When a salesperson from Tarzana, Calif.-based One Week Bath visits potential clients, they lay out the choices — 4 styles of cabinets, 10 finishes, several solid surfaces — as well as the parameters — no structural work, no moving of plumbing or electrical. Such a tight program helps in two ways: it is less confusing for clients who are generally overwhelmed with unlimited choices, and it helps eliminate variables that can cause delays in remodeling, which would be disastrous for a company that guarantees a new bathroom in one week.
That being said, One Week Bath's policies are flexible, based on their clients' needs. When the company got a call from Donna and Leroy Bankowski, a Moorpark, Calif., couple who is short of stature — at 4-feet and 4-feet, 6-inches tall, respectively —and who wanted a bathroom that was right for them, the company complied. The features that One Week Bath provided include:
A shorter vanity. This was achieved by trimming several inches off the bottom of a stock vanity cabinet. Although this eliminates some of the kickplate, that sacrifice makes more sense than ordering a custom cabinet.
A shorter toilet. This special-order product, made by Kohler (Memoir style, model K-3452), is 141/2 inches from floor to seat. This is a full 2 inches shorter than most standard toilets.
Lowered accessories. The towel rack, hand-towel rack, and toilet paper holder were all installed several inches lower than usual. —Kathy Price-Robinson writes about remodeling and green building from the central coast of California.
