You are looking at the wrong "waste & overflow kit" and "P-trap" for your application. You are describing a slip joint type waste and overflow. Slip joint type waste & overflow kits and P-traps may only be used where you will have a 12" x 12" service access panel either up through the floor from below or through an adjacent wall. If the waste & overflow and P-trap will be in a concealed location you are required to use a glue-in type waste & overflow and glue-in type P-trap. The glue-in type waste and overflow comes in three parts: 1. A PVC "overflow body" behind the overflow hole that has a metal trim cover to match your desired finish. 2. A PVC "tub shoe" that fits directly under the drain opening and a metal "Drain basket" in your desired finish screws into it. 3. A PVC "baffled Tee". The horizontal drain pipe from the tub shoe to the baffled tee and the vertical riser from the overflow body to the baffled tee are supplied on site by custom cutting a length of stock PVC pipe to the required length. You then cut another piece of PVC pipe to make the tail piece from the baffled tee down to the P-trap input. All joints are then glued in place to provide permanent maintenance free connections, thus you will not be required to have a service access panel. The upside here is that the glue-in type waste & overflow is only a small fraction of the cost of the slip joint type.

I have a few questions on putting in a large soak tub; It is a drop-in with a lip of 3". How much counter surface is need around it? It is a tight fit in the space available. Access comfort and level of the tub? Does sinking it below floor level and putting a 6" step in front help? Other options? Just thinking of old age which is not far around the corner. What do people like. Any strong preferences for cable drive vs. lift & turn waste and overflow? Is the big price difference worth the cable drive? Anyone with experience with mosaic tile over wood tub? What goes under the tile/grout to keep it from leaking?

The individual trim components, I,E. Trim Cover, Tub drain Basket or stopper assemblies are used to replace defective parts or sometimes when doing a remodel we use those to change the physical appearance such as changing a chrome finish to a brass, gold or bronze finish. From your description you are planning a new bathroom, therefore you will need all the drain components for new construction. Fortunately the complete assembly is available in a "Waste & Overflow Kit" however there are many different types of waste & overflow kits. If you are installing an open clawfoot tub where the drain and overflow pipes will be exposed to view you would want a plated brass kit with slip joints. (select the color of the plating to match your faucet finish, I.E. polished chrome, polished nickle, polished brass, polished bronze, oil rubbed bronze, gold, etc.) If you are installing a built in tub where the drain and overflow pipes will ultimately be concealed from view you must then consider the finished installation. If the tub is being installed on the ground floor over a basement or crawl space or if there will be a 12" x 12" access panel through an adjacent wall or up from underneath you could use a conventional slip joint type waste & overflow kit and P-trap on the other hand, if you are installing the tub over a slab or on an upper floor where there is no access from underneath and no access panel through an adjacent wall you would be required to use a glue-in or solder-in type waste & overflow and P-trap. NOTE; Primarily residential DWV (Drain, Waste & Vent) piping is constructed from either PVC or ABS plastic pipe but in some localities the local codes require all metal piping, in which case you would use a plain brass solder-in type waste & overflow and P-trap. I would suggest that before you begin ordering parts you should discuss the issue with your plumber to determine the type of pipe he will be using and the type of waste & overflow kit you will need. As a rule I always use the glue-in type waste & overflow because it will pass code for both open and concealed locations and once installed it eliminates the potential for leaks that are common to slip joint type kits. Once you have determined the type of kit you require you will then have to select the finish color and the type of stopper you desire. Basically there are three types of stoppers available; 1.The standard LEVER LIFT type has a stopper inside the overflow pipe which has a lift rod and a control lever on the overflow cover. 2.LIFT & TURN. The lift and turn type has the stopper assembly attached to the tub drain opening. To open the stopper you lift it up and turn it 1/4turn to hold it open. To close you turn it 1/4 turn in the opposite direction and it drops down to the stopped position. 3. TOE TAP- The toe tap stopper also fits over the tub drain opening. To set the stopper you press down with your hand or toe, and to open the drain you simple press it again and it springs up to the open position.

What is the feature/dimension about the Kaldewei overflow drain that does not meet your county codes? I have a Klassikduo and recall DH and the plumber saying it was a non-typical assembly (by US standards), but they made it work. The building inspector checked it along with everything else, but otherwise paid it no mind. I'll ask DH and try to post back here. Great tub, by the way.