The Tub King Blog - Tub Talk: March 2015

Need a Job? How to Find a Good One That Requires No Experience

How many people are really out of work? The accurate answer is surprisingly difficult to ascertain. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the official unemployment rate as of February 2015, is 5.5 percent. For reasons that are highly political, official unemployment figures are greatly under-reported. There are other factors that should enter into the reporting. For example, there are discouraged workers (those who have given up on looking for work.) There are those employed part-time but not able to secure full-time work, and there are others who are marginally attached to the labor force. In reality, then, the actual U.S.unemployment is up around 11 or 12%.

Those who are fresh out of high school and college are finding full-time employment more difficult to find. Many are educated but over-qualified for the few entry-level positions that are available.

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While many professional careers do require formal education and years of experience, there are high-paying jobs out there that don't require a college degree or prior experience. Let's look at some of the better paying jobs that don’t always require a college degree or vast amounts of experience needed:

Security Guard

Working as a security guard can mean a lot more than just patrolling the local mall for unruly punks. You might work as a protective sentry for an embassy, a secure cash transporter for firms such as Brinks, or even a member of the Homeland Security team at an airport. A high school diploma is sufficient for most of these jobs, but requirements vary and could include passing a drug test, having a clean criminal record, and perhaps even obtaining a firearms license. Annual Salary Range: $18,000 - $39,000.

Bartender

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You don't need a formal education to work as a bartender, but you should go to a bar tending school. Working behind a bar can be difficult, as each shift requires dealing with an imbibing public from different walks of life. Some locales have laws in place where a bar or bartender can be held responsible if a patron drinks too much, so there is the added pressure of monitoring how much alcohol your customers consume. The ABC Bar Tending School lists locations around the country.

Delivery Drivers

Whether national, regional, or local, companies need delivery drivers. As long as you have a clean driver's license, you’re eligible for these jobs. You sometimes don't need prior experience for many of these jobs, and they often offer a lot of scheduling flexibility. Starting with a company as a driver can also help you get your foot in the door, with opportunities to work towards a higher-paying position such as in sales, a shift manager, a terminal manager, etc. Annual Salary Range: $17,000 - $46,000.

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Bill Collector

Experts project the employment rate for bill collectors to grow by approximately 19% in the next 10 years,and most of these positions only require a high school diploma. Job requirements include effectively communicating over the phone and having good customer service skills. Previous bill collection experience is sometimes not required. Annual Salary Range: $22,000 - $48,000.

Sanitation Worker

Garbage collection may not sound as attractive as some other non-degree jobs, but the pay is good and the opportunities are abundant. You’ll need to wake up before the crack of dawn to start your work day, but you get most holidays off, receive good benefits, and you get to exercise a bit on the job when you work as a garbage collector. Requirements include being physically fit, capable of lifting heavy items, and the ability to drive a garbage truck. You can begin looking for a job in this field on a waste management company's career site. Annual Salary Range: $20,000 - $60,000.

School Bus Driver

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You must have the patience of a saint if you want to drive children to and from school every morning and afternoon. Additionally, you need a clean driving and criminal record. Bus drivers usually work twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, and get all the same holidays and days off that students enjoy. Oftentimes no previous experience is required to become a school bus driver, and the job can come with benefits as well as a decent salary. Annual Salary Range: $16,500-$40,000.

Cable TV Installer

Cable TV and Internet installers can make decent salaries. Previous experience is not required for employment, and on-the-job training is provided. A good rapport with the public certainly helps make this job easier. Annual Salary Range: $21,500 - $52,000.

Semi-Truck Driver

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The majority of your time will be spent away from home, but being a truck driver certainly has its rewards. These jobs offer good pay and benefits, and little or no previous experience is required for employment. You have to get trained and licensed to drive the big rigs, but most trucking companies pay for your training and assist you with getting your commercial driver's license. Medical exams and background checks may also be required, depending on what substances you might be hauling. Annual Salary Range: $27,500 - $67,000.

Real Estate Brokers & Sales Agents

The most successful brokers have established a large referral network and have return business. In other words, it takes at least a few years to make significant income in the field. But the potential is there to earn a great deal of money, and you only need an agent license to get your foot in the door at a real estate firm. To become eligible for a license, you must take an approved pre-licensing course and then pass the state exam. You can then affiliate with an established broker and work your way towards getting your own broker's license. Annual Salary Range: $30,000 - $200,000+

Taxi Driver

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Specific licensing requirements for taxi drivers vary from state to state, but include being over 21 years of age, having a clean driving record, several years driving experience, and passing a background check. Generally, taxi drivers pay to lease their cabs from a cab company, keeping all the income they receive from their fares. Work hours can be long and often include nights, weekends, and holidays, and the work can even be dangerous at times. But with no previous experience needed and the ability to set your own hours, being a taxi driver can make for a relatively comfortable career choice. Annual Salary Range: $17,000 - $67,000.

