During my work at SLIK Architekten, I was responsible for the renovation of the pipelines, new kitchens and bathrooms of more then hundred apartments for Tüffenwies in Zurich.

Based on the client’s requirements, I  planned and organised the implementation of free-standing bathtubs. The client’s brief clear; the renovation of the bathroom should allow flexibility to respond to the users’ needs. The bathroom could be easily changed without any big renovation costs. The use of shower now-a-days is very frequent, although the following example is still true, if a family has a child they would want a bathtub and if an elderly can not get into a bathtub anymore they would need a shower. With these elements in mind, the bathrooms needed to be adaptable.

Our first step was to search available systems that would allow for the rented apartments to have both possibilities, a shower and a bathtub. In Sweden, such flexible bathrooms have been in place for a long time; almost all the bathrooms have a floor drain. It allows the user to either use the whole bathroom as a shower or to add a free-standing bathtub. I am very familiar with this system, because I lived in Sweden during my studies and visited a friend living in Stockholm, who had such a bathtub. It was the perfect system that would meet the client’s demands. After a long search in Swedish, I found a supplier in Sweden. Sadly they do not provide the same models on the Swiss market. The norms in Switzerland are not familiar with this kind of systems, and we had to test the drainage system to make sure the amount of water would not overflow once de bathtub was emptied into the floor drainage. The best solution was to use a siphon with a debit of 0,9 l/s which fits perfectly, as standard bathtubs only need a debit of 0,8l/s.

The bathtubs we used are from Gustavsberg. They have a wide range of choices for the removable bathtubs. It is possible to have different colours; with or without panelling on the side of the bathtub and they also have a version of the “classical” freestanding  bathtub. Our client wished to have a version where it is still possible to see and clean under the bathtub which is the model called “freestanding bathtub Duo”. These bathtubs are all delivered with a pipe system included in the bathtub price, allowing the connection from the bathtub water outlet to the floor drainage, with an adaptable length. All bathtubs come with a standard push open water outlet cap, it is also possible to have the cap opening with a pull out button on the top of the bathtub, at an extra cost. The system is extremely easy to install and comes with an instruction booklet.

As these bathtubs do not exist in Switzerland, they had to be imported from Sweden and I only managed to import them through a big German sanitary appliances company. For a quote offer or order, it can be done by email, addressed to the one person who will be in charge of the whole process. So if you are in a hurry, try to do this before any public holiday or school holidays, because no one will be available during that time. The shipment takes about two to three weeks but if needed, it can be a rushed order, but only if all items are already in stock. The client service is great and for any technical question it is also possible to get in touch with a technician.

The only missing element that could not be ordered from anywhere is the drainage metal grid with a hole for the bathtub pipe, to fit a standard Swiss floor drain. This piece had to be specially ordered. We made sure to have the same amount of surface opening as the normal grid to allow water overflowing from the bathtub to also be evacuated. We drew the plans and details to have it made by a locksmith. The result turned out perfect and I would recommend such a system in any rented apartment building, as it allows flexibility for the user.

If you have any questions about how the system works or where and how to order the bathtubs, don’t hesitate to contact me about it; I would be more then happy to help you out.

Links:

Gustavsberg bathtubs: www.gustavsberg.com

Installation booklet: GB1921100252_Badkar.pdf

Bathroom picture courtesy of Sigg Fotografie