Case Study: Dickey's Remodel & Repair

Award-Winning Remodeler Delivers Relief to Post-Surgery Patients With Walk-In Tub

After four major back and joint surgeries over 18 months, Mary of Tukwila, Washington was in need of a bathing experience that would soothe her pain while accommodating her reduced range of motion.

Two years prior, Mary and her husband had moved into a 55+ neighborhood house and, due to her mobility challenges, she was unable to take a bath in the small tub. A shower was her only option, but even this was difficult – if they wanted to stay in their home through retirement, something had to change.

After consulting with Olympia, Wash. based Dickey’s Remodel & Repair, the couple decided to install a state-of-the-art walk-in tub that would provide full-body immersion and a luxurious, therapeutic soaking experience. Tim Dickey, president of Dickey’s Remodel & Repair, outfitted Mary’s home with a Bestbath® Escape Plus in a complete retrofit and installation.

“Our new tub paid for itself in that first shower after the hospital,” said Mary. “Every dollar we’d spent was covered in that one, glorious, 20-minute experience of hot water, shampoo, and the luxury of sitting. And the wall mount for the shower attachment works perfectly — any of our guests who use that shower will experience no difference from a traditional tub/shower combination!”

“Bestbath is by far the easiest company to work with. All of their products are more maneuverable, use less water, and are easier to install from a plumbing perspective because the drain, threaded male connects, and more all connect well.”

Tim Dickey

Tim elaborated that the plywood backing Bestbath used for the walls of its walk-in tubs makes each unit easy to work with. It provides stability for mounting grab bars and makes custom jobs, where grab bars need to be placed at appropriate heights to suit a customer’s accessibility needs, much easier to accommodate.

“You never know exactly where the grab bars will need to be placed to work for a particular customer,” said Dickey. “Because Bestbath places this plywood backing throughout each tub/shower, I’m able to easily place grab bars to the customer’s exact needs and preferences.”

Mary’s husband, who had undergone emergency brain surgery, was also able to utilize the new shower unit after coming home from hospital and rehabilitation. As he was using a walker during recovery, standing up in a traditional shower was out of the question and it was imperative to keep soap out of the surgical site.

“He’s completely stable in the unit,” said Mary. “We still let the foot area fill with a little Epsom salts for a nice foot soak, and he’s got both hands free to shampoo his hair without getting too involved with the incision. He can stand and exit in complete safety.”

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