Simply ask them one question..."Can you show me anything more affordable."

Or do a little more work on your own behalf.

V&A tubs are in the $2k to $3k range. If that's all they are offering tub-wise, then they might be looking at freestanding tub filler/plumbing in the absurdly expensive range, $3k to $5k. Add on a tub overflow/drain assembly for another $300-$500.

While most overflow/drain assemblies in a nice metal finish can still hit $200-$300, you can shave the other two items down quite nicely. Tub prices can be anywhere but there are nice ones for $800-$1000, the fancy/frilly looking plumbing can be had for $500 give or take.

It depends on your aesthetic, the depth of your pocketbook, and if you're willing to stand up for what you want instead of accepting what they are handing you.

Mongo's so right. Let your fingers do the walking - there are a zillion websites selling tubs and hardware. You can spend a mint on the hardware, but careful planning will save you lots of money. V & A are midrange, there are tons of cheaper ones.

For example, the spouts running from the floor are crazy expensive, the cheapest we found was $750. If you can arrange the tub to work with a wall-mounted faucet you'll be in much better shape. Little things like that make a huge difference.

nini

I totally agree w/mongo (then again, I always do!)

don't limit your choices to what others give you - Make your own choices that suit your budget & needs.

Link below to free standing tubs -

I would go with a cast iron or the likes as acrylics don't hold heat & w/free standing style you don't have the option of insulating.

good luck

Here is a link that might be useful: free standing tubs

Do a "claw foot tub" search on Craigslist. You can frequently find many listed there, refurbished and under $1000.

Thanks so very much, y'all!! It is good to know that it can be done for less...I was starting to think I was going crazy. Now I will come back with some less expensive options after I do more research. I think my problem is that I just don't know that much about plumbing at all and my husband has been traveling so much for work and just doesn't have time to help me with all the house stuff. I really appreciate your advice! :)

nini804, a couple of years ago I finished off a bath where the owners had the same design idea as you. They bought all the materials through Signature Hardware, both the tub and plumbing. The quality seemed pretty good, no issues. All of the photos I've linked to below are random ones from SH. I'm not pushing Signature, just using it to show you what's out there.

As a baseline, you'll obviously need a freestanding tub.

After that you'll need a tub drain and overflow mechanism, like this:

{{gwi:1400714}}

As for the tub fill plumbing, you essentially have two versions; one version gets mounted on holes drilled into the rim of the tub:

{{gwi:1400715}}

...and the other version has the "freestanding plumbing" coming through the floor next to the tub:

{{gwi:1400716}}

One thing I do recommend is that with the tub plumbing, get a setup that has hot and cold water supply shutoff valves on the hot and cold risers:

{{gwi:1400718}}

Good luck with your shopping.

Have you looked at vintagetub.com? I seem to recall that their prices were pretty reasonable. We went with a V&A tub that I ordered from qualitybath.com. My freestanding tub filler was a Barclay. When all was said and done it wasn't cheap. However, compared to a lot of the other tubs I looked at, it seemed like a bargain :)

I'm sure you'll find something to suit your needs at a price that you're comfortable with. You may just have to do a bit of research. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: sweet chaos

I'll double the suggestion for vintage tub.

I ended up going with a Cheviot freestanding tub and purchased throught Vintage tub. I had some very, very tight clearances thanks to our architect (grrrr)... so I had to have Cheviot hand pick our bathtub to ensure the dern thing would fit into the alcove.

Anyways, Vintage Tub was right there the whole process to ensure all was good. And it was! Love the tub and have used them since for a sink. Class A+ outfit. As I recall prices were right in line with other places we had researched.

Best of luck!

I'm currently going through this as we speak. I've got a freestanding airjet tub and my contractor is telling me there is no way he can connect the drain and air line without access beneath the floor. That means cutting a hole in the ceiling of the room below--another $2-300 for drywall repair and ceiling painting. And I've been all over the net looking for a freestanding tub faucet under $1000. There's definitely plenty out there. Here's one I found for $550 from overstock.com Not crazy about it but for the price, might do.

