We have a weird situation w/ a tub...

[semushlich]

We bought a house where the bathroom has been remodeled, and the tub was replaced with a walk-in shower. I have a 4 yr old and a 3 yr old who are both terrified of the shower.

We are planning on remodeling the whole bathroom (expanding it by 5 feet) and installing a whirlpool, but that's a few months away, and my kids need baths TODAY!

We were given a tub to install "for the meantime". Here's the catch - it's a left-hand tub and we have right-hand plumbing.

We have no idea how to install a tub. I would say my husband is intermediate level (he created a kitchen from scratch and remodeled a whole floor of our house) os we're just looking for step-by-step instructions for him to impliment.

Also, if you have any ideas on how to "temporarily" install this tub (I understand there will have to be plumbing done) until we can permanently remodel the bathroom, that would be GREAT! The kids outgrew the plastic totes they were bathing in just a few months too soon

[semushlich]

I don't know what you mean "won't work the first time installed" - it's just a regular tub! I'm not looking for a work of art, just a frame. I've already waited a year for a tub - it's time to put something we can use in. This is something we're doing. I just need a little bit of direction as to HOW.

[Mikey]

I'd go ahead and use the LH tub with the RH plumbing. Given that it's temporary, and you're skilled with hammer and saw, the tub can certainly be cut to fit in a frame you'll build to support it in the absence of proper walls. You won't have a pretty front facade, but you can cover that with almost anything. The tricky part will be the drain. If you've got access below the bathroom, it won't be too bad. Since there once was a tub there, it shouldn't be impossible to rework the drain to service the temporary tub. Supply plumbing should be easy.

A far simpler solution would be to get an adjustable shower head that could be lowered way down to the kids' level, and use a little psychology to get them to enjoy the shower.

If that doesn't work, get a huge tub that could be put in the shower. You could make one out of a 55 gallon plastic drum, maybe, to fit a 3 or 4 year old. After a few nights in that thing, maybe they'd rethink the shower.

How big is this shower? Maybe a stock kids' swimming pool would fit in it?

I'm out of ideas until I have my medicinal Oil of Islay tonight .

[maddiemom6]

We bought a house where the bathroom has been remodeled, and the tub was replaced with a walk-in shower. I have a 4 yr old and a 3 yr old who are both terrified of the shower.

can you put the tub at 90 degrees to the wall so you can fill and drain it ...bath the kids and use it for a few months... or will your few months relaly be a few years ( much like my house).... is this the tub you want to use in the remodel?..if not see if you have a habitat for humanity and see if they will trade tubs with you.. my local one get in tubs and sells them for $25 bucks...

good luck!

maddie