New Bathtub Installation
Do you have an old damaged or corroded cast iron bathtub? Looking to replace your tub surround but down want your old tub to stand out like a sore thumb? We can fix that problem. We can remove your old tub and install a new Acrylic or Steel bathtub!
Installation Of A New Bathtub
Upgrading your bathtub can drastically improve your bathroom’s appearance and your family’s comfort. If your bathtub is leaking, worn, cracked, or just looking tired, it might be time to upgrade to a new one. A standard bathtub replacement can be purchased at your local home centers like The Home Depot, Lowes or Menards and installed by our licensed plumbing professionals. However, removing the old tub and installing its stand-in can be time-consuming and costly, so buy the best bathtub you can afford to ensure you won’t have to repeat the process for another 15 or 20 years.
Because you’re swapping out an existing tub, your options will be limited by the current tub’s dimensions, as well as the size of your bathroom’s doorway. Before buying a new tub, you’ll need to know the tub’s exact width and length measurements and where the drain is placed (left, right, or center).
Materials matter when shopping for a new bathtub. Acrylic or fiberglass tubs are inexpensive, light, and easy to install. Some have finishes that are fairly durable. They can a dull over the years but can be brought back to a shine after buffing it with cutting compound, a service we also offer. Acrylic bathtub can also be found to be deeper and wider inside circonference, on the other can steel tubs are mostly standard sizes. An enameled steel tub has a sturdier finish but can chip much easier and lacks insulating properties, so bathwater will typically cool quickly. We don’t offer installation of Cast-Iron bathtub as they are simply to heavy to lift or work with in a home that’s already furnished. Most of our clients who choose to update their bathtubs choose acrylic bathtubs.
The Process
Demolition: First we have to remove the existing bathtub. If your existing bathtub is an old acrylic tub we can remove it in one piece or cut it in half for easier transfer throughout the house to the dumpster. If your existing tub was cast iron we will have to break it into 2-3 pieces to remove it piece by piece as cast iron tub are to heavy and impossible to haul out in one piece.
Bathtub Installation: Once everything is ready, the bathtub is going to be dry fitted to the space to ensure proper alignment. Before final fitment a bucket of thick thinset mortar will get layed out under the area where the tub base touched the floor. This will ensure that once the tub is set there won’t be any loose or empty areas without any support on the bottom of the tub that could cause tension fractures later on. The tub will be set into place and with added weight will be pushed down into the mortar bed and screwed down to the wall 2×4’s. The installation lip of the bathtub will be pre drilled and each hole countersunk to make sure the installation screws won’t crack the lip and hold tight. Before screwing down the tub our pros will ensure that the bathtub is sitting as level as possible in all directions to ensure proper water runoff.
Plumbing: At this point our team will make all the plumbing connections to you new bathtub. Drain arm will be connected to the over flow and the overflow arm will get connected to the main drain stack coming from the floor. All of the connections will be tightened and tested for any leakes by filling the bathtub full of water and draining to check for any leaks. Most of the time the plumbing of the bathtub can stay where it was and should align with you new tub drain and fixtures. How ever we will need to replace the overflow and the drain connections as each tub varies in style. When purchasing a tub make sure you buy the overflow and drain kit with the tub as many tubs have a certain kit that fits them that are usually sold to fit that tub. Make sure you choose the finish of the overflow and drain to match you shower valve covers. For example if you have chrome shower fixtures then make sure to get chrome overflow and drain also to match. Once the final check is complete the bathtub installation process is done. Please allow 24 hours for the thinset mortar to cure under the bathtub to ensure solid tub base support.
Common Questions
All the demolition materials will get packed up into contractor bags and either hauled away to be disposed at s waste management facility, or a green Bagster can get setup in a non intruding location on your driveway where all the demo will get dumped and picked up at the end of the week by a Bagster collecting crane dump truck.
As there are so many different shades of white and different styles and look of bathtubs that vary in price, we ask our clients to find and provide a bathtub for us that they like. We provide all the labor and installation materials
The clients are responsible to provide the bathtub overflow and drain as they come in different styles and finishes. We will provide the needed piping for the tub drain connections.
Bathtub installation usually takes about 1 day.
Yes you are welcome to do the demolition, haul away and clean up yourselves if it’s in your skill level to accomplish. We just ask that the demolition and cleanup is done properly so we don’t have to spend additional time finishing up things that weren’t finished
