Just like
any other industry Tub King experiences buyers who want to get “more bang for
their buck”. Sometimes this will lead the buyer to make the decision to
purchase a cheaper “replica” of a cast iron clawfoot or freestanding tub. This is not an
uncommon mentality when building and remodeling. However, the decision to save
a buck today may cost a significant amount of money down the line.
Property
inspectors, insurance agents, realtors, and the like have tools available to
them which indicate the life expectancy of items and furnishings in a home and
use the data in attaching values to the individual items and the home in
general. The end result of which can affect the price point related to
insuring, renting, and listing the property for sale.
Taking this
in to account let’s consider the following example:
·Tub King’s 72" Double Slipper Pedestal Cast Iron Bathtub currently priced at $1545
·Competitor 72” Double Slipper Pedestal Acrylic
Bathtub currently priced at $1238
If we were
to pull up the aforementioned “life expectancy” data we would find that, IF
properly cared for and maintained, the life expectancy for an acrylic tub is
approximately 30 years. I stress “if properly cared for and maintained” because acrylic tubs are subject to chipping, cracking, scratches, and turning yellow over time. Referencing the same data a cast iron tub can last
upwards of 100+ years but we will be generous and utilize the lowest referenced
number of 50 years. Cast iron is one of the most durable materials used for tubs and is resistant to most chemicals so does not share the same disadvantages of acrylic which affect the long term durability and
appearance of the tub.
Now, if the
acrylic tub has been treated like gold and reaches a grand old age of 30, what
does the homeowner do now; purchase a new tub or have it professionally refinished?
The cast iron tub still has another 20 years, at the very least, over the
acrylic tub. How does the decision to refinish or replace the acrylic tub
factor in when considering the 20 year difference?
·The homeowner purchases a replacement tub now
the 50 year cycle is $50/yr
·The home owner refinishes the tub now the 50
year cycle is $37/yr
oAssuming the refinishing job is $600
oAssuming the quality of the refinishing job adds
20 years versus the industry standard of 15 – 18 years.
In the end,
the savings of $307 actually cost the homeowner from $305 to $955 more and that
is only taking in to consideration the tubs themselves. As mentioned at the
start, the overall value of the home is affected by these types of small
purchasing decisions so the monetary impact can go further than the tub itself.
In upcoming
articles we will consider other comparisons as it relates to heat absorption,
cleaning, and care of various types of material used in tubs. Please
feel free to email edie@tubking.com with any topics or questions you’d like to
see addressed in future posts.
When was the last time you heard someone rave
enthusiastically about their bathtub?
Truth be told, we here at Tub King hear about it fairly often … Read the story below and be certain to watch the video at the end of it.
In addition to being entered into the Jacksonville Chamber
of Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame for winning its Best Builders &
Contractors award for four consecutive years, Tub King also prides itself on
its numerous highly satisfied customers. Whether it’s for our porcelain/cast
iron tub line, our Walk-in tubs, our bathtub refinishing capabilities and/or
comprehensive refinishing class, we strive to make our Tub King’s products and
customer service exemplary. As we add more trending products such as the Safety Suite Showers and a
new line of freestanding, stone tubs (available June 2015), Tub King will
continue its 14-year mission of providing the best bathtubs and showers at the
best prices with the best service.
Obviously, being in the bathroom/bathtub business, we keep
our ears close to the ground about what’s happening in our industry. There are
several popular trends we’ve been seeing in bathroom design these days. One of
them is the inclusion of a stand alone bathtub that serves as the focal point of
the bathroom. Our cast iron/porcelain
Pedestal (or Clawfoot) tubs work perfectly in this capacity. Another trend is
the move to neutral colors such as white, bone, beige, sand, etc.
One of our delighted customers, Janie, decided to embrace
both of these trends when she and her husband remodeled their bathroom. Naturally conversive and camera-friendly,
Janie was happy to share her experience with us. She invited us into her home to film her
standing next to her new pride-and-joy, white Double Slipper Pedestal Tub.
“We were going to
start our remodel of our bathroom,” Janie explains, standing next to her Double
Slipper bathtub. Placed at an angle near a corner of the bathroom, the tub is also partially illuminated by a stained
glass window that has silhouettes of flamingos and a palm tree in the center. Comprised
mostly of blue, turquoise and azure glass, the window subtly illuminates the
bathtub. To the right of the tub is Jamie’s new wood cabinets, stained in a dark
veneer, topped with a beige-colored countertop that complements the white
Double Slipper. The beige walls and
light floor tiles also help give the bathroom an open, spacious ambiance. Interestingly, the bathroom sports a multi-circular,
almost Zen-like wrought iron chandelier, its dark metallic color also complements
the dark wood of the cabinetry and accents of the floor tile.
