Bathtubs are a trendy addition in any household bathroom across the globe, especially in Europe and America. Taking your bath while lying down is always a soothing and relaxing. At the end of a tiresome working day, most people enjoy the experience of lying in the bathtub with a glass of drink at an arm’s length. This is quite refreshing and restful. Apart from their main purpose, bathtubs can add a fair share of aesthetic value to your bathroom since they are very ornamental items. With the right shape, design and size, a bathtub can immensely improve your bathroom overall decor.

We all once in a while need to remodel our bathrooms. One of the best ways to give your bathroom a meaningful makeover is to have it fitted with a new stand alone tub. Since this is likely to be the biggest item in your bathroom, it is obviously the most conspicuous. Therefore, it must play a major role in enhancing your bathroom looks. It also obviously the hardest to replace when need arises.

What to Consider When Buying Your First Freestanding Bathtub

This type of bathtubs is undeniably one of the most elegant additions to your bathroom. However, before you purchase one, you need to make some important considerations. If you are buying your first freestanding bathtub, here are some tips which will enable you to buy the best one for your bathroom. 

• Need

Before you even think of purchasing one, the first consideration will obviously be whether you really need the bathtub. Given that quality bathtubs are costly, this is important since you need to prioritize what you need in your house. Once you have made up your mind that purchasing one is absolutely necessary, now you can go ahead and look at the space available in your bathroom, as well as your budget for the purchase. Since it will really enhance the looks of your bathroom, and raise the value of your house, you most probably need it.

• Design

Mostly, you will have to basically choose between modern and traditional designs. The traditional models tend to need chrome exposed fittings, while modern designs mostly come with a skirt around their exterior, which allows less costly concealed wastes to be put into use.

• Shape

You will have to choose between double ended baths (Which come with a slope at both ends) or single ended baths (Which come with a single slope). If your bathroom is symmetrical, then the double ended type will be the best choice for you.

• Size

You need to get the exact dimensions of the area where you intend to install the bathtub. If you are doing a replacement, it doesn’t have to take up the same amount of space like the previous one. However, you have to bear in mind that changing the size will take some extra work when it comes to plumbing flooring and plumbing. The position of the waste should be most preferably movable, but it needs to be discussed with the plumber. The size of your bathroom will definitely be important in deciding the size of the bathtub that you purchase. This is because freestanding bathtubs need enough space around them to allow free access, cleaning as well as give your bathroom the desired look.

• Installation

When doing installation of this type of tub, you have to take into consideration the position of the waste and water supply. Normally, the waste outlet is put as close as possible to the bathtub, either out through the neighboring wall or in the floor. A chrome pipe is usually used to take the waste water away. Another thing you have to decide here is whether you need freestanding, deck mounted or wall hung bath taps.

If you choose a model with exposed legs, you may want to consider pipe stands or bath shrouds. Some of the models support the weight of the taps making it possible for them to be freestanding while others conceal the copper made pipes that supply water. Therefore, you need to look at what you need between the two before you make your purchase. Freestanding bathtubs come with an elegant touch and can go down well with both retro and modern designs, even though they need more space. You can also go for corner paneled, alcove styles or under mounts.

• Cost

Your bathtub is most likely to be the most costly accessory in your entire bathroom. Because of its size it will also obviously be the most conspicuous and dominant fixture in there.  It is for this reason that you will need to go the best quality bathtub that you can possibly afford since you would like it to last for a long time. Depending on the kind of installation that you decide to go with, replacing a poor quality bathtub is most likely to be far more costly than deciding to purchase a higher quality, though more expensive, item at the very beginning. This is due to the high labor costs for the tub’s replacement.