The Case of the Missing Bathtub

I had everything ready – the shower tile, floor tile, the vanity, the toilet with the round bowl, the towel bars, the shower nozzle and valve, and the bathtub on order from Home Depot, arriving on May 1^st.

But it didn’t. When I clicked the tracking button, there was no tracking available. I knew that couldn’t be good. The next morning, I called Home Depot, the 800 number.

“It appears that your tub is lost in transit,” Lakeesha said.

Crap!

“Would you care to re-order?”

“No.” It would take two weeks for another one to arrive. I was about to lose my contractor slot.

“I’ll call around to find one locally.”

The issue was the width. Since I’m adding a door to the bathroom wall between the tub and toilet, I only have 30 inches to work with, Most places only stock 32-inch tubs.

I call the Home Depot in Concord. No answer.

Home Depot in Livermore. No answer.

Home Depot in Pleasanton. Someone picked up but there were no 30-inch tubs except acrylic ones. I had ordered a porcelain over cast iron.

I called my contractor to see if we could use my old tub. It had already gone to the dump.

I called Tubz in Fremont. They had a titanium one from Switzerland in 30 inches, but they needed a day or two for it to get there from the warehouse. I called General Plumbing in Walnut Creek. They had the same tub for $300 cheaper, but it was also in the warehouse in Livermore. Or I could get another steel tub today for less than half the price.

I took the one available right away: an alcove, left drain, 30-inch tub at 16 inches deep, two inches deeper than the Kohler cast iron one stuck somewhere in America.

My free morning was lost to chasing down a bathtub. Now I remember why I don’t like to remodel. It’s such a royal pain in the toushie.

I’d spent hours online getting the perfect tub. Now I have one that isn’t bright white (Arctic), isn’t cast iron, and isn’t my first choice. But the contractor crew is back, after two lost days, and the tub is in and ready for the inspector.

There really is a permit and plans, although I haven’t seen either. Robert asked for $4000 today. I said no way until I see the plans.

I stopped by the Floor Store yesterday looking for my floor tile. Not in yet, according to Tezzie.

Half the fun is picking out the stuff, but waiting for the contractors to show up and keeping the dogs out of their way, not so much.

At least the weather is cold and cloudy today. I’m stuck here at the house, this 4^th day of May, which feels like the umpteenth day of winter.