Claw Footed Tub

When we realized we were going to have to give our master bathroom so much attention, and renovate it completely, I immediately thought I wanted to replace the disgusting existing jetted tub with a claw-footed tub.  I felt this way for three reasons: 1) It would open up the bathroom more by not requiring so much space and 2) Claw-footed tubs are less expensive than jetted or soaking tubs and 3) Since I was so overwhelmed by the new project, I felt it would just make things easier to be able to drop the new tub where we needed it in the bathroom since it is freestanding.  While I do feel the new tub is going to open up the bathroom a tremendous amount, it has become the biggest obstacle in the entire bathroom project!

After shopping for several weeks, it took 2 additional weeks for me to actually pull the trigger and purchase the tub.  I realize now that with tubs that sit in enclosures, you can figure out anything on the back end and just hide elbows in pipes and things of that nature behind the tiling.  However, with a freestanding tub, everything has to be precise to the tiniest fraction of an inch because everything is exposed and has to come straight up out of the foundation.  So much for my "we will just drop it where we need it" theory!  The decision on which tub to purchase was greatly narrowed down simply by where our existing valves and drain lines are and how much play we have in relocating them!

Finally, I decided on a dual rimmed, simple, white-coated, cast iron tub.  It was so cheap I could have wet my pants I was so proud of myself!  However, I was quickly brought back down when I was quoted pricing for the decorative exposed pipes and trim that were as expensive as the tub itself!  While I was saving a great deal of money on the tub, this added stuff multiplied the price!  So, this girl found a sale over Labor Day weekend!  Long story short, I got the tub and all the fixins' for the price I wanted after a drawn out headache of a learning process.

Last night, this was delivered to the house....

This morning we opened the crate...

To reveal this....

Which was so heavy (the packing slip said 477 pounds to be exact) it took stopping a few times throughout all of the steps up and down in our house.....

In order to get it all the way to the master bathroom....

And, finally to its new home....

What does such ridiculously expensive plumbing look like, you ask??  A little something like this....

I am one happy girl who can't wait to soak in her new tub with a glass of wine :o)