Though we didn’t know it at the time, Kerry and John called us after winning the lottery. Yes, seriously. Having already decided to use most of their winnings to renovate their property, they had begun various upgrades by the time Tom Wolff arrived on-site. When Kerry first reached out, she was most interested in having a walk-in tub installed for her husband, John. John had suffered multiple amputations on his leg and was now confined to a wheelchair, making bathing extremely difficult. Both Kerry and John were particularly interested in the therapeutic benefits a walk-in tub could provide.
Walk-in tubs come in all different sizes and styles. Depending on the options chosen (and the company selling them), they can also come with a hefty price tag. In fact, in our experience, purchasing one of these units directly from one of the “top three” walk-in tub manufacturers will typically cost a homeowner between $20,000 and $30,000—and that’s with basic acrylic walls! We confidently share this number with any homeowner reading this because more than one of our Bath Pros representatives used to work for one of these companies.
Frankly, the walk-in tub industry is predatory. These companies target elderly homeowners who desperately need safer bathing options for medical reasons. For many, the decision comes down to a walk-in tub or a nursing home. The sales pitch is entirely different from that of a standard shower remodel—an unscrupulous salesman is trained to highlight the dangers of the homeowner’s current setup, throwing out frightening statistics about falls and putting emphasis on the large percentage of seniors that will never return home after breaking a hip. They’ll dangle flashy “one-time” discounts, applying pressure to get a homeowner to sign on the spot. Some companies even conduct a “post-close” training session on how to coach homeowners to stand up to their children—because, after all, “it’s not their money” and “those kids are just after the inheritance!”
Yes, this is really how their training works. It’s absolutely ghoulish. And that’s not to say senior homeowners shouldn’t be concerned about making their bathrooms safer—they absolutely should! But any company that relies on fear tactics and a “hard close” isn’t selling a quality product or service. If you’re reading this, you’ll be glad to know that we strive to treat all of our customers with the honesty and dignity they deserve—and we don’t charge anywhere near those outrageous prices.
Anyway, after a brief discussion with Kerry, Tom Wolff drove out to their country home and sat down to go over their options. The bathroom was in rough shape, and the plumbing underneath was even worse. The couple mentioned they had drainage issues throughout their home. The bathroom sink didn’t drain at all. The tub drained slowly. Upon further inspection, the waste lines were actually draining backward into the main stack, creating major plumbing issues.
Kerry and John wanted the following: their old bathroom torn down to the studs, exterior walls re-insulated, new flooring installed, a new toilet and vanity, custom shelving, a premium walk-in tub with cultured stone walls and cultured stone crown molding extending all the way to the ceiling, and a custom wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. There were also a few smaller projects they wanted addressed, which we were happy to take on: light fixtures, medicine cabinet, toilet paper holder, etc. Additionally, Kerry requested a complete re-plumbing of their home—all waste and supply lines would have to be replaced. Due to the scope of work, this estimate took a little longer than usual (nearly two hours), but Tom was able to provide an exact price before leaving (which, coincidentally, was about the same as what they had been quoted from a national company for just the tub). A 40% deposit was collected to secure a calendar date.
Our install tech, Vincent Aponte, and his helper, John, arrived in under six weeks to begin the remodel. The condition of the bathroom was worse than expected. The exterior walls had no insulation. Built in the 1800s, the home’s joists were literally constructed out of logs. Some walls were only two inches thick. We were determined to fix it all. What would normally take five or six days ended up taking a few days longer. Vincent’s attention to detail truly shines. This job featured a stunning pine ceiling, custom pine shelving and trim work, and beautifully crafted stone trim around the shower. Personally, we think this is the nicest walk-in tub installation we’ve ever completed—but judge for yourself from the photos.
The project was completed in a total of nine days. Vincent really wanted to see it painted, even offering to paint the bathroom for free, but John, wanting to contribute something to the space himself, insisted on doing it. As a result, the photos you see here are pre-paint, but we’re hoping Kerry and John will be kind enough to send us completion photos so we can update this post and share them with other homeowners.
If you’re a homeowner looking for a reputable company to remodel your bathroom, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (315) 217-1151. We’re always happy to help.