walk in bath tubs

My mother had one. I think they are overpriced. I don't need one.

If you have a person who can't get into a tub and needs assistance, I would install a large shower you can step in and sit down and enough room someone can help you.

A one piece fiberglass 3x5 shower with floor and walls isn't that expensive.
 
In-laws have one, takes a long time to fill and drain. Takes more time and you get chilled while waiting for it to fill and drain.
 
That's what I did for my 90 year old mother. She has two bathrooms, I took the tub out of one and installed one of those shower bases where the edge is about 6 inches tall. Works really well for her. And, like you say, there is room for someone to get in and help her if needed.

No fitment was needed that wasn't easy to do. I put a three piece surround in that covered all the places left from removing the tub. I had it done and ready to use in a weekend.
 
Dixie and I both want one for sure but my buying a house built on a slab nixes that. It takes 10 minutes here to get enough warm water in a tub to cover your ankles. It takes a larger water line than was installed under the slab to get the volume needed to fill at a rate we would be satisfied with. I think about building a bath house over a septic tank to quick drain the tub and a 100 gallon water heater to have a close volume of ready water.
The old farm house had a 100 gallon hot water tank with outside heater bands when we bought it. All the hot water one family would ever need.
 
Dick, have you considered a tankless water heater for that bathroom? There are both gas and electric models that'll do a nice job.

Personally, I think gas would work better, but then the electric one we have is a very small model. I wish I had gone up one size more.
 
When I remodel a bathroom I gut it, remove walls so I can slide in a seamless tub or shower kit with walls, no caulking.

My last remodel job, I added on a 26x26 room with an 8x14 bathroom. Used all 36 inch doors. Placed doors so if I ever in a wheelchair, I can roll into the sunroom from outside, go the the master bedroom, turn right and go to bathroom. Plenty of room in front of 3x6 shower and toilet. I hope I'll never need a wheelchair. After caring for my mom, I decided I need to think ahead.

Also don't think much of walk-in tubs when it comes to taking care of person that has difficulty walking.
 
doing that now in my house redo nightmare. all handicap doors 42" low threshold, roll in lower bathroom 12x14 aprox, two best things i did was put heat in the concrete basement floor and elevator lifts. and funny thing is they were two of my cheapest costs of the whole project so far. i do have one of the lifts for sale now thou. bought two but changed layout some and was able o have one do all we will ever need. what really like about them is can use lifts for furniture move etc etc.
 
I suppose if I used my basement as living space, I too would install heat in floor and tile over the heating strips.
 
Other than TV I've never seen one. I would be afraid after a few years it would leak. Then it seems like everything you buy these days the item is discontinued and parts become unavailable. Then it would mean a major remodel to tear it out and put in a new one.
 
My mom had one put in about 6 years ago, idea is great, but it takes forever to fill (and you have to sit there naked and cold while it happens. You have to sit there while it drains completely before you can open the door. Make sure you have some type of supplemental heat in the room.
The biggest problem mom had is she managed to tear the door gasket, and we found the national company had gone out of business!
Had to use a newer gasket and old tractor engenuity to fix that one. She's moving out of her place soon, and I really feel sorry for who ever has to an to remove and race it, not gonna be cheap! I second a extra low threshold shower with a seat and a hand nozzle. You will be a lot happier down the road.
 
I have installed a few of them. Both the type you sit in and those you can recline.
I will not guarantee them like I will a regular tub or shower.
Rather than install one of those I would pour a concrete basin and tile a shower.
Am starting to see more older people get rid of the bath tub and just go with a shower.
Shower is much easier to step over than a tub.
Those walk in tubs are very expensive too.
I can build you a great shower for less than half of what one of those units cost.
And I'll guarantee my shower not to leak - pretty much forever.
 
I'll admit those fiberglass shower units are very effective and trouble free.
But in my opinion even the good ones are low class, butt ugly things.
If low class, butt ugly doesn't bother you then they are the way to go.
 
Well, my butt is ugly and I don't share your opinion. I don't find a complete shower with no seams is ugly. I installed my first one piece tub/shower 31 years ago in a rental property, no problems. Easy to install. Easy to care for.

I bought a high dollar tub/shower with acrylic finish for my house. That was 22 years ago.

My only regret is installing a tub and putting ceramic tile on the wall. No way, no how will I ever make that mistake again. I bought 3 rentals with ceramic in the walls and I HATE THEM. Too much maintenance. Tenant didn't take good care and the tile fell off the wall.

I'll take the butt ugly one piece tub/shower and the one piece shower stalls over tile and caulk.

Respectfully,
geo
 
Just put a metal chair, similar construction to the kitchen 2 step ladders made of steel, in the shower and let them sit and bathe. When the chair rusts out, buy another. You could probably buy 5000 for the cost of the step in tub and get the convenience of a shower too.
 
If you have a custom one like U-Dawg suggest plan on were you are gonna put hand rails and a fold down seat before hand. I spent 20K on a bath addition my wife she had a stroke it was built for her. She passed my mom (90) hates it for all the wrong reasons she's back to a basic tube :x Cremaic tile is high maintenance That's OK I luv it myself...
 
Dean,
Have a nice shower built.
With a bench.
This is the last one I did.

20170301_140445.jpg
 
[i:654c4848f0]"Tenant didn't take good care and the tile fell off the wall."[/i:654c4848f0]

Ridiculous.
The tile falls off the wall not because you didn't maintain it but because it was improperly built.
And some people think a Motel 6 is pretty swanky too,
They have those one piece showers in them.
 

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