Will installers put a walk-in tub in a condo above the third floor?

Yes. Ella walk-in tubs go into condos and upper-floor units regularly, including units in high-rise towers, and nothing in Ella's published guidance sets a floor above which a tub cannot be installed. Ella's Bubbles builds the tub and does not install it, so there is no company crew that accepts or turns down a job by floor number. You hire a licensed local contractor of your choice, and Can a crated walk-in tub be delivered and installed in a high-rise condo? covers what delivery day looks like once the truck reaches your building.

Who Decides, and What Actually Limits an Upper-Floor Install

Because Ella never performs or charges for installation, the real question is whether a licensed plumber and electrician in your area will take the job. What they weigh is physical rather than a floor count: whether the tub can travel from the curb to your bathroom, whether the floor is sound and level, whether the unit has a working drain and an adequate hot water supply, and whether dedicated GFCI protected power can be run. Those are the same requirements the tub has in a single-story house. An upper-floor condo adds a route through a lobby, an elevator and a hallway, and it adds a management office whose rules about moving large items and contractor hours you will need to follow.

Any licensed installer is fine, and certification by Ella is not required. If you do not have a contractor in mind, the team at (800) 480-6850 can help you locate a local company through Ella's nationwide network of installers, including Angi Pro. Share your installation address and the model you are considering, and the team will reach out to an installer in your area and have them contact you. Who Installs My Walk-in Tub? Hiring a Licensed Contractor and How Ella Supports Them explains what backs up whoever you hire: complete installation manuals and spec sheets on each product page's Downloads tab, free lifetime technical support by phone and email, and live video chat on request so a technician can see your bathtub and lead your installer in the right direction. Labor pricing is set by the contractor, not by Ella, so ask the installers you are considering for written estimates.

The Route from the Curb Is the Real Test

Walk-in tubs travel fully assembled inside a crate as less-than-truckload freight, and they cannot be taken apart to fit. The carrier calls the number on the order to set a delivery window, then lowers the crate by liftgate at the curb, driveway or loading area. Drivers do not enter the building, ride the elevator or carry the crate up to your unit, so your installer or helpers must be there when the truck arrives. Reserve the service elevator with your management office for the delivery window, confirm the phone number on the order is one you answer, and give your Ella dealer or the team the exact address and dock details before the order is finalized so the shipment is booked the right way.

Every Ella spec sheet prints two sets of numbers. Shipping size is the crated dimension and applies from the curb to wherever the crate is opened. Actual size is the bare tub and applies to every opening it passes after the crate comes off. Where the crate will not clear, the tub is uncrated outside and carried in by its frame, so the actual width becomes the figure that matters at your tightest point. Treat the elevator as a doorway followed by a corner and measure:

• The elevator door at its clear width.
• The inside of the car as a box the crate or tub has to fit into and pivot out of: floor length, floor width and ceiling height, plus the diagonal, because a long crate may need to be tilted or turned to get in.
• The hallway from the elevator to your unit and your own front door, noting the turn at each corner. A crate that clears an opening still has to swing around the bend after it.
• Every interior doorway between your front door and the bathroom, including the bathroom door.
• If any part of the route is a stairwell, the width of each landing and the ceiling height over the stairs.

You need a door opening larger than 26 inches to fit the narrowest tub in the line, the Mobile at 26 by 45 inches, and every other model needs more. The Elite is listed as 30 by 52 while its actual width is under 30 inches, so it fits through a 30 inch door opening, and the Petite is listed as 28 by 52 with an actual width of 27.5 inches. Installing in Mobile Homes, Condos, Upper Floors, and on Concrete Slabs names the models the team recommends most often where the route is tight. If your clearance is close, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your measurements before ordering.

What Your Installer Checks Inside the Unit

Once the tub is in the bathroom, a condo install follows the same sequence as any other. What you need before installing your Ella walk-in tub: a planning checklist lays out the full list. The points that matter most on an upper floor are these.

• A sound and level subfloor rated for the tub plus water plus bather. Every Ella tub arrives factory leveled, and the installer confirms level under each foot with the paper test so the door seals properly.
• A working house drain. The installation video recommends a two-inch house drain, and the dual drain system can be configured several ways to meet the existing rough-in.
• A hot water supply that can fill the tub, connected with 3/4 inch supply lines without over-torquing. Verify that the building's plumbing can supply enough hot water and handle the drainage.
• One or more dedicated GFCI protected circuits, with the electrical connections made by a licensed electrician.
• Service access to the plumbing and electrical after the walls are finished, with outlets placed where the cords reach.
• Clearance in front of the tub if the model has an outward-swing door, which a compact bathroom may not have.

Good practice before the tub is set: inspect the crate for shipping damage, remove all panels before moving the tub, and leak-test it with water before it goes into position. Once it is level, let the door gasket recover, then run an extended fill test with the pumps running before the walls close.

How to Get a Confident Yes from an Installer

1. Walk the route with a tape measure and write down every figure above, from the loading area to the bathroom door.
2. Download the spec sheet for the model you are considering and compare its shipping size and actual size with each opening and each turn. The imperial figures are the authoritative ones.
3. Ask your management office about service elevator booking, moving hours and any rules for contractors working in the building.
4. Give those measurements and the building rules to the installer you are considering, and ask for a written estimate that includes carrying the tub from the loading area to your unit.
5. If any opening is close to the tub's actual width, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your measurements before you order, or call (800) 480-6850.

Related Guides

• Will a Crated Walk-In Tub Fit Up Stairs, Through Doorways or in an Elevator?
• Walk-In Tub Weight and Floor Loading Explained: Tub, Water and Bather Together

Common Questions