St. Petersburg, FL
Alcove tub set with the valve roughed in behind
The tub set in its alcove and the tub-and-shower valve roughed in on the wall behind it, before any board goes up.
Alcove Tubs · Water Test
Bathtub Installation in Tampa Bay
A tub is set once. Everything that will ever be hard to reach — the drain, the overflow, the valve behind the wall — is decided in the hour before it goes into the alcove. So we test it with water while the wall is still open.
Updated July 2026 · Licensed CFC1432506
What We Do
Set the tub, rough the valve, fill it and watch
An alcove tub sits between three walls with a nailing flange along the top. It has to be level along the rim and supported along its length, or the shell flexes and the joint at the tile cracks later. The drain and overflow are connected under the tub and the trap set below the floor.
Then it gets filled. A full tub is heavier than an empty one, so filling it before the walls close both tests every joint under real weight and settles the tub in its bed. Photos on this page show exactly that: tubs filled to the overflow with the framing still open around them.
- Alcove tub installation, new build and remodel
- Tub and shower valve roughed in behind the tub
- Drain, overflow and trap connections
- Water test with the wall open
- Trim and spout fitted after tile
Why the Water Test
The cheapest leak is the one found before the tile
A dry-fitted tub tells you nothing about the drain shoe gasket, the overflow washer or the trap joint. Water tells you in ten minutes. If something weeps, the fix is a wrench away instead of behind a tiled wall and a run of new drywall.
We fill to above the overflow, leave it, and look underneath and behind. Only then does the wall go on.
Recent Work
Jobs we have done — by city
Tampa, FL
Metal-stud alcove, filled for the leak test
A new tub in metal-stud framing, filled for the leak test, with the PEX-A valve rough-in visible above it.
Pinellas Park, FL
Finished tub with matte black trim
The same sequence at the other end: tile on, matte black valve trim and spout fitted, tub in service.
Clearwater, FL
Tub set in the framing with the valve rough-in
An alcove tub installed in the framing with the PEX-A valve rough-in above, ready for the water test.
How It Works
How the job runs
01
Check the opening
Alcove width, floor flatness and where the drain comes up, against the tub you have chosen.
02
Rough the valve and drain
Valve set to the finished wall, trap and drain located for the tub's own waste position.
03
Set and level
Tub bedded and supported, rim level, flange fixed to the framing.
04
Fill, test, then close
Filled above the overflow, every joint checked, and only then does the wall go on.
FAQ
Common Questions
Do you supply the tub or do I?
Either. If you buy it, have it on site before the day and keep the box — the drain kit and the instructions matter.
Why is the tub filled with water before the wall is closed?
To test the drain, overflow and trap under real weight, and to settle the tub in its bed. A leak found then costs a wrench; found later it costs tile and drywall.
Can you replace a tub without redoing the whole bathroom?
Sometimes — it depends on the tile above the tub and whether the new tub matches the old footprint. We look before we promise.
Do you install the valve too?
Yes — the tub and shower valve is roughed in behind the tub as part of the same job. See our PEX-A rough-in page.
Do you do freestanding tubs?
Yes, that is a different job with a different rough-in — it has its own page.
Warranty, permits & who does the work
Workmanship warranty
Workmanship warranty: 5 years on new construction, 1 year on repairs. Equipment carries the manufacturer's warranty.
Who does the work
Pro Plumbers FL is a family-run company. The licence CFC1432506 is held by Liubov Ivanova; Viktor Zarubitskii — in the plumbing trade since 1998 — plans the job, makes the technical decisions and works on site. Our own plumbers do the plumbing. Work outside plumbing, such as concrete cutting, we either do ourselves or bring in a contractor — either way it is written into your quote.
Recent Reviews
Source: Google
Replacing a Tub?
Send a photo of the alcove and the tub you have chosen — we will tell you what it takes.
Licensed CFC1432506 · Insured · Clearwater, FL + 50 miles