Donna, Um, every whirlpool I have ever heard of is also available just as as a soaking tub... If it's going to be your tub, go sit in the tubs (yes, the whirlpools! :)) and decide which one feels best. That was my criterion. Sit in them and then get your favorite one made as a soaking tub. (after checking step-in heights, since it will be used as a shower too) As I said, Maax Melodie and Palace felt the best by far to me, but everyone's different (I've heard the Palace is pretty popular with folks who can fit a 6' tub in). Also, if you can fit 6' in, try the Toto cast iron 6' tub. If after all that the Porcher Ardennes is the one that feels best, go with that. I'm sure they'd have a way to help you make an alcove situation for it. If the Neptune feels best, go with that (again, check the height wrt using it as a shower). So your assignment is to go to the stores in Chicago, step into the tubs, sit in them, and decide which one feels best entering and lounging in. Then report back :)

I think the tub probably is cast iron. When I tap on the slope of the back, I hear more of a bell sound. The tiling on the apron may be muffling any sound when I tap on the sides of the tub. On the drain cover, it says "Made in Taiwan," and it looks like cast iron tubs may have been imported from Taiwan in the 80's. The main incentive for the bathroom remodel is a serious leakage problem with the shower pan in the stall shower. A secondary reason is that the entire layout has never been ideal. Third reason is that all the small tile and grout is a pain to clean. Fourth reason is the decor (tile) is dated. I don't know if it's possible or cost-effective to remove the tiling around the tub without damaging it. It would be challenging to design a new bathroom around the old tub with the existing tile. I need to operate the window; it is the only source of ventilation in the bathroom. Changing the layout would provide easier access to the window. I've thought of several alternatives - add a fan, add another window, change the window configuration (awning-type window), or find a window treatment that provides privacy without sacrificing ventilation. While the exterior length of the tub is 66", the interior length is 44". The depth is 15". I'm 5'1" and this size works for me, but probably not for the average-size adult. My teenage son likes to take baths. He's a foot taller than me and has long legs. I took him with me to try out some longer tubs - even some of the 72" tubs are too short for him, depending on the slope of the sides. Given that I'm accustomed to a cast iron tub, will I be disappointed if I replace it with a new acrylic / fiberglass tub? There are some other types of materials, such as Victoria & Albert tubs and WetStyle tubs; I'm thinking about looking at these.

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.

I would not give it up at this point. Ask the plumber to get his wholesaler into it again - they likely have more pull than a single person buying a single tub. They were willing to replace the entire tub for him, at the very least they should be willing to do what they said they'd do before. I would question the wholesaler as to whether or not this tub was actually brand new and not a return. The first thing I thought of when you said there were spider cracks around the drain is that someone had overtightened the drain (my shower base manufacturer warned me that if you get a "gorilla" for a plumber this can sometimes happen). If you're sure your plumber didn't inflict the damage, I would suspect that the tub had been installed somewhere before. Alternately the tub could have been damaged somewhere in transit - again this should be an issue the wholesaler should be able to take up with their shipper. I'm half wondering if the wholesaler didn't even take it up with kohler but rather was going to do the swap for you just like that because it's easier. Ultimately you will decide how much effort you want to want to expend to get whoever is responsible to pay for the fix. It could be the wholesaler, it could be the shipper, it could be a manufacturing defect. Everyone is going to want to pass the buck on it too, but I'd keep after the plumber and wholesaler because I think it is more likely damage than a defect. At the same time you might want to tell Kohler that you want someone out there to SEE the defect (be careful not to say the word "damage") and actually make a determination about whether it is a defect or not - because surely they can't do that over the phone. Ask to speak to a supervisor if necessary. It sucks that you are dealing with this with your brand new tub though :(.