Debbie and Rick were struggling with their aging cast iron tub. Getting in and out had become a challenge, and the grout between their tiles was yellowed and discolored from years of exposure to mold and mildew. It was obvious that a lot of thought had gone into their bathroom once upon a time—Rick proudly told us he had done the original work himself, and the attention to detail showed. But time waits for no one, and they were ready for a fresh update.

After contacting several companies and collecting quotes, we were the last ones to sit down with them. Within 48 hours of their call, Tom Wolff arrived for a site inspection to learn about their specific needs. It would be easy to give exact numbers over the phone—and honestly, we’d prefer it—but no two jobs are ever the same. Every home is different, and every homeowner has unique priorities.

In Debbie’s case, her health issues were a key concern. She was also on the heavier side and needed a built-in bench for stability, instead of the sleeker flip-up seats she’d seen on our website. While built-in stone benches can enhance the look of a shower, they have a few trade-offs:

Space: A 60″ wide shower becomes about 48″ wide once a bench is installed, making a small space even smaller.
Cost: Built-in benches are more expensive to install.
Glass limitations: Some popular door designs require custom glass when paired with a bench.

To find the best compromise, we sourced a 500lb-capacity flip-up seat in imitation teak. It had plenty of room for Debbie to sit comfortably and met both her aesthetic and functional needs.

Nine weeks later, our install tech, Vincent Aponte, and operations manager, Josh Brodnicki, arrived for the installation—right in the middle of a bout of miserable weather. Snow, wind, and freezing cold made the job more challenging. Josh typically checks in on-site for a day or two, but this time he worked side by side with Vincent to help us catch up on our backlog. (And yes, Josh was definitely feeling those sore muscles the next week!)

The old cast iron tub was a beast. It weighed over 400lbs, but the team managed to haul it out in one piece. Despite the weather fighting us at every turn, the installation itself went smoothly. We even managed to fit the cultured stone panels in one piece without needing cuts or pencil trim. (See: What happens if a cultured stone panel doesn’t fit into my bathroom?)

The entire job took four days from start to finish. Rick decided to handle the painting himself, so we left the walls “paint-ready.” The finished shower included:

A Samuel Mueller shower pan with walls in “Butterscotch”
Two corner shelves
An upgraded dual shower head with wand
A safety grab bar
A glide bar
A 500lb flip-up seat in imitation teak
A double sliding bypass door in polished chrome

We were thrilled with the result—and, most importantly, so were Debbie and Rick. If you are ready to remodel your bathroom, please don’t hesitate to call us for an estimate at (315) 217-1151.

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