I used a 60x32 20"h tub with fairly thin sidewalls for a recent remodel, and though it's a bit more of a step into it, I don't find it that much more difficult than with shorter tubs (i'm 5'8"). It's easily worth it to have a deeper tub IMO, and it's good for showering too because the floor is wider, longer, and flatter than in most 5' tubs. I wouldn't fret about resale value; people moving into a small house may not have kids, or the kids may be over 8 y.o. who can usually climb into anything. Or the new owners may want to rip out a tub in favor of a shower. Changing to a shorter tub costs almost nothing compared to the cost of the house, so I can't imagine someone not wanting to buy it because the tub is too tall. I bought enough extra wall tiles so that if a future buyer wanted a shorter tub or a shower, it would be easy to retrofit one without having to retile the whole wall because the tile didn't come down far enough.

Enduring - Does your Bellwether have a smooth finish or is it very wavy? From what I can tell in your pictures, all of the shiny parts in your tub look very smooth (I'm looking specifically at the first picture in your 12/14/13 8:47am post). Looking at the reflection off of the corners and faces of the tub, it doesn't look like there is distortion in the finish? I'm asking because we have purchased a Bellwether and it's waiting for us at Home Depot. We've been by to pick it up but left it there because we weren't sure about the finish. We saw a Villager tub at HD (they carry the Villager in-store, but the Bellwether is special order only) and it had such an odd finish. Like giant orange peel. Perfectly imperfect and very strange looking. Like they hadn't waited long enough for the enamel (or whatever the white stuff is called) to settle before it set. The finish of the Bellwether they've got for us is a bit better but still quite odd. Now, I'm not looking for a perfect finish - I'm after the vintage, been there forever kind of look, and I absolutely love the way yours looks. But I'm worried about putting this tub next to smooth subway and porcelain hex tiles and having it look wavy and strange. I've attached a photo. The lighting at HD isn't great, but I think you can see where the finish is uneven by looking where the light is reflecting vs. not - it's splotchy rather than an even transition between reflection and no reflection. Does yours do that? Your pictures sure don't look like it but it's hard to tell. Thank you so much for your time! I really want to be able to use this tub as the price and look are right. And it's one of the only CI 30x60 tubs on the market - we really don't have the extra 2" for a 32" tub, so I want to make this work, but I'm not sure if I'm being too picky.

No manufacturer is going to provide a template for a tile cut. That is why you make one yourself with cardboard. Just like you do for anything else that you’d rather not mess up the cut. Seriously, this is not hard for even a moderately skilled professional tile person with a small number of tools. If they can’t do this, they have no hope of being able to do correct subfloor prep so the job won’t crack, or correct wet area waterproofing so the job won’t rot. This isn’t where to start your DIY career in tile. Not without some money invested in a TCNA manual and at least $300 in tools.

You require an alcove tub with an integral tile flange. Not a drop in tub. Acrylic is superior to enamel over steel. Enameled steel is loud and chips much more than cast iron. It flexes more, putting more stress on that thin enamel coating. It's apartment grade. Acrylic is more repairable if you drop the shampoo bottle on top of a razor and chip it. Acrylic gel will bond to acrylic. Epoxy paint or acrylic gel won't really bond to glass enamel long term.