Bathtub Refinisher

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Years ago, the idea of painting a bathtub for a living would’ve been considered a ridiculous notion, but today the business of bath and kitchen refinishing has grown into a multi-million dollar industry. In reality, it involves much more than just painting. The concept is to replace a worn-out finish on a bathtub, sink, or kitchen counter top with a new finish. The activity is highly detailed, with specific steps to properly clean and etch the surface, and then apply the new finish through the use of a professional spraying process utilizing specialized equipment. It enables the homeowner to save quite a bit of money and annoyance by avoiding having to tear out the old fixture and replace it with a new one. It could save a family up to 70%. Annual Salary Range: $20,000 -$200,000.

Those who have been truly successful have taken the time to learn the trade by attending a professional Refinishing School. There they can get not only classroom time, but precious hands-on instruction, so that when they go into a customer's home, they can provide professional results. Tub King, Inc., in Jacksonville, Florida provides such a course one weekend each month.

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For the past decade, people from all over the world have traveled to Jacksonville, Florida to attend its bathtub and kitchen refinishing class. Previous participants have hailed from Canada, Colombia, Spain and Germany and, of course, from throughout the U.S. Typically, the class runs Friday and Saturday, unless the class size is larger, in which case, it is continued into Sunday. The class usually runs for a full eight hours each day with a free lunch included. It's taught by Tub King’s Operations Manager, Mike Turner, who has been instructing the class for well over a year.

During the class, participants learn about the entire refinishing process, repairing damaged bathtubs, spraying the tubs to make them look new, refinishing countertops, and more. The students are taught the various skills and then are able to practice in real-time during the class. It’s here they’ll actually get hands-on experience in learning how refinish a variety of Clawfoot bathtubs, countertops, sinks, cabinets, etc. Furthermore, the course offers hands-on instruction in:

An Overview of the Refinishing Industry
How to Select the Right Equipment
Proper Preparation
What are the Most Reliable Coating Products
How to Refinish Porcelain (sinks and tubs)
Striking Gold in Antique Clawfoot Bathtubs
How to Refinish Fiberglass
How to Do Spot Repairs
What are the Most Effective Cleaners
How to Refinish Kitchen Countertops
How to Refinish Appliances
How to Refinish Ceramic Tile
How Refinish Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinets
How to Create Multi-speck Patterns
How to Refinish Concrete
Bathtub Conversion (for Walk-in Tubs) for seniors
Truck Bed liners (which is a separate business all in itself)
How to Properly Set Up Your Business
A Review of the Best Marketing & Advertising Strategies
Using Key Strategies to Obtain Work for Months

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At the conclusion of the class, students are awarded a Certificate of Completion as a trained refinishing professional. After receiving a Certificate of Completion from Tub King's course, students can start their own bathtub and kitchen refinishing business. With the purchase of a professional spray rig, approximately $700 of materials, they're now a professionally equipped, well-trained contract laborer. Not only are they now skilled to refinish tubs, but also counter tops, ceramic tile, appliances, sinks, and cabinets. Whether as a part-time or full-time job, this could expand your income far beyond just being able to refinish your own tub.

Tub King’s well-lauded refinishing class empowers students to work for themselves to change and improve their lives as a qualified, certified refinishing professional. Upon completion, students can “put up their shingle” and earn a decent income by providing their professional services, whether it’s in commercial, residential or doing antique work.

Equipment and coating materials can be obtained inexpensively and there are many avenues for advertising that are affordable. In fact, Tub King also offers its students discount pricing on requisite equipment and materials as well as advertising assistance; so in addition to offering expert hands-on training, the class also addresses marketing techniques to help its students’ get started with their refinishing business. We offer marketing assistance in the form of brochures, advertisements, and flyers.

Tub King also has a very active referral program. Every class graduate is added to Tub King’s database of certified refinishers. When someone from another state contacts us to find out if we’d recommend a professional for any of their refinishing projects, we help them get in touch with one of our graduates who’s nearby them.

Learn More About Tub King's In-Depth Refinishing Course

In this article, I provided solutions to the issues surrounding our nation’s current unemployment figures. I then recommended several possible non-degree career tracks such as security guard, truck driver, etc. I especially discussed Tub King’s internationally acclaimed Bath and Kitchen Refinishing course, going into detail about the once-per-month course’s hands-on curriculum, and also mentioned some of the things Tub King does to facilitate our graduates’ business success. If you found this article useful, please share it with your family, friends and co-workers.

