Contest improves life for ex-Navy Seal who lives in Addison

Mandy Hagestedt, a barber and owner of a four-unit apartment building in Addison, was able to upgrade one of those units for a longtime tenant and Vietnam veteran when she won the fourth annual Bath Planet and Daily Herald tub-to-shower transformation sweepstakes.

Thanks to her contest win, Hagestedt was able to replace the ugly old tub in the unit rented by ex-Navy Seal John Russell with a walk-in shower featuring a white textured Fiberglas shower base, a smooth finish bianco travertine-look acrylic wall system, glass doors, a grab bar, chrome trim, two corner shelves and chrome fixtures. The prize package was valued at about $7,000.

She and her husband, Scott, co-owner of the building, also put a fresh coat of peanut butter-colored paint on the walls and installed a new light, beige ceramic 12-inch tile floor and a new white vanity and sink.

They entered the contest after Russell took a bad fall getting into the shower/tub and broke the curtain rod and cracked the wall tile.

Sweepstakes entries totaled 1,377 this year, indicating many homeowners of all ages prefer a walk-in shower. Few have the time or inclination to enjoy a lengthy soak, so why take the chance on a tub/shower combination when they just want to take a shower?

In addition, older homeowners like Russell often become fearful of climbing in and out of a tub that doubles as a shower. They hear horror stories about others who have fallen during this daily chore and don't want the same fate to befall them. Or, in the case of Russell, they have already fallen and don't want to do it again.

Bath Planet of Chicagoland, based in Streamwood, reviewed the contestant photos and narrowed the list down to 10 finalists. Those 10 were then asked to provide a brief explanation of why they should win the prize package.

Hagestedt wrote a plea for help. "Not only is this bathtub ridiculously ugly and broken, but we need just a shower instead! My friend has fallen lifting his leg to get inside. The sides of the tub are hard to step over." She also mentioned that Russell never used it as a tub, anyway. He only wanted a shower.

Kevin Gustafson, sales manager at Bath Planet, stopped by to see the potential project and agreed that the existing tub was pretty bad and was too hard for an older person to navigate.

All of the replacement work was completed by Bath Planet in one day, Hagestedt said, and the installers were exceedingly clean, informative and professional.

"They did an amazing job. Even my carpenter husband was impressed by how fast they did everything and how clean it was when they left," Hagestedt said. "They even reinstalled John's custom shower head so that it is tall enough for him and gave us their shower head to keep in reserve."

Bath Planet is a wet area specialist so it has been the solution for many. The company offers stylish, cost-effective, low-maintenance acrylic bath improvements that are made locally - in a 200,000-square-foot facility in Libertyville.

"Our guys are factory-trained so they are literally 'masters of the shower area' since that is all we do. Repetition pays off," Gustafson explained. "They tarp off their entire path to the bathroom, and the bathroom itself, so that all of the debris and garbage leaves with them. Ninety-nine percent of the time the job is done in one day and we leave the house as clean as it was when we got there."

Many Bath Planet products install right over the existing ugly wall tile and chipped or faded tub or shower for maximum cost-effectiveness and minimum mess. When a tub is being replaced with a walk-in shower, as it was in the Hagestedt rental unit, the tub is cut into two or three pieces and hauled away before the new shower base is installed, followed by the wall pieces. The existing wall tile is thoroughly cleaned and then left in place, but covered, according to Gustafson.

Bath Planet's products feature the elegant look of ceramic tile, granite or marble - in a wide variety of colors and finishes - but without the grout, mess and irritating maintenance because the liners are made of a nonporous, easy-to-clean material. Add to that the array of finishing touches that are available including shower caddies, soap dishes, grab bars, curved shower rods and a selection of shower doors and homeowners can easily create a complete, unique bathroom that meets their particular circumstances.

"Our exclusive product line, ranging from spa showers to walk-in tubs, is constructed out of the toughest acrylic - specially designed to withstand the wear and tear of daily bathroom use," the Bath Planet website states. "The acrylic is custom-fitted to your existing bathroom and installed with triple-seal technology. Not only will your new bathtub or shower be stunning, but it will also fit seamlessly into your current design and protect your home from harmful water damage."

In addition, all of that tough cleaning of grout, using harsh chemicals, will be a distant memory. A little vinegar or dish soap and hot water is all that is required to effectively clean a nonporous Bath Planet acrylic shower, according to Gustafson. And you don't have to count on workers invading your home for days or weeks. Installation is usually completed in just one day, he added.

Bath Planet offers replacement tubs and shower bases in a wide selection of colors, sizes and styles to add value to the bathroom within your home. Bath Planet also has a full line of accessibility products and aging-in-place bath systems to ensure independent living for as long as possible. Roll-in showers, walk-in tubs, soaking tubs and even jetted tubs are all available.

"Our products have been huge for elderly people, in particular, because research has shown that 80 percent of sicknesses are transferred in conventional tile bathrooms and that doesn't happen as readily in nonporous acrylic environments," Gustafson said.

Dimitris Nacopoulos, owner of the Chicagoland dealership, has been in the bathroom remodeling business for 20 years. His Bath Planet dealership is one of 122 dealerships around the country and his territory extends from Rockford to Lake Michigan and from the Indiana border to southern Wisconsin.

"What sets us apart is the fact that we offer great service, competitive pricing, the most color and design options in the business, the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval and a lifetime warranty," Nacopoulos explained.

"And if you sell your home within the first two years after a Bath Planet tub or shower has been installed, the lifetime warranty can be transferred to the new owners," Gustafson added.

For more information, call (877) 705-7177.