# Walk-in Tubs



## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Has anyone here done a lot of them?

What brands did you like, which ones to stay away from?


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## belu0501 (Jun 13, 2010)

*Tub*

I am one of the autorized installers for Safe Step Tubs up here in Minnesota. They are great for the people that need them, but can be a pain in the a** to get in. We have run into a lot of warped fiberglass (due to shipment out of TN) but other than that we have only had 3 service calls related to the tub itself. They are a great brand very similar looking to the american standard... which I also have sold before in the retail industry.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

I have set 2. I think they were both American Standard. Not bad to set. I just dont like that roll of corner bead they send to keep water running of the edge and down the walls. It's adhesive on one side but it doesnt stick to well.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

Ive never done one, im overpriced on the tubs with doors


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

I have never installed one and I have never seen one in the thousands of houses I have been in.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I've installed 2 Jacuzzi brand tubs and they went in nice and easy. Solid aluminum frame with 6 adjustable feet, very easy to level. Neither had heaters, jets or drain pumps. I believe one came with a deck mount valve to fill and the other I installed a shower valve in the wall with a hand held shower. These were done a few years ago and I no longer work for the same company so I can't say if they've been trouble free or not.








Paul


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

yeah a lot of rookies would say the same thing. :laughing:



Ron said:


> I have never installed one and I have never seen one in the thousands of houses I have been in.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

Never done a walk in tub. And ill tell you why. Who in their right mind, wants to wait for the water to drain out before they can exit the fixture? And the first time they forget to let it drain, oh baby what a mess. After that conversation with the interested parties, I bring in the tile man, and we sell the roll in shower, with optional seat. It's known in my opinion, as a temporary fixture. If you are at that age where you need a walk in tub, how much longer before you may not possibly be walking, and have to tear that out, for an accessible shower?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:


> Never done a walk in tub. And ill tell you why. Who in their right mind, wants to wait for the water to drain out before they can exit the fixture? And the first time they forget to let it drain, oh baby what a mess. After that conversation with the interested parties, I bring in the tile man, and we sell the roll in shower, with optional seat.


You have to sit in it waiting for it to fill too, though that is not as bad as getting the chills from evaporation waiting for it to drain. Even the ones with pumped drains take time to drain.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

That was my gripe with the ones I installed but I guess the ones with the pumps can drain in something like 90 seconds.  All of the doors open to the inside so I doubt you could accidentally open it, especially if you were 88 years old and needed a walk-in tub in the first place. Also, when you get in, you have to contort yourself so you can close the door; at least on the ones I installed. While the pumps make them drain fast, you would still have to wait there, naked and vulnerable :001_unsure:, until it filled up. They're not perfect by any means but I can see them filling a niche.







Paul


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

Constantly being asked about them, price always stops the idea to go forward. 

I don't like getting involved with projects that expand like that...as they are just a situation where one mistake or one hidden surprise and your hourly rate takes a nosedive. 

I tell people to call another company, we'll do the hookup/plumbing.

Same goes for kitchen sinks; I'm not messing with those anymore. We'll hook them up (plumbing) but that's it.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

We did not aggressively pursue this one. It would have been for a new customer and she wanted to order her own tub over the internet. It was a manufacturer we did not recognize. Even if we did our job 100% perfectly, if the tub didn't meet her final expectations, the bad taste in her mouth would have been transferred to us.

I recommended she visit the plumbing showroom and get a little more educated about the options. If she buys her tub here locally, where we have some measure of control dealing with a manufacturer, we will get involved.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

When faced with my own parents getting on in years my dad asked me about a walk in tub. Personally I think they may be something better suited to an elderly housing or, assisted living facility. The maintenance and reliability costs are something to consider along with the high installation price tag.

The biggest thing I saw was that it would not add value to the home and would have to in most cases be remodeled out before long. My grandfather made it to 95 and I hope my parents do but the reality is they are at an age where I could be missing them any day.

My advice is to go with a bath lift chair. It's a lot cheaper and it can be easily taken out with minimal signs of it ever being there.

Geriatric plumbing is a growing market as America's baby boomers age and we should not ignore it.
When I sell toilets I mention ADA height and they are very popular.


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

ROCKSTARPLUMBER said:


> Never done a walk in tub. And ill tell you why. Who in their right mind, wants to wait for the water to drain out before they can exit the fixture? And the first time they forget to let it drain, oh baby what a mess.


 I've never done one either, but from what I understand (just what I've heard) they have 2" drains, or is it two drains (2"?) so they drain fast. Old people don't move fast anyway :laughing:. Also (again I could be wrong), I'm pretty sure you can't open the door until the water drops below it because it opens inward and the water pushes the door closed. I guess you could open it when it wasn't all the way to the bottom, but you'd only make that mistake once unless you're really senile. 

I talked to one girl in the supplier showroom. She said she's never sold one. People ask, they hear the ultra high price and they go, "That's alright, we'll just get a regular tub. Never mind."


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

I've read that some drain in less than a minute. Not a long wait.


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I've never seen one that claims to drain quickly in person, so I can't say what size the drains are and how the pumps perform. The ones I've installed had standard 1 1/2" drains and DID NOT drain quickly. 







Paul


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## rowdysmith (Jun 6, 2016)

I love Jacuzzi Walk In Tubs They offer a massaging experience designed to work out daily aches and pains. The extra tall design lets bathers relax in water up to their necks, as jets propel a carefully balanced mix of air and water. These walk in bath tub are good and very accommodating and convenient to use.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

rowdysmith said:


> I love Jacuzzi Walk In Tubs They offer a massaging experience designed to work out daily aches and pains. The extra tall design lets bathers relax in water up to their necks, as jets propel a carefully balanced mix of air and water. These walk in bath tub are good and very accommodating and convenient to use.


Who are you to come here whoring this site?


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Don't like them. $12,000 to $16,000 to install. The idea is sound. But your looking at 10 minutes or more to fill, while the person gets cold. Tank-less heater needed. Most municipal pressures are not good enough, you need at least a full 3/4" to supply it and maybe a booster pump. Standard 1 1/2" drain. 

All said and done I think a roll in shower is better suited, with a collapsible threshold, possible a bench. Watch the specialty companies that tend to sell them. They sell nation wide and often hire it out to area contractors, who may well not use a licensed plumbing contractor. At the the recent one in my area didn't. Stopped them, reported them,the customer ended up tearing it out and going with the shower.


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## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

One of out customers got stuck in his with a broken hip, drain was clogged and couldn't open the door for two hours while it seeped down enough to clear the door.....


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