About Walk-In Tubs

I've sold quite a few walk-in tubs in my day and walk-in tubs are a pretty serious investment. They aren't cheap. The number one reason someone buys a walk-in tub is fear of falling in the bathroom. (The number two reason someone buys a walk-in tub is because it’s cheaper than 3 months in a nursing home.)

While Walk-in Tubs are expensive, especially when compared to normal bath tubs, they can help save your family thousands of dollars. Keep in mind, the average cost of a senior living home is about $3000 per month. If the cost of the tub plus paying a contractor to install it is less than $6000, then your investment pays for itself in just two months.

Let’s face it, the older you get, the more dangerous it is to take a shower or bath. And there are lots of reasons seniors need to buy a walk-in tub. You may get dizzy in the shower, (shower stools, by the way, are an easy-to-pay-for first product, if that’s the case), have had hip replacement surgery, arthritis, knee problems, and the list goes on. Many of your ailments would benefit from a nice hot bath – especially arthritis sufferers. The irony is you can’t get in and out of a normal bath tub – or you can get in, but have to get help to get out. The walk-in tubs are perfect for many of these conditions.

If you can step over a 6 to 8 inch high obstacle, and get up and sit down in a normal chair while holding onto handrails, then you should look into your walk-in tub options.

If you find that a walk-in tub is beyond your budget, then consider a bath lift. They cost about $500 to $800 and require no installation or bath room remodeling and can be moved from tub to tub easily (great for travelling to see relatives, or for those that like to spend winters and summers in different locations.)

However, many of my senior clients were scared to use their bath lift. Bath lifts will shake and wobble a little as you transfer from the bath tub wall to the chair. Since the chair is usually held to the tub by rubber suction cups, and not bolted to the tub, they will sway as you move on it. If you think that shaking sensation is a little too scary, then get yourself a walk-in tub. Also, if you weigh over 300 pounds, then I would recommend you look into the walk-in tub first.

There are several vendors out there selling walk-in tubs and the prices for any given tub vary dramatically. I always find that the companies that spend tons of money on advertising - like the TV infomercials and the magazine ads and the junk mail pieces - are always the most expensive. I've also found that you can get the exact same tub from someone else a lot cheaper. The guys that will sell you one without the obnoxious mark-up is going to be the online websites. They can manage a much smaller inventory and their marketing costs are much lower, so they don’t have to triple the price they paid the manufacturer. The companies that spend millions on TV and magazine ads are usually rip-offs.

While there are several vendors, there are only a few walk-in tub manufacturers, so the prices are fairly easy to compare. Since a walk-in tub is such a big investment, please do your homework and research all your options. If the company trying to sell you a walk-in tub tries to push a salesperson out to your front door, hang up the phone! I guarantee you'll spend too much for that tub. Always hire your own handyman for the installation. If you don't know of a good handyman, ask any real estate agent for a few references. Good real estate agents always know at least two that are trustworthy.

About Some of the Walk-In Tub Distributors:

There is one walk-in tub distributer, that I will not mention online, that visited several of my client’s homes and quoted anywhere from $15,000 to $19,000 for a walk-in tub installed. Another vendor, that advertises a lot, wanted almost $4000 for a walk-in tub very similar to a tub that on online company was selling for less than $1700.

Another thought on distributors in general. Most companies make money from repeat business. Walk-in tubs are really a one-time purchase. That means if you buy a walk-in tub from someone that only sells walk-in tubs, they are more likely to try to get as much money from you on that single purchase as they possibly can. You know the drill – up-sells, magazine subscriptions, extended warrantees, extra shipping, bait-and-switch routines, etc... However, companies that sell numerous products are more likely to try to give you a better deal since they want you to buy from them again. They want you to have a positive experience. I don't know about you, but I'm more likely to trust a company that wants to make me happy.

As for costs, a good Walk-In Tub should cost you about $4000-$6000 including the installation. That means don't pay much more than $2000 for the tub and $3000 for the installation. The price goes up several hundred dollars if you want jets, heater, and other luxury features.

What you need to know about getting a walk-in tub installed.

There are several options out there, so before you begin, start by thinking about these issues:

• Do you want the Jacuzzi-type jets?

• Do you want air bubbles?

• Do you need an extra heater to keep the water warm?

• Are you just going to replace the existing tub, or is this new construction?

If you’re doing a new construction, then you just need to decide on the type of tub you want, then design the new bathroom around it. For most, however, new construction is way too much money. If you’re going to do a replacement tub, then you need to know how big the tub can be.

• First measure the existing tub. Most are roughly 2 1/2’ by 5’. The height of the tub doesn’t matter.

• Next, you need to figure out how big of a walk-in tub can you get into your bathroom. In other words, a 36” wide tub is not going to fit through your front door if your front door is only 32” wide. You’ll also have to think about getting up any stairs, down hallways and through the bathroom door itself. Some door jambs can be removed and replaced easily, so think about that as well.

• If you want a larger walk-in tub than can fit through your house, then be prepared to pay someone to tear out and replace walls.

• You need to know is the drain on the left or the right.

• If you’re thinking of getting electric devices on your walk-in tub – such as air blowers, water jets, or in-line heaters, then you need to think about the cost of hiring an electrician to run electricity to the walk-in tub.

The walk-in tub installation process is pretty involved. The contractor (or yourself) will need to remove the existing tub. This means removing tiles or walls that surround the tub, some of the dry-wall, and perhaps some of the floor in front of the tub. The plumbing will need to be moved or extended in some cases. The faucets and drains may not align just right with the new tub. Again, electricity may need to be run to the new tub as well.

Once the new tub is installed, the floor will need to be fixed to meet the bottom of the new walk-in tub, the walls around the tub will need to be replaced, the drywall will need to be repaired and the repaired walls will need painting.

Most handy-men have replaced bath tub before, so finding a contractor to do all the work I’ve listed above shouldn’t be an issue. Expect to pay anywhere from $1500 to $3000 to the contractor and anywhere from $1500 to $4000 for the tub.