Here is a link that might be useful: Concord Freestanding Rub Filler

I hope you don't mind if I ask a question or two here. I started a thread about this issue, but found many of my answers right here...

If the freestanding filler/drain is installed before the flooring is put in, does that make it less expensive?

Is the installation a concern of whether the piles are in the floor or in the wall before beginning?

Signature Hardware has a nice showroom in Kentucky and they will pull any tub in stock out for you to sit in. I imagine they could field some of your q's on plumbing, etc.

I got my freestanding tub from Van Dyke's Restorers. I'm happy with it. It wasn't the cheapest but I couldn't find any bad reviews of the seller (unlike some of the other sellers of the cheaper tubs).

I bought the faucets from The Faucet Doctor on ebay. There were a couple of problem with the faucet but the seller took care of them right away. First they shipped brass and I needed chrome. I wasn't in a big hurry then and he shipped the correct one regular shipping. Then the plumber was installing the faucet and there were wrong parts in the box. The seller shipped overnight the correct part at no extra shipping charge.

My plumbing is wall mounted. Below is a link to a photo of my tub if you want to see it.

Here is a link that might be useful: photo of tub from Van Dyke's Restorers

"If the freestanding filler/drain is installed before the flooring is put in, does that make it less expensive?"

As to one being more expensive than another, it depends on what "it" is that you're referring to...the installation of the filler? The installation of the finish flooring? I'm a little confused but I'll take a broad stab at the question anyways...

I prefer to do finish flooring after the rough plumbing is in, then do the finish plumbing after the finish flooring is in.

A plumber will want to do the rough plumbing before the finish flooring goes down, that way he can hack up the subfloor as needed. But once the rough plumbing is in he won't care if the finish plumbing goes in before or after the finish flooring goes down. He might scratch his head as to why he's doing finish plumbing before the finish floor is down, but he won't care, and his cost should be the same.

The guy doing the flooring will want to install the finish flooring after the rough plumbing is in but before the finish plumbing goes in. It's a lot easier to tile or install strip flooring around or over stubbed out rough pipes than around convoluted finish plumbing like those freestanding units. With these freestanding fillers, if using large tiles or wide planks they might have to be cut up and pieced in around the finish plumbing risers instead of drilling holes in the finish flooring and dropping them in over the rough stubbed out plumbing.

It can also depend on the style of freestanding filler. Some can be taken apart and broken down after installation so just the risers are sticking out of the floor. Others are as they are and can't be dissembled, paperclip bends and all.

Is the installation a concern of whether the piles are in the floor or in the wall before beginning? "

Is "piles" supposed to be "pipes"? If so, then definitely. The rough plumbing supply has to be located depending on what type of filler you are going to use. If the plumbing is in and you change your mind, the rough plumbing supply can be relocated. Sometimes easily, sometimes not so easily.

The drain could be another issue, as there are limits to branch length and pitch-to-drainage considerations. And with it being underneath the subfloor, access could be an issue.

Regardless, for the plumber to plumb, it'd be easiest for him if you have the tub specs, the filler specs, and the drain specs, as well as a proposed tub, filler, and drain location on hand for him so he can properly site the rough-in.

Typically the plumber will do the rough plumbing. Then the flooring will be installed. Then the tub will be set in place and the finish plumbing completed.

Your questions were a little confusing to me, so I tried to answer in a somewhat broad manner.

I thought I saw a nice slipper tub at Lowe's, but it's been a few months since I was there.

Here's a pretty picture of a tub (although a bit over the top) but with one set of curtains and one overhead chandelier, it would be pretty in an old fashioned/elegant bath :)

{{gwi:618189}}

Thanks Mongcot - you did indeed answer my questions and prove again that I should never try to type while holding my grandson.

The order of operations for installing a free standing tub with freestanding faucet: rough plumbing, flooring, finished plumbing. Having all of the necessary parts and specifications for each on hand BEFORE the job begins is imperative.

