How and When Should I Choose an Installer for My Ella Tub?

Choose your installer before your tub order is finalized, and choose a licensed local contractor, because Ella's Bubbles manufactures the tub but never performs installations and does not send technicians. Any licensed plumber or electrician can install an Ella walk-in tub, no Ella certification is required, and the installer's license and insurance details go on the warranty activation form that both of you sign once the work is done. Several choices on your order, from door side to grab bar finish, need the installer's input, which is why the decision belongs at the planning stage rather than on delivery day.

Why the Installer Is Your Choice, Not Ella's

Ella's Bubbles manufactures and sells walk-in tubs but does not perform or charge for installation, and it does not send technicians to your home. The labor is done by a licensed, experienced local contractor, typically a plumber and an electrician, and that labor is warranted by the contractor who did the work. Ella backs the tub itself with a lifetime parts warranty and free lifetime technical support by phone, email and video, and its technical support guides your contractor at no charge with the manuals and live video help. You can hire anyone you trust, since certification by Ella's Bubbles is not required. If you do not have a contractor in mind, Ella can refer installers from its nationwide network, which includes Angi Pro, so call (800) 480-6850 and ask. The short video on choosing a walk-in tub ends with the same advice: measure your bathroom, pick your features, and ensure professional installation.

When to Choose: Before the Order Is Placed

The right moment is while you are still planning the order, because several factory decisions are permanent and depend on how your installer plans to connect the tub.

1. Door side. The hand of the tub is set at the factory and cannot be reversed after delivery. The drains and the faucet deck are always at the opposite end from the door and seat, so the location of your house drain is the starting point. The house drain does not have to dictate the side, because there is roughly 3 inches of clearance beneath the frame, enough for a 2 inch PVC line, and the drain body has ports on both sides, but that routing is exactly the kind of judgment your installer makes. What Is Door Side (Left-Hand vs Right-Hand) on a Walk-In Tub? spells out the rule. Confirm the connection plan with your licensed installer and the orientation with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the order goes in.
2. Grab bar finish. The tub ships with the chrome deck-mount grab bar matched to your model, and the factory will not mount a bar from another supplier. If you want a different finish, your installer swaps it on site using the factory holes, and the swap has to happen before the tub is installed, with a replacement whose mounting-hole spacing matches exactly. Can Ella Factory-Install a Grab Bar From Another Supplier? explains why the bar must be in hand and verified before installation day.
3. Shower valve and fixtures, if you are adding a shower kit. The kit ships with the stall, its grab bar set and the drain, but no shower head, hand shower, mixing valve or valve trim, and the wall arrives with no valve cutout. Your plumber selects the valve and cuts the openings on site, so that choice is made together before the stall is set. What Comes in the Box With an Ella Shower Kit lists what to buy first.
4. Slide bar and grab bars. A hand shower slide bar can be added on installation day or long afterward, but grab bars go into reinforced backing and are mounted by your installer, so plan them together. Should I choose a shower slide bar or a grab bar? helps you decide which you need.

If your installer is already chosen when these questions come up, each one takes a single conversation. If not, you are guessing at decisions the factory cannot undo.

What to Look for in an Installer

• Licensed and insured. The warranty activation form asks for the installer's electrician license and insurance information along with a copy of your sales receipt, so ask for those documents up front.
• Willing to test before the tub goes in. The Transfer60 installation video shows the routine: remove the crate and packing material, take off all end and side panels before moving the tub into the house, inspect for shipping damage, and whenever possible fill the tub outside and run all pumps to check for leaks before it is carried inside.
• Comfortable with the drains. Ella tubs use oversize 2-inch drains, and floor modifications are often needed. In the video the installer caps one side of the T-type dual drain and connects a single line to the house main drain. Your home's configuration will be different, and a good installer says so rather than forcing a fit.
• Brings a licensed electrician. The video shows a licensed electrician adding the correct breaker to the house panel. Proper breakers with the appropriate amperage and GFCI protection are required, and the activation checklist confirms the tub is on a dedicated GFCI breaker.
• Levels the tub properly. If the tub is not level the door will not close properly and could leak. The form has the installer confirm the tub is level with all legs touching the floor.
• Signs off at the end. The installer initials 16 checks on the activation form, including that the thermostatic control valve was operated on both hot and cold, the locking nut is tightened on both drain stoppers, and the door seal was watertight after a 20 minute fill. An installer who leaves before that fill test is not finished.

What Your Choice Means for the Warranty

Ella's Lifetime Limited Warranty covers the tub and its supporting equipment as parts only. Installation, plumbing and electrical connections, labor, and water damage to the home are excluded, and so are improper or negligent installation and modifications made by anyone other than Ella's Bubbles. That is what it means when Ella says your installer selection affects the depth of your warranty: a careful licensed installer keeps the tub inside its published coverage, while the labor itself is warranted by that contractor. When a covered part does fail, Ella ships the replacement under the warranty and your local plumber or electrician does the labor. If you have a specific question about whether a change your installer proposes is covered, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support before the work is done rather than after.

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

Related Guides

• Common Installation Questions: Tile Order, Leveling Legs, Subfloor, Panels, Drain Size and the Outdoor Test
• Before Your Installer Leaves: The 16 Checks Explained in Plain Language and Why Each One Protects Your Warranty
• Installation choices that affect your warranty and how to keep coverage intact

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