A whirlpool turns a bathroom into your own private spa.
Installing a whirlpool tub adds value to your home in most cases. This kind of luxury item may attract future buyers to your home, because whirlpool tubs are very popular in today's market. Plan a whirlpool to look harmonious with other fixtures and cabinets in the bath space, however. Don't allow the tub to overpower the room. It's often a wise idea to use all-white fixtures and a white whirlpool tub, along with white or light-colored tile, so the room reflects a lot of light.
Instructions
1. Measure the space your current tub takes up and the whirlpool tub you plan to purchase. Sketch all main fixtures and cabinets in the bathroom on graph paper. Look at ways to accommodate the large tub, if necessary; consider using a smaller vanity cabinet or incorporating a foot or two from a nearby bedroom closet into the bathroom, for example. Plan everything on paper to help you create a well-balanced look and ample space for foot traffic.
2. Take down an adjacent wall if necessary to accommodate the whirlpool tub. Figure out if a wall that you need to remove is load-bearing before proceeding. Cut house framing with an electric circular saw and use a crowbar to take out studs. Build a support beam overhead to hold up the house weight if the wall section is load-bearing.
3. Build new framework with 2-by-4-inch boards to enclose the bathroom with the added space. Run electrical wiring or new plumbing needed for the bathroom or whirlpool tub while the room is under construction. Take up old flooring and add sub-flooring needed to strengthen the floor under the footprint of the new whirlpool tub. Nail up any drywall needed and finish it with joint compound.
4. Paint all walls and install the whirlpool tub. Hook up electricity and plumbing to the tub before enclosing any side walls of the tub with tile or other materials. Use enclosure materials such as tongue-and-groove boards or faux stones. Add handle-hold bars to the walls or shelving for towels.
5. Finish up room details and add new flooring last. Install a different vanity cabinet or smaller sinks, for example, if needed for the remodel. Lay a new tile or vinyl floor after other fixtures are in place, so the floor will not get scratched when hauling in the whirlpool tub. Add final baseboard materials around the room and hang any new interior doors for the bathroom. Connect new light fixtures in the final phase of finishing up the room, so the fixtures will not get damaged or broken during construction.
Tags: fixtures cabinets, other fixtures, vanity cabinet, your home