Can you flip your plumbing? Giving you the space on the 98" present tub wall for two large vanities since it's a Jack and Jill. Is the shower out past the wall as in the photo? If so you could flip the toilet into that space and add a door and have a private water closet there with door and add more privacy. That's a decent amount of space to allow for some dual use with two users able to use it at the same time with some privacy concerns met. There is a lot of space there to do layouts that would work well for a J&J shared bath. We have a Jack and Jill bath upstairs and it is divided with the tub and shower area walled off with a door and the vanity with dual sinks in a separate area. That way one can still use the sinks while the other person in in the shower/tub/ toilet area without tying up the entire bathroom for the other person. I have a tub on a pedestal or plinth as some call it and I don't have any cleaning issues with it. It's 68" which is plenty long enough, it could be shorter actually since I'm only 5'4". My faucet is the British telephone type that hangs up on it's stand. It has it's floor mounted water supply. That was an expensive faucet even with going cheap with an off brand it was still over $800 and if I had gotten a name brand it would have been more than $2000 for it all. I found that the spout and two faucets with spray was one thing but then they have to add in all the components of the chrome pipes to the floor and I don't know what all before it was all said and done. Sort of like when you buy the washer and they need to add for the hoses etc. It still wasn't a deal breaker. I ended up buying a Victoria + Albert "York" model tub and I love it. I"m so glad I ripped out that horrid jetted gigantic tub. I have never looked back on that decision. We never used it and ti took up so much space. It had gunk in the jets from day one and I couldn't get past it no matter how much I cleaned it the black gunk still came out. You did well to rid yourself of that space hogging tub. Well done!

aam31, the Amalfi which is what I sat in at Ferguson is around that width, and my husband and I felt comfortable. For reference, I am a 6'1" female and my husband is 6'0" and we are both broad shouldered. The Mozzano is 29 inches wide and I felt it was a little snug and I also didn't feel like I could stretch out as much. Not Bob the Builder, I can see why you would say that. I am a very tall female with long legs. My husband and I are runners and it's important for us to have a nice tub that I can stretch out and soak in after long runs. My old house had an acylic garden tub and although it was nice and deep, I couldn't even straighten my legs and it didn't hold in heat. I am choosing a V and A tub because it has a 25 year warranty and it being made of stone, it will hold warmth in longer so I can soak comfortably longer. I feel like it's worth the investment :)

Tub fillers are only part of your expense. There is usually no additional plumbing work for drains when replacing standard alcove tubs. You will have to purchase the exposed drain pipe in addition to the tub and filler (even if it is a base free standing tub) and your plumber is going to have to come out and place your tub, measure where the drain needs to go. If it is in a new construction, it can go in with the rough in, if it is an existing drain, then they will jack hammer out your slab and put the new drain fitting in, repair slab, and then come back to set your tub after the tile is in. A free standing tub drain isn't going to fit an existing drain from your existing tub.

"...School me on Freestanding tubs!..." Well...OK. Freestanding tubs aren't attached to any walls. It's why they are called "freestanding". The best installations have hot and cold water supply, and a connected, workable drain. As one gets older (or has a disability), they get harder and harder to enter safely. And they become impossible to leave without assistance. They often look great in HGTV photos. Hope this helps. PS: It's a joke, it's a joke, it's a joke. Don't anyone get upset...