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.
You
might have noticed that there are quite a few celebrity homes on the market as
of late. While celebrity tastes may vary,
one thing is for sure: their homes are
all over-the-top gorgeous, which makes them eminently resellable. While the number of bedrooms and baths vary
from property to property, these are homes that the rest of us mere mortals can
only admire from a distance. Let's look
at a few:
Jimmy
Kimmel is a very successful comedian who has excellent taste in decorating a
bathroom. The late-night talk show celeb
purchased a restored 1947 home in the Hollywood Hills a few years ago with then
partner Sarah Silverman. The five-bedroom, five-bath home features an awesome master bath with a spa shower on a
raised teak platform and a spectacular soaking tub that is both long and wide. The home is for sale at the price of $2,299
million.
Check out the Slipper and Double Slipper tubs
Actress
Renee Zellweger's 1770s Connecticut farm house is low-key, but extremely
tasteful. It was a very tasteful
restoration with attention to detail that preserved many of the original
features. The wide wood-plank flooring
runs seamlessly throughout the historic home.
It features a vintage vanity and a cast iron and porcelain claw foot
tub. Renee is selling this country
charmer for a paltry $1.6 million.
No
expense was spared when Celine Dion and her husband built their prestigious
home in Jupiter, Florida back in 2010.
The home is massive and sits along one of the longest private beaches in
the state. This palace offers 16
bedrooms and a master bath that features a vaulted ceiling, along with a huge
free-standing tub that overlooks the ocean.
The property comes with its own waterpark and man-made beach, if you
should grow tired of viewing the original one.
The home was originally on the market for $75 million, but can now be
had for a more affordable $62.5 million.
Lots of film companies use our tubs in their movies
Super
model Christie Brinkley has a tropical retreat that sits on 200 feet of
beachfront in the exclusive Parrot Cay Resort.
Like the rest of the house, the master bedroom and master bath sit in
their own detached pavilion just steps away from the sand. In the master bath, there is a traditional
rolled rim porcelain tub with claw feet painted white just like the tub. She decided to place the faucet on a
free-standing water line support made of brushed nickel that is centered on the
side of the tub. The home originally was
listed for $10.75 million, but can be had for "just" $9 million.
Kim
Kardashian and her husband sank $20 million on a new estate in California
Hills, but then saw another property closer to family came on the market they
bought it, and moved there instead. The
8,000 square foot home built in 2012 features his and hers master baths. The master bath features a crystal chandelier
and marble floor. It also contains an
elegant dual ended pedestal porcelain tub with chrome fixtures.
Pop
superstar, Adam Levine, opted for a more streamlined look in a remodeled
1940s-era ranch-style home. The master
bath features marble walls and floor along with a vintage Clawfoot tub with
black exterior and oiled-rubbed bronze feet.
The
Manhattan townhouse Brooke Shields shares with her husband and children has a
formal design that complements the home's original architectural details.
Renovated in collaboration with designer David Flint Wood, the master bath
includes a black exterior Double Slipper tub with brushed nickel faucet and shower
wand. The tub was centered under a large
window for effect. The bath also
features a custom-designed vanity by MADE and a mosaic tile floor by Walker
Zanger.
If
you’ll notice, the one common thread that runs through each and every celebrity
bathroom is the choice of bathtub. They choose
high-profile tubs that make a statement.
Many fashion-minded and design- conscious people have discovered that the
bathtub itself can really make or break the bathroom. While not everyone has a celebrity’s buying
power, believe it or not, it doesn't take a million dollar bankroll to afford a
spectacular bathtub.
For
more rustically designed bathrooms, a traditional Rolled top tub can make a
statement without breaking the bank. It
brings back the look and feel of the early to mid-twentieth century. This tub can be purchased today, newly cast
with porcelain interior and cast iron exterior.
Exterior colors are limitless and the legs can be purchased with a
finish of chrome, brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze or limitless colors. The rolled rim version comes in lengths of 48
inches, 54 inches, 60 inches or 66 inches.
