What Is Needed for a Walk-In Tub Installation in My Home?

A walk-in tub installation needs five things: a licensed local plumber and electrician, a floor the tub can be leveled on, a house drain that accepts the tub's 2 inch drains, hot and cold supply lines with shut-off valves in easy reach, and GFCI-protected power on proper breakers. Ella's Bubbles builds the tub and supports your installer, and it does not send technicians, so for most homes the first step is finding the right contractor, as explained in Getting Installer Referrals and Leads for Your Walk-In Tub. This page gathers everything else into one checklist, so you and your contractor know what the home has to provide before the tub arrives.

The People and the Planning Documents

Every installation starts with the people doing the work. The labor belongs to local licensed professionals: a plumber for the drain and water connections, and a licensed electrician for the power. Ella's Bubbles does not send staff to a home to take measurements, so the measuring visit is done by your installer. When an installer is recommended through the Ella network, that installer receives the tub specifications and the electrical diagrams for your model ahead of time, then contacts you, visits the home to measure the space, and gives you an estimate for the work.

Whoever does the job needs these items in hand before anything is cut or moved:

• The spec sheet and drawings for your model. They can be downloaded from the model's product page, and they carry the rough in dimensions your contractor works from.
• The door side on your order. On every Ella walk-in tub the door and the drains sit on opposite sides as you face the tub. A right side door means left side drains, and a left side door means right side drains.
• The electrical diagrams. Your electrician uses them to plan the additions to the breaker panel.
• Measurements of the space. These are taken in person by the installer during the home visit.

What Is Needed on Delivery Day

The tub is transported to your home in different ways depending on the shipping process and your installer, and a few things are needed as soon as it arrives. The installation and delivery video follows a real installation in the greater Chicago area and shows the order of work. The case and all packing material come off first, and the tub is inspected for shipping damage. All end and side panels are removed before the tub is moved into the home, and a detailed inspection follows, with attention to the instructions and every warning label.

The video then shows a step that is strongly suggested: whenever possible, fill the tub outside, run all the pumps, and check for leaks before the tub goes indoors. This external check helps prevent issues after installation. Once the tub has been drained and dried, it is ready to move inside. So on delivery day it helps to have a garden hose, a place where the tub can sit and drain, and enough hands to move it.

If you do find freight damage, the claim must be filed within 48 hours of receipt of the shipment. Save all packaging material and check for concealed damage, both by looking and by running the tub, before you contact the team at (800) 480-6850 or ellasbubbles.com/support.

What the Floor and the House Drain Need

An Ella walk-in tub sits on top of the floor with its drain piping running under the frame, and it does not need access from below. The leveling legs set the frame with about 3 inches of clearance beneath it, which is enough for 2 inch PVC, so one house drain line can be run to either side of the tub. In the default installation all piping stays above the floor and nothing has to be cut.

Here is what your plumber checks at the drain:

• A path for the 2 inch drains. The video notes that all installations are different, and many times floor modifications may be needed to accommodate the oversize 2 inch drains.
• Which ports to use. The T type drain body accepts the house connection from either direction. Your plumber uses the ports that are needed and closes the rest with end caps. In the video the installer caps one side of the T type dual drains and connects a single line to the house main drain.
• The fitting at the house drain. A Y fitting is preferred over a T because fewer turns drain faster.
• A healthy house drain. It should flow well and be trapped and vented to local code. The tub does not need a special vent of its own, and its drain handles double as air vents on the tub side.

Homes on a concrete slab can use the same approach, and Where Does the Drain Sit for a Slab Installation? covers that layout in detail. Lowering the tub is a different project. It means putting the drain below the floor and trimming the apron, which affects the warranty on the altered parts, so decide on default height or a recessed installation before the work begins.

What the Water Supply, Power and Leveling Need

Water. The tub needs hot and cold supply lines brought to the faucet location. When you order an Ella fast fill faucet set, 5 foot water supply lines are included. In the video the installer modifies the house supply lines to meet them and places shut-off valves where they can be easily reached, which is a detail worth asking your plumber for.

Power. The video shows a licensed electrician making the correct addition to the house breaker panel. Proper breakers with the appropriate amperage must be used, and GFCI outlets must be used when connecting the tub. The electrical diagrams for your model tell the electrician exactly what your tub requires, so share them before the visit.

A level tub. Proper leveling is vitally important. The video explains that if the tub is not level, the doors will not close properly and could possibly leak. The leveling legs under the frame are there for this adjustment, so the floor must give them a solid surface to stand on.

What Is Needed After the Tub Is in

Two things finish the job. The first is warranty activation. The 2 page activation form must be completed and signed by both the customer and the installer and returned to Ella's Bubbles, so complete it while your installer is still on site.

The second is knowing who to call later. The Lifetime Limited Warranty is a parts warranty. Parts ship under the warranty, and a local licensed plumber or electrician does the labor. Labor, installation, plumbing and electrical connections, and water damage to the home are not part of the Ella warranty, and labor is warranted by the installer who did the work. Free lifetime technical support is available by phone, by email with photos, and by live video when a closer look helps. If the company that installed your tub ever closes, My Installer Went Out of Business, Who Does Warranty Repair Labor Now? explains how service continues with any local licensed professional you choose.

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

Related Guides

• Electrical requirements by model: dedicated GFCI circuits for your walk-in tub
• What Size Water Heater Do I Need for My Walk-in Tub?
• Plumbing and drain configurations: connecting your walk-in tub to the house drain

Related Videos

Common Questions