If you have a comment related to this article, leave it in the Comment section of this blog.

If you’d like to receive a Free Walk-in Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

If you’d like to receive a FREE Clawfoot Tub Buyer’s Guide, fill out the form below.

Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and I’ll personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure sharing this information with you.

Thanks again for visiting with us.

Click Here to Learn More About Tub King's Refinishing Classes

Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. HIs companies not only provide superior products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. If you’d like to contact them, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to alan@tubking.com.

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Is the Walk-in Tub a Scam?

By Alan Knight

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Financial scams targeting senior citizens have become so prevalent that they're now considered as being one of the top crimes of the 21st century.

There are several reasons why the criminally minded go after the elderly. One reason is the scammers imagine that many seniors have a vast amount of money just sitting in the bank, waiting for the picking. In reality, most seniors are living on a fixed income with little margin for error. Secondly, seniors are often times viewed as weak, both physically and mentally. Scammers think they can easily outwit the elderly to talk them out of their money.

Making matters worse, financial scams also often go unreported or can be difficult to prosecute, so they're considered a “low-risk” crime. However, they're devastating to many older adults and can leave them in a very vulnerable position with little time or hope to recoup their losses. It's not just wealthy seniors who are targeted. Low income older adults are also at risk of financial abuse. Sadly, it's not always crooked strangers who perpetrate these crimes. Over 90% of all reported elder abuse is committed by an older person's own family members, most often their adult children, followed by grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and others.

Let's look at several common scams that target seniors:

Telemarketing Scams

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The first is the “Pigeon Drop.” The con artist tells the individual that he or she has found a large sum of money and is willing to split it if the person will make a “good faith” payment by withdrawing funds from their bank account. Often, a second con artist is involved, posing as a lawyer or banker.

Another telemarketing scam is the “Fake Accident Ploy.” The con artist gets the victim to wire or send money on the pretext that the person's child or another relative is in the hospital and needs the money immediately.

Today, “Charity Scams” are really big. Money is solicited for fake charities, usually after a reported and solicited for following a major natural disaster.

Internet Fraud

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While using the Internet is a great skill at any age, the slower speed of adoption among some older people makes them easier targets for automated Internet scams that are ubiquitous on the web and email programs. Pop-up browser windows simulating virus-scanning software will fool victims into either downloading a fake anti-virus program (at a substantial cost) or an actual virus that will open up whatever information is on the user's computer to scammers. Their unfamiliarity with the less-visible aspects of browsing the web (employing several layers of firewalls and built-in virus protection, for example) makes seniors especially susceptible to such traps.

Consider the “email/phishing” scam. A senior receives email messages that appear to be from a legitimate company, asking them to “update” or “verify” their personal information. Or, a senior receives bogus emails that appear to be from the IRS about a tax refund.

Investment Schemes

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Because many seniors find themselves planning for retirement and managing their savings once they finish working, a number of investment schemes have been targeted at seniors looking to safeguard their cash for their later years. From pyramid schemes such as Bernie Madoff's (which counted a number of senior citizens among its victims) to fables of a Nigerian prince looking for a partner to claim inheritance money, to complex financial products that many economists don't even understand, investment schemes have long been a successful way to take advantage of the elderly.

Homeowner/Reverse Mortgage Scam

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Scammers like to take advantage of many people above the age of 60 who own their own homes (with no mortgage), a valuable asset that increases the potential dollar value of a certain scam. A particularly elaborate property tax scam in San Diego saw fraudsters sending personalized letters to different properties, which appeared to be coming from the County Assessor's Office. The letter, made to look official, but displaying only public information, would identify the property's assessed value and offer the homeowner, for a fee of course, to arrange for a reassessment of the property's value and therefore the tax burden associated with it.

Closely related, the “Reverse Mortgage” scam has mushroomed in recent years. With legitimate reverse mortgages increasing in frequency, more than 1,300% between 1999 and 2008, scammers are taking advantage of this new popularity. Unsecured reverse mortgages can lead property owners to lose their homes when the perpetrators offer money or a free house somewhere else in exchange for the title to the current property.

Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams

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Here, scammers inform their mark that they have won a lottery or sweepstakes of some kind and need to make some sort of payment to unlock the supposed prize. Often, seniors will receive a check that they can deposit into their bank account. While the illegitimate check shows up in their account immediately, it will take a few days before this fake check is rejected. During this time, the criminals will quickly collect money for supposed winnings, which they pocket while the victim has the “prize money” removed from their account as soon as the check bounces.