And they are affordably priced under a thousand dollars.
Another
popular tub that we mentioned earlier was the dual ended tub. It has a gentle slope on each end of the tub
with a center drain and center faucet holes.
It offers perfect balance and comes with either legs in many finishes or
a pedestal base.
The
Double Slipper tub is a real eye-catcher.
With the high back on each end of the tub, it speaks of a more glamorous
era. The sexy lines of the tub make it
one of the most popular. It is easily
designed for two people, in that it is over 72 inches long.
Customer testimonial on one of our Double Slipper Pedestal tubs
You
might not be financially able to purchase one of the celebrity homes that we
mentioned, unless you have a few million dollars lying around, but you can afford to
decorate your bathroom to look like it’s worth a million bucks. It all starts
with the bathtub.
In
this article, I talked about the how many celebrities’ home have something in
common. They all have beautiful porcelain, cast iron Clawfoot or Pedestal tubs
in their bathrooms. Many have the beautiful Slipper tub or the elegant Double
Slipper models. Usually their porcelain tub are
larger, 66 to 72 inch in length, and some allow for two bathers at once. Many of
these tubs are very affordable starting under $1,000.
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.
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.
Items of beauty, works of art and yes, elegant bathtubs need
to be shown off. We put movie star on pedestals to show them off, why wouldn’t
we do the same for a functional work of art like a beautiful slipper tub.
We recently had a couple in our showroom who were
shopping for a claw foot tub. They
didn't want just any tub. They wanted
something that was unique and special, something you don't find just every
day. After looking at our
"footed" tubs they announced that they just weren't happy with the
idea of a tub resting on the legs of some animal. The chrome, brushed nickel and oil rubbed
bronze legs that we carry often display the image of an eagle's claw, and bear
claw or an emperor's headdress. Not
everyone is drawn to that style. So this couple asked if there was something
else they could see.
That's when I
introduced the Pedestal Tub. Many of our
claw-footed tubs come with the option of being on a pedestal. Some call it a skirt or a ring, but most just
refer to it as a Pedestal Base. Most
remark that it makes the tub look more contemporary, more modern.
But it also makes it look even more elegant. Just after the turn of the twentieth century,
the pedestal tub became the tub of choice for the elite, sophisticated, and
wealthy. During the roaring twenties, it
was a popular item at parties and new-worthy events. I remember reading about a party during
prohibition. There was gunfire as the
Revenuers came in with guns blazing. One
guy jumped in the cast iron tub filled with gin. He survived but was very tipsy when he came
up.
Check out this video on double slipper tubs
There is a big event-taking place in our city where the
theme is a throwback to the roaring twenties.
A couple of reps for this project came by our showroom recently and
RENTED one of our pedestal tub for the event.
They said this was going to be the centerpiece for the entire event.
The cast iron and porcelain tubs that we offer with the
pedestal base instead of legs would include:
The Dual Ended in sizes of 60, 66 inches and 75 inch
lengths.
The Slipper Tub in sizes of 61 and 67 inch lengths.
The Traditional Roll Tub in sizes of 61 and 66 inch
lengths.
The Double Slipper Tub in the 72 inch length.
The Slight Slipper Tub in the 72 inch length.
Double Slipper Pedestal Tub
The pedestal tubs will typically weigh around 100 pounds
more than the footed tubs due to the massive skirt. Make sure to check the support capacity of
your floor when considering it, although for the majority of homes, this weight
will not be a problem. The tub will set
up slightly taller, so the step over may be a little more than the footed tubs,
but again, it's not prohibitive.
The pedestal tub is definitely in a league of its
own. When considering your purchase of a
claw-footed tub, you might want to give it a look.
In this article, I have discussed how claw-footed tubs
can be purchase with a pedestal instead of the traditional claw feet. Adding a
pedestal totally changes the appearance from a more Victorian look to that of a
modern or contemporary bathtub. A pedestal roll or slipper tub provides that
modern look that may desire and it’s a great addition to most of our claw-foot
tubs.