I'm also getting the idea that this could well be an instance in which pipes need to be moved so there will be an extra expense for that because the actual location of the pipes is dependent on the individual bathroom.

Thank you - I see a little light of understanding at the end of my bathroom tunnel.

i know. my dh almost fell over when he saw the bill for ours. i would have bought a soaking tub but dh wanted an air tub. specialty hardware seems very well priced so you might want to check with them.

tubs:
http://www.signaturehardware.com/type55

tub faucets -they have floor and deck mounted in all finishes:
http://www.signaturehardware.com/type56

Thanks Kate - do you mind posting a link or pictures of your bathroom?

Sundownr:

Your bathroom is exquisite. It should be on the cover of a magazine. Love the black ceiling and the painted walls, how are they done? What a perfect room. Thank you for linking your picture.

sorry, i don't have updated pics yet. i'll try and get to it though.

Thank you, cupofkindness! "how are they done?" - I'm not sure what you are asking. The ceiling is "Black Magic" SW6991 and the walls were a custom gray color I got from my neighbor. (I probably have the numbers on the can if you want them.) The ceilings are 9' and the crown molding is dropped about a foot from the ceiling with rope lighting behind it. If you would like more info just let me know and I'll help if I can.

I plan to purchase a freestanding tub. It will be placed at a 45 degree angle in a corner of the bathroom. In that corner behind the tub will be a cabinet (triangle shaped). I would like to mount the tub filler on the "wall" of the cabinet with storage above. I am not sure what to purchase. Do they make tub fillers specifically for this application? The spout would have to be long enough to reach into the tub and I would want faster flow than a sink filler.

10 inch tub filler. Wall mount.

We just redid our master bathroom and tore out the old jacuzzi tub and all that decking. We never used the jacuzzi tub ever. Best thing we did in there. I hope you will stick to your guns and not go with the built in. I love the extra floor space I have now and not worrying about those jets and the mildew in them. I know that Lowe's has a line of tubs that the faucet comes included and they were about the same as I paid just for my Victoria + Albert tub. I got a lower priced freestanding faucet from Ferguson's and it seems to be doing fine. At first I wanted a modern one but it was going to be at least $2000 or more. Deal breaker. The one I found was more like $700 and included all of the pipes etc. It's a real shock shopping for these things, I feel your pain. I was so over budget and am still working on the bathroom trying to pay as I go. I thought I could do this for about 15K and am up to about 22K so far...without getting new cabinets . I got my sink faucets from Signature Hardware and have visited their showroom. They are very nice people their stuff is all imports but they do seem to be willing to work with you. My husband had some issues when installing their faucets but he is an engineer and was able to go to his workshop and fix it to our plumbing needs. On the other hand everything in plumbing seems to be an import so we are at the mercy of this anyway.

We avoided the huge cost of a freestanding faucet for our tub by building a decorative mount behind the tub. We were then able to use a regular deck mounted faucet. The decorative box is tiled with our accent tile and really adds a nice touch.

Alju05, can you post a pic of your installation? I would love to see it. I am planning a remodel of our old bath.

we gave up on the freestanding tub because of the cost, we are going to have the contractor build a tub surround and get a drop-in tub. It's a shame that it costs an arm and a leg to buy everything you need for a freestanding tub, my husband had his heart set on one, but it would break our budget

Something like this?

{{gwi:1400719}}

Has anybody had any experience with sunrise specialty or sign of the crab? Are they both a good brand for a cast iron clawfoot tub?

Perhaps you can design a ledge or a niche to houzz the tub filler. (Pardon the pun).

Freestanding bath fixtures come with a pretty penny and many need to be roughed in prior to framing the floor or pouring concrete.

Edgemont Village (North Vancouver) · More Info

For this job I built out the entire wall 5.5" and designed the plumbing to fit into the tub's niche. The tub is Kohler Cast iron free standing model.

That looks great