How Long Does a Walk In Tub Take to Install? The Real Timeline From Quote to Install Day
The installation itself is one day. The whole project, from your first call to the bather's first soak, usually takes two to five weeks, and most of that is the tub traveling from the factory to your door. Here is every stage with realistic times, the things that stretch them, and how to compress the schedule when someone is coming home from the hospital.
Accredited since 2012★ 4.9 Google (35 reviews)In business since 2012No in-home sales visitBy Zach Wennstedt, owner of Aging Safely Baths. Selling and installing walk in tubs and roll in showers in all 50 states since 2012; formerly sales manager for multi-million-dollar plumbing and national remodeling companies. Published October 23, 2026. Not legal, medical, tax or benefits advice; rules change, so confirm with the agency or professional named.
How long, start to finish?
Plan on two to five weeks from the first call to a finished walk in tub or roll in shower. The quote takes one to two business days from photos, in-stock tubs ship within about a week and cross the country in another week, and the crew installs in a single working day. Custom sizes, special-order colors, permits in slow jurisdictions and grant paperwork are what push a project past five weeks.
What speeds it up
- Photos and measurements on the first call
- An in-stock model in a standard size
- Paying by card or check rather than waiting on a grant
- Clearing the bathroom and the path to it before install day
- Saying yes to the first install date offered
The timeline
| Stage | What happens | Typical time | What stretches it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. First call | We ask about the bather, the bathroom and the budget; you send photos and three measurements | 20 minutes | Nothing; we do this seven days a week |
| 2. Written itemized quote | Model, size, door side, options, removal, plumbing, electrical and labor on one page | 1 to 2 business days | Custom sizes, tile removal, moving a drain |
| 3. Decision and deposit | You compare, ask questions, sign and pay the deposit | Your pace | Waiting on a grant or waiver approval (weeks to months) |
| 4. Factory and freight | In-stock tubs leave the factory within about a week and travel one to two weeks by freight | 1 to 3 weeks | Special-order colors, two-seat and bariatric models, holiday shipping |
| 5. Permit | Plumbing permit, electrical permit if a new circuit is needed; our crews pull them where required | Days to 2 weeks | Jurisdictions that require plan review |
| 6. Delivery and inspection | Curbside or garage delivery; the crate is opened and the tub checked before the crew is scheduled | Same day as delivery | Freight damage (rare; we reorder at no cost to you) |
| 7. Install day | Old tub out, new tub set, plumbed, wired, filled and tested, walls trimmed, cleanup | 1 day (two days with tile removal or a moved drain) | Rot under the old tub, galvanized pipe, a water heater that needs upgrading |
| 8. Inspection and first use | Inspector signs off where a permit was pulled; the bather is walked through the door, the fill and the drain | 1 to 7 days after install | Inspector scheduling |
These are planning ranges from our own installs, not promises; your quote states the lead time for the exact model you choose.
Coming home from the hospital?
Tell us on the first call. We can quote the same day from photos, pick an in-stock model, and schedule the crew for the day the tub lands. Two weeks is achievable for a standard 30 x 52 or 60 x 30 unit when the bathroom is a straight swap. In the meantime, a shower chair and a handheld shower cover the first days; the four tiers of seated bathing explains what to buy today. Supply-only customers with their own plumber can shave the crew scheduling step entirely; see supply-only walk in tubs.
Waiting on a grant?
The VA HISA grant and state Medicaid waivers add their own clock: weeks for HISA, often two to four months for a waiver, because the agency approves before we order. Our itemized quote is the document they ask for, and we hold the price while it moves. Nothing ships until the approval is in hand, so the two-to-five-week project clock starts the day it arrives.
What install day looks like
A two-person factory-certified crew arrives in the morning, protects the floors, disconnects and removes the old tub and surround, sets and levels the new tub, connects the drain, supply lines and the heater or pump circuit, fills the tub to test the door seal and every jet, trims the walls, and walks the bather through using it. Most homes are done by late afternoon. The installation day guide has the hour-by-hour version, and one-day installation explains what the crew is certified to do.
Roll in showers run the same clock
A tub to shower conversion follows the same eight stages. Bestbath pans and wall systems in standard 60 x 30 to 60 x 36 sizes are usually in stock; the install is one day, or two when tile comes off or the drain moves for a barrier-free pan. Our roll in shower guide lists sizes and the walk in tub cost page lists what the written price includes.
Sources
- Aging Safely Baths, one-day installation and factory-certified installers (our own process pages)
- VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, HISA grant
Checked October 23, 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a qualified professional before you rely on them.
Walk In Tub Timeline FAQ
How long does it take to install a walk in tub?
The installation itself takes one working day for a standard alcove swap, two days if tile comes off, a drain moves or the floor needs repair. The whole project from first call to finished bathroom usually takes two to five weeks.
How long does a walk in tub take to ship?
In-stock models leave the factory within about a week and travel one to two weeks by freight to your door. Special-order colors, two-seat and bariatric tubs take longer; the quote states the lead time for your model.
Can a walk in tub be installed in a week?
Sometimes, for a standard in-stock model with photos on the first call and no permit delay. Two weeks is a realistic fast track; tell us about a hospital discharge date and we plan around it.
Do I need a permit for a walk in tub?
Most cities require a plumbing permit for a tub replacement and an electrical permit when a new circuit is added for a heater or pump. Where required, our crews pull them; some jurisdictions add days for review.
What can delay a walk in tub installation?
Grant or waiver approvals, custom sizes and colors, freight damage, rot or old galvanized pipe found under the old tub, a water heater that needs upgrading, and inspector scheduling.
How long does a tub to shower conversion take?
Also one day on site for a standard 60-inch alcove, two with tile removal or a moved drain, and the same two-to-five-week project timeline from the first call.
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