Janie spent some time investigating different decorating
trends before deciding on the look she wanted to create in her bathroom. “I did
some research with some magazines, home TV shows and things like that … a lot
of looking at different bathtubs, cabinetry, tiles, countertops, sinks, and all
that kind of stuff, just to see what I really wanted to do.”
Looking at the video, you can see Janie has a natural aesthetic sense of design and color. Notice her outfit. Dark coral top. White pants. Now look closely as the camera pans around
the bathroom. Dark coral towels. White
bathtub. Dark coral glassware. White door and window frames.
After considering several different types of bathtubs, Janie
eventually decided to go with a Pedestal tub. This cast iron/porcelain tub design continues
to gain popularity as homeowners look for stand alone-type tubs. “That’s when I went online and found Tub
King. So I thought, ‘Well, let me just look at this little video.’ This guy,
Alan Knight, who is the president of the company, was on the video. And he seemed so genuine, down-to-earth … just
your regular sort of guy. So I thought, ‘Hmmm, this looks good.’”
Janie, impressed with Tub King’s extensive inventory of
bathtubs and accessories, called to consult with Alan and Kerry Knight, the owners of Tub King. After talking with them, she chose a Double Slipper tub with center-mounted, chrome handheld shower wand and faucet handles.
Janie says she
couldn’t be happier with her purchase. “Everything about my experience with Tub
King has just been very easy and natural. They came through with everything
that they said they would do.” This is one of the many reasons why Tub King has been entered into the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hall of
Fame.
“As far as helping me get the fixtures, they were especially
helpful because I needed some different handles on the bathtub to help match
the handles on the new sink [we’d installed] because I’d already done a little
of this and little of that in terms of remodeling the bathroom. So they
helped with that. Alan helped me find them.”
However, there was a problem with one of the faucet handles,
Janie discovered. “There was a handle that didn’t work. So I called back in and
Gladys was very helpful. She was just, like, ‘Oh, let me just go look. I’ll see
if we have that.’ She called back and said, “We’ve got it. So they swapped it
out, and there you go. I’ve got it all right here.”
Janie is absolutely delighted with her Double Slipper
Pedestal bathtub. “I love my Tub King tub.”
Janie's Double Slipper Pedestal Tub Testimonial for Tub King
In this article, I shared a testimonial from one of Tub
King’s highly satisfied customers who purchased a Double Slipper Pedestal tub
to complement her bathroom remodeling project. I pointed out some of the
complementary fixture, design and color features of the customer’s newly remodeled bathroom. I also shared why
Tub King is a Business Hall of Fame multi- award-winner in the Jacksonville Chamber
of Commerce.
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. Thanks again for visiting with us.
If you’d like to receive a FREE Clawfoot Tub Buyers’ Guide,
fill out the form below.
If you’d like to receive a FREE Walk-in Tub Buyers’ 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 my brother, Alan, who heads up Tub
King, will personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure sharing this
information with you.
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.
Someone wrote, “If Rosa Parks had
taken a poll before she sat down in that bus, she would still be
standing." A poll is nothing more than
the opinion of a group of people, however it does identify what issues people
hold as being important to them.The
larger the polling number, the greater the evidence of something worthy of
notice.A poll from last year revealed
the public’s favorite bathtub choices.Here
are the top seven:
About a 120 ago, there were quite
a few foundries in the U.S. manufacturing bathtubs.In general, these were known as Clawfoot
tubs. This was because the tubs’ removable legs were in the shape of animal
feet or paws.There were bear claws,
lion claws, and even ostrich claws.The
tubs and legs were made of cast iron.At
the foundries, tubs were overlaid with thick, stylish porcelain. This ceramic substance had a shine and feel
that was extremely popular and remains so today.These particular tubs had a rolled rim that
gave them their second name of “rolled rim” tubs.Today, these tubs are still fashionable.Most of the modern ones, however, have the
faucet holes drilled on the top rim of the tub (to enhance interior space)
instead of inside the tub like the original ones.
This model sits atop a cast iron
skirt or ring instead of legs.It gives
the tub more of a contemporary look, especially for those who find animal legs not
to their liking.There is usually a
cut-out in the rear of the tub for plumbing purposes.The pedestal base can be found on just about
every shape and style of tub created.It
was an alternative that seemed to be favored by the aristocracy throughout the
ages. For example, some of the former kings of Europe and the Middle East had
their tubs mounted on to raised bases.This “royal” preference is in vogue even today for its majestic,
sophisticated look.
# 5:The Dual- or Double-Ended
Unlike the traditional rolled
rim, this tub has a raised slope at each end of the tub.The drain is also centered, instead of being
on the end.This allows a person to sit
on either end of the tub, facing in either direction.It also creates symmetry and balance.If the tub is going to be placed under a
window or painting, this style is perfect.This tub comes with chrome, brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze legs, as
well as the pedestal base.