Grandparents Scam

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This one is so simple and devious because it uses one of older adults' most reliable assets, their hearts. Scammers will place a call to an older person and when the mark picks up, they will say something along the lines of, “Hi Grandma, do you know who this is?” When the unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer most sounds like, the scammer has established a fake identity without having done a lick of background research. Once “in,” the fake grandchild will usually ask for money to solve some unexpected financial problem such as overdue rent, late car payment, etc., and request it be sent by immediately by Western Union or MoneyGram, which doesn't always require identification to collect. At the same time, the scam artist will plead, “Please don't tell my parents. They’ll kill me!” While the scam may only involve a few hundred dollars, it can be perpetuated over and over again.

The Senior Walk-in Tub Scam

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The Walk-in Tub for seniors is one of the best safety, comfort, and consumer-designed medical devices to come along in years. It offers a safe way for the elderly to bathe themselves, independently, without the fear of falling, and to enjoy hydrotherapy to treat many of their medical conditions.

However, many unscrupulous salesmen have tried to tarnish that image by creating scams around it. For example, prices for just Walk-in Tub itself can vary from $2,000 to $20,000, based on the supplier you talk to. Why such a wide range? There is no justifiable answer, except that some have tried to scam older people into spending much more of their treasured retirement money.

Usually the scammer will play on the heartstrings of the husband or wife by saying something like, “You know she needs this. What kind of price tag would you place on her health? Regardless of the price, isn't she worth it?” Being placed on the spot, many partners will give in and spend 10 times what they should be spending for a Walk-in Tub. Often the scammer will add, “We only have this price available today. It’s normally priced much higher, but since we’re already talking, I can save you a lot of money.” This is a typical, over-the-top sales scamming, and some skilled pros can be very persuasive.

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The good news is that many seniors are too smart for this. They’ll shop around and compare prices and features. There is no reason to pay more than $5,000 for the Walk-in Tub and that price includes installation. Obviously, if there’s more remodeling to be done in the bathroom to properly install the unit, or to doorways to be able to bring the unit into the bathroom, it may warrant some additional installation costs.

The Walk-in Tub itself certainly is not a scam, but many who try to take advantage of the elderly by pricing it too high or by adding additional expenses (such high installation fees) have created a scam surrounding it.

As far many other of the aforementioned senior-focused scams go, happily, the truth is, seniors today are not only well-educated, they have more experience in dealing with hucksters. The old adage, “I wasn't born yesterday,” plays well here. Some imagine they can confuse the senior by talking in circles or trying to confuse them. This tactic will normally cause the senior to hang up the phone even more quickly. They don’t call these the “Wisdom Years” for nothing, after all.

In this article, I talked about the prevalence of different types of scams that typically target the senior population. I also pointed out that one of these scams involves the pricing of and installation regarding the Walk-in Tub.

If you have a comment, please type it in the Comment section below. Of course, I encourage you to share this article with your family, friends, and colleagues.

Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed below and I’ll personally get back to you. Thanks for reading; it’s been my pleasure to share this information with you.

The Benefits of Warm Water Therapy in a Walk-in Tub

If you'd like to receive a FREE Walk-in Tub Buyers' Guide, simply fill out the form below.

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Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. He had many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. These companies not only provide superior products, they are also multi-award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. To contact Tub King directly, call (800)843-4231 or email alan@tubking.com.

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Bathtubs of the Future

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By Alan Knight

You have to admit, bathtubs over the last 50 years or so haven't changed very much. And this is unusual in the world of progressive marketing. People have a tendency to get bored of seeing the same old product lines and eventually long for something different, something better. Bathing is, of course, by nature, repetitious, so something has to be added occasionally to make it fun and more enjoyable. Sometimes a shower just doesn't cut it. Your body is sore, you're tired and all you want is a nice, hot bath. But forget about the baths of yesteryear. These days we have Jacuzzi-like air bubbles, intelligent temperature controls, smartphone automation, massaging water jets and more. There are even self-cleaning bathtubs for those who can't do it themselves. Technology has found its way into our bathrooms and it's here to stay.

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A recent article in "The Wall Street Journal" highlighted some of the most unusual, modern bathtub designs. One of those designs was the Wild Terrain Designs' Tub-E, which might be the most perfect marriage of technology and design ever. Tub-E comes in either copper or stainless steel and its surrounded by a swirl staircase complete with LED lights. Step on it, and the lights go on automatically, creating an otherworldly effect.

