No plumbing access? (Booker: new house, tile, inspector)

[d2mini]

This is a photo of a Trendmaker model home.
Notice that the sunken jetted tub has no repair access.
It's surrounded by tile, the shower and the vanity.
Is this normal/acceptable???
It's only about a foot tall, so there really isn't much room for an access panel.

[fitzy24]

That is a lovely restroom.

[BookerEast]

Noone uses the tub anyway
It's normal.

[elnina]

The wall with the shower? What is behind??

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by BookerEast

Noone uses the tub anyway
It's normal.

haha, but I do. Not daily but it's nice to relax in sometimes.

Originally Posted by elnina

The wall with the shower? What is behind??

The laundry room, but i don't see access there either.

[elnina]

There must be some access panel in the skirt to access the plumbing. You might have to tap tiles to find which by the sound. If ever, you need to access the plumbing, simply cut the caulking with a knife and pull the access cover out. Done right, you don't see the difference in tiles.

[RCH99]

d2mini-

the tub fixture is supplied by the pex that is already roughed in, and runs to the far side of the tub in this picture. The pump motor, and gfci plug, for that type of corner tub will be to the far right of that recessed dryer vent box ( one the other side of the wall, under the right bottom corner of the window ). There will be access for visual inspection, the pump, etc, via a hole in the utility room sheetrock, covered by an access plate. It's also common to have a specific tile, or two, near the fixture connections to be set on hardi-backer with an access hole already cut in it. Those specific tiles are then set, so that