is fixed for each model. A center-drain model is only available with a center drain, so choose a base that is built with the drain where you need it or have your plumber move the rough-in.
Does the shower come with a right-hand drain option?
Drain options are not selectable on Ella showers. Most models are center drain and some bases are left-hand drain only. Check the Specification drawing for the model you want, or ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 which sizes match your layout.
Can the base be placed over my existing center drain?
Only if the model you choose is a center-drain model and the measurements from the walls line up with your rough-in. A base molded with a left-hand drain cannot be set over a center drain without your plumber relocating the trap.
What if my floor drain does not line up with the model?
Your plumber can advise whether the trap can be relocated, or you can choose a different base size whose drain location matches. If neither works, ask about a custom-size base built to Ella's drain placement rules.
How do I find out where the drain is on a model?
The drain location is shown on the Specification drawing for each stall and base. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can send the drawing and confirm whether a given size is center drain or left-hand drain.

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.

Related guides

Did this solve it?

If not, open a ticket and our team will pick it up from here.

Open a Support Ticket