Then there's the tech side: The Tub-E has a unique bucket-like design, so you actually sit in it rather than lying down. The advantage? You use less water to fill it up, plus, the Tub-E also comes with its own water-heating system, which keeps the water at a constant temperature, no matter how long you decide to stay in the tub. Not enough? Tub-E comes with a self-cleaning, self-filling and self-draining system. Just press a button on its keyboard and let the bathtub do the rest.

Here's another thing, why read in the bathtub, when you can watch TV, listen

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to your iPod, smartphone or scan the local FM radio stations. Say hello to the ultimate media bathtubs. The Bazen AT-956TV Bathtub, designed in Korea and launched in 2013, has a rectangular design that looks industrial (it's made of polished metal). It not only comes with an LCD screen, but it also offers a DVD player and a radio tuner. Plus, the tub easily transforms into a Jacuzzi with the push of a button and comes equipped with a digital thermostat so you can adjust the water temperature.

If you want a high-tech bathtub that has it all, you can't go wrong with Water

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Games Technologies' Red Diamond bathtub. The tub comes equipped with two HD TVs that actually slide in and out of view (so you can hide when not in use). There's also a temperature control, a hand-held shower unit and a remote control, so you can start to fill the tub before you even step into the bathroom. And if you had any doubt that the Red Diamond is all about luxury, here's one more detail: it comes with a champagne holder encrusted with Swarovski crystals.

If you thought tubs had to be boring, you're wrong. There are some great high-tech tubs out there waiting for you.

One such tub that is receiving rave reviews in every quarter is the Walk-in

Tub. And no, it's not just for seniors or the elderly. It has become the choice tub by many professional athletes who want to treat their game injuries in a more private manner. It is also the choice of many young couples who want a way to treat their day-to-day soreness or pulled muscles. It has some very modern, even futuristic features:

It's designed as a stand-alone tub that can be placed almost anywhere, if water and drainage are available. Because it has a seat (which is ADA compliant, by the way) that is not designed to lie down, but to sit up. This means using much less water to fill it. This allows quicker fill and drain time, as well as saving money. It's also more comfortable because the tub is sculpted to fit the body's back, taking the strain off those frequently overworked muscles.

The Walk-in Tub is typically about 40 inches tall from the floor, which means you can submerge most of the body, allowing the buoyancy to also relieve pressure from tired, aching, and strained muscles, even in the upper body. The tub has a door that is sealed when closed and is guaranteed for life not to leak. Furthermore, it has a very low threshold, so getting into and out of the tub is a "step in the park." Many speak of the safety features of the tub, which is ideal for the elderly, who fear of and have a propensity of falling in the bathroom. But the younger crowd loves the tub for its relaxing and therapeutic qualities.

Tub King Walk-in Tub testimonial

For instance, there is a hand-held shower for creating a relaxing sensation. Even more effective are the two jetted systems on the tub. First, there are air jets, which, when engaged, creates thousands of micro-bubbles that stimulate the skin, increasing blood flow and help with inflammation. The other jetted system incorporates water jets that pump water to soothe specific areas of the body. These ports are adjustable and can also be altered as to direction and pressure. That means if you want more force on a certain part of the body, the process is a simple adjustment. The water jets create more of a “massaging” action. Imagine hundreds of tiny fingers massaging an area of the body that is suffering from injury, soreness, tightness, or stress. Talk about a great stress reliever after returning home from a busy day at the office. The inline heater ensures that the water stays warm, further relaxing the body.

Our Walk-in tubs fit regular bathrooms

The Walk-n Tub, by comparison, with many of these other future concepts and designs in bathtubs, stands alone when it comes to price. The tub can be purchased for as little as $2,000 and installation is easy and inexpensive. This is one futuristic device you don’t have to wait on. It's here today.

Take a look at the Walk-in Tub. It might be just the ticket to creating a better future for you and your family.

In this article, I briefly described several futuristic bathtubs and showed that the Walk-in Tub had the features and the benefits of many of these high-end tubs without the "high-end"cost. Best of all, the Walk-in tub is here now with a price tag that most can live with.

Check out this short video and get the free Walk-in Tub Buyers' Guide

If you'd like to receive a FREE Walk-in Tub Buyers' Guide, simply fill out the form below.

Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed below and I’ll personally get back to you. Thanks for reading; it’s been my pleasure to share this information with you.

Visit Our Webpage for Recent Specials. Click Here.

Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. His companies not only provide superior products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. To contact Tub King directly, call (800)843-4231 or email alan@tubking.com.

Get Your Free GiftCard! Click Here.