Customer Testimonial
If you found this article useful, please share it with
your 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, click here. Have a question? Feel free
to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and I
will personally get back to you. It has been my pleasure sharing this
information with you. Thanks again for visiting with us.
Until next time.
Alan and Kerry Knight are the owners of Tub
King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville,
Florida. Together they have many years of experience in the antique and
senior bathtub industries. Their companies not only provide superior products,
they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award”
three years running. If you would like to contact them, call (800) 409-3375 or
(800) 843-4231; or email them at alan@tubking.com
I remember a joke from the past. "My wife takes milk bathes." "Is it pasteurized?" "No, just up to her chin."
We have a number of customers who prefer to take a
bath in the deepest tub possible. Most
of the older, antique cast iron/porcelain tubs had 18 inches of total depth,
from the inside bottom of the tub, to the top rim or roll top. However, they were limited by an overflow to
about 11 inches of depth. From the
sloped side of the tub, if you slide
down into the water a bit, that's still enough to cover most of the body.
Check out this short video of the Deep Soaker.
Today, the tubs are even deeper. The newly manufactured cast iron/porcelain tubs are typically 13
inches at the overflow. However, there
is one model that we carry that is 18 inches to the overflow and a total depth
of 22 inches. First of all, it is dual
ended, which means there is a gradual slope on each end of the tub making it
perfectly symmetrical. The faucet holes are
in the center of the of the rim of the tub and the drain is also center plumed. Each of the majestic legs, called Emperor
Legs, weigh about 20 pounds each and are available in chrome, brushed nickel,
oil rubbed bronze finish, or a color choice.
The tub is an expressive 73 inches long and 30 inches wide. From the floor to the top of the rolled rim,
it stands 29 inches high. This tub is
called the EXTRA DEEP DUAL ENDED.
Sometimes we have customers that are a little larger
than average, and they need a tub to fit their body size. When someone saw our EXTRA DEEP DUAL ENDED
tub at a Home and Patio Show, they immediately fell in love with it. This was the size they had been looking for.
This tub allows you to really stretch out. The water will cover the entire body, and the
comfort level will always provide the temptation to fall asleep. Sometimes we get calls that are nothing less
than "unusual." One particular
caller wanted a tub where she could completely stretch out in the bottom of the
tub. That's right. She actually wanted to lie flat in the bottom
of the tub! I said, "Won't you
drown?" She didn't think that was
funny, but I thought it was a perfectly legitimate question. The flat bottom of the EXTRA DEEP DUAL ENDED
TUB is 54 inches. That is extremely long
for any tub. But the woman was 66 inches
tall. I told her that by reclining on
the inside slope of the tub, she could get the water as high as she
wanted. I never convinced her, but it
was a conversation I'll never forget.
Extra Deep soaker claw foot tub.
Not only is this tub a soothing solution to an
aching body, it is also an object of real beauty. The porcelain looks rich and the cast iron
exterior looks like it could last a
thousand years. The only down side is
that the tub is heavy, 450 pounds, but it will still be around when we're gone.
If you are looking for the ideal porcelain and cast
iron tub that is long, wide, and deep, the EXTRA DEEP DUAL ENDED is the one for
you.
In this article I have provided a solution for
people looking for an extra long and deep claw foot tub. The claw foot tub in
this article is 54 inches long and 22 inches deep, big enough to allow most
people to fully submersion and enjoy a soothing bath in this elegant tub.
If you found this article useful, please share it
with your 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, click here. Have a question? Feel free
to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and I
will personally get back to you. It has been my pleasure sharing this
information with you. Thanks again for visiting with us.
Until next time.
Alan and Kerry Knight are the owners of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville,
Florida. Together they have many years of experience in the antique
and senior bathtub industries. Their companies not only provide superior
products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville
Chamber Award” three years running. If you would like to contact them,
call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or email them at alan@tubking.com or kerry@tubking.com.
