Almost any magazine you look through has ads for "walk-in" tubs. Each touts the benefits for accessibility and they really are a benefit for people who have a hard time getting in and out of standard bathtubs.

      The tub pictured above was installed for clients who wanted to replace their corner

Before - Corner Tub

tub with a walk-in tub. After selecting the tub and features (heater, jets, faucets, etc) the order was placed and in a few weeks installation began. All was not as easy as it sounds. Before the actually ordering, I worked with the contractor to figure how the installation would proceed. I believe in the "measure twice, cut once" theory. Plan in advance for foreseeable challenges because you know that in remodeling there will always be unseen problems that come up.

      Our foreseeable list included: the new tub was too big to fit thru the bathroom door and hallway, the electrical panel had to be modified for the extra load of the heater and floor tiles would have to be replaced to accomodate the footprint of the new tub.

     Luckily, the window was large enough to fit the tub, but that meant taking it out and reinstalling it. A new line was run from the electrical box to the new tub location and after much searching, tile was found that actually matched the existing 10 year old tile! Thankfully, the tile had a mottled color pattern, so you can't even tell the difference between new and existing. The homeowners preferred to have space for a seat, but just in case, our "plan B" if the tile could not be found, was to add a cabinet to the right side of the tub.

      Well, the construction gods were with us, and we didn't run into any major hidden difficulties. Overall, the project went smoothly (thanks to all the pre-planning) and the homeowners were very happy.

      By the way, look at the action of those jets in the "after" photo at the top. Those waves would capsize your toy boat or rubber ducky!

Hope you're having a wonderful Summer!

Carole Ponzio, CAPS, CGA