Imagine a 72- inch tub with a
majestic slope on each end and room for two people … that’s the Double Slipper.It requires that you have enough space in
your bathroom.While it does take up
some additional space in one’s bathroom, it goes a long way in helping to
glamorize the room. Like the Dual-Ended
model above, this design is another one that is perfectly symmetrical.With its ostensibly aristocratic look, it can
become the focal point of any bathroom. Believe
me, once installed, everyone will take notice.This tub is both regal and romantic.One version of the Double Slipper is a hybrid of the Dual-Ended, only
the Double Slipper has a slope that’s not so pronounced on each end.
# 3:The Slight Slipper
This tub is also 72 inches in
length, but the sloped ends of the tub are not as pronounced. Think of this model as being a cross between
the Dual-Ended and Double Slipper. The
poll showed that this was the preferred model over the Double Slipper by a
narrow margin, citing it was a matter of comfort. Participants commented that when reclining, the
back of this tub was more comfortable because it “fit” the body better.
We’ve all seen them with their
high, sloping backs at one end of the tub.The traditional Slipper tub has been in movies (see our previous blogs “Famous
Bathtubs in the Movies,” and “Romantic
Movies That Featured a Porcelain Clawfoot or Pedestal Bathtub Scene,”) and
have also been use throughout history as the baths of royalty.The main reason people love them is their sensuous
look.One writer stated, “they are sexy
and revealing.That’s why the movie
industry loves them so much.”The tub
comes in two different sizes: 57 and 67 inches.
Now, this tub is different than
the aforementioned cast iron, porcelain tubs. It’s built differently, it looks completely different, and it serves different
purposes. The cast iron and porcelain
tubs are predominately focused on style and aesthetics, although they are perfect for soaking in warm
water and relaxing.The more modern
invention of the Walk-in Tub is more utilitarian. It serves two main purposes:
A. It’s designed for those who have trouble
getting into and out of a normal bathtub.This is where its safety features come in.The tub is free standing with six hidden legs
with levelers.It’s a tall 40 inches
from the floor, but the threshold for entering is a mere six inches from the
floor, facilitating safe and easy access in and out of the tub.It has a door that opens to the inside and is
sealed to make it water tight.The floor
and seat are slip-resistant and it comes with an added interior grab bar for
balance and support.Everything about
this tub addresses the issue of safety.No
high lifting of the legs required to get into or out of the tub. All controls
are within easy reach, there is a specially contoured seat for sitting while
bathing, and there support rails for balance and maneuverability.
B. The other function of the Walk-in tub is hydrotherapeutic.The tub can come with air jet hydrotherapy
for treating many physical ailments and water jets for a soothing massage
action.You can also choose the inline
heater, which makes the water stay warm longer for a more relaxing bathing/hydrotherapeutic
experience.
The Walk-in Tub comes in
different sizes to fit each person and the space where it will be placed.The 54-inch length is perfect for those who
need a little extra room inside the tub (its width is 30 inches).The 48-inch model is perfect for smaller
frames, and fits easier into smaller sized bathrooms.
While the Walk-in Tub may not be
as pleasing to the eye as the Slipper Tub, it definitely is a crowd
favorite.The poll made it the number
one choice of bathtubs in 2014.
In this article, I shared the
poll results and described the most popular bathtubs of 2014. These included the Roll Top, Pedestal Dual-Ended,
Double Slipper, Slight Slipper, Slipper, and Walk-in tubs.
Customer Testimonial for Cast Iron, Porcelain Pedestal Tub
If you found this article
interesting, please share and forward it to friends and family. If you’d like
to leave a comment or question, please do so in the Comments section
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 my pleasure to share this information
with you.
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) 409-3375, (800)843-4231 or
email alan@tubking.com.
No king, either in secular
history or biblical history, has ever surpassed the cruel reputation of Herod
the Great. He was appointed by Augustus
Caesar to reign over the Jews in the ancient land of Judea, and did so for over
30 years, finally dying in the year 4 B.C.
King Herod, with his megalomania,
building obsession, and cruelty, was a notorious villain and remains so
today.During his life, he was so
worried about being deposed, he had his own wife and three children executed
for expected treason.We’ve all heard or
read in the Bible of the evil king that decreed the death of all male children,
two years or younger, because he feared the rise of the King of the Jews.According to the Bible, Mary and Joseph fled
to Egypt to avoid the king’s edict.
My wife and I have had the
privilege of journeying to Israel and Egypt several years ago.One of the points of great interest was the
Herodium.This was the location of King Herod’s
principal palace, located on a mountain top just a short distance from
Jerusalem.This was also to become his
burial place.
Aside from his nefarious deeds,
another significant aspect of Herod’s legacy is, without question, structural
in nature.Few of his undertakings were
modest.This is true in terms of size
(his physical constructions were among the largest in the world at the time),
architecture (Herod’s reign introduced innovations in fortification,
build-quality, shape, and use), and sheer number of projects.He was responsible for erecting many palaces,
fortresses in Jericho, Masada, Herodium, and Jerusalem; aqueducts in Jerusalem,
Herzilya, Masada, and elsewhere; the port and town of Caesarea (including the Hippodrome,
theater, and temple); and the unprecedented renovation of the Second
Temple.Building things was how Herod
earned the title of “Great.”
The renewed Israel Museum now
houses many of the artifacts of Herod the Great’s empire taken from Herodium. In 2013, the museum produced Herod’s Edifice
Complex for the public to see.The press
title for the museum’s new and very shiny exhibit was, “Herod the Great: The
King’s Final Journey.”
One of the priceless pieces taken
from Herodium and representing Herod’s standards for the very best in structure
was his ornate “bathtub,” made of alabaster stone. Back then, it was the stone of art par excellence.Named after an Egyptian town where the stone
was mined, it’s characterized by the crystal size (less than .05 millimeters)
disposed in an intimate framework that confers alabaster’s translucency and
compactness.The first of these
qualities provides alabaster with its characteristic beauty, the second, combined
with gypsum’s low hardness, makes it extremely valuable and desired.
Today, Herod’s ponderous bathtub
is perched on an original geometric floor.It must have been some feat to lug that hunk of stone to the museum
floor.
The self-centered king lived
large.Inscribed jugs that once held
imported wines especially for the king, perfume bottles that once held rare
scents, and containers of pricey balsam oil, all speak to the opulence that
surrounded Herod.
Today, tubs of incredible beauty can still
be found.Maybe not as heavy or rare as
King Herod’s, but the look of these tubs draws immediate praise and establishes
a note of opulence.They are made of
cast iron, and overlaid with rich, creamy-white porcelain.Porcelain is made from the glass family and
is literally sprayed over the cast iron at temperatures reaching 2,000°F. The
porcelain can be broken, but with great difficulty.It's hardened to last a lifetime and beyond.
These porcelain tubs fall into two
categories:
Unfortunately, the porcelain tubs
that were manufactured in the U.S. a hundred years ago have almost
disappeared.You don’t have to be an
archaeologist to discover them, but you do have to search.They’re often found in pastures used as
watering troughs, or as a huge flower pot.Too often, they’re just left outside to rust and weather.If you’re fortunate enough to find one of
these, they’re usually in poor condition.Many of these old tubs date back to the early 1900s.They sometimes will have porcelain missing or
have significant chips that require painstaking repair.Also, one or more of the cast iron legs have
probably been lost or broken.Quite of
few of the old tubs were thrown out when fiberglass became popular and have had
to endure the weather for many years.The heat, cold, and abuse can make them seem worthless, although some
companies specialize in restoring them.They spray a new finish on the tubs and they can become quite
attractive.
Since foundries are no longer manufacturing
these cast iron and porcelain tubs in the U.S., buyers have had to go to
dealers who import them from foreign countries where they’re still made.These are reproductions of the antique ones,
but you gain the advantage of newly cast tubs.The porcelain is brand new, with the shine and smooth texture of ceramic.You can find these tubs in attractive and
useful designs, such as Roll-rimmed, Slipper, Double Slipper, Dual-ended, and Pedestals.These tubs can make any bathroom look like
one belonging to royalty.These
beautiful soaking tubs are purchased by those who want their home to look like
a palace, without having to pay a king’s ransom to purchase them.
The pedestal tubs sit on a skirt or apron
that raises the tub an additional six to eight inches off the floor, making it
a true centerpiece of excellence.The clawfoot-legged
tubs sit upon the feet of designs emulating the feet of animals such as the
eagle, bear, and lion.The legs are made
of chrome, brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze.If you’re looking for something to really
make your bathroom stand out, you needn’t look any further than today’s elegant
cast iron and porcelain tubs.
In this article, I discussed many
of the structures that the King Herod the Great had constructed in his ancient kingdom
in Israel and Egypt. In particular, I
highlighted his ornate, large bathtub. I then went on to point out that today,
people can still have a taste of regal opulence by installing a cast iron,
porcelain clawfoot bathtub in their homes.
If you found this article
interesting, please share and forward. If you’d like to leave a comment or
question, please do so in the Comments section 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 my pleasure to share this information with you.
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) 409-3375, (800)843-4231 or
email alan@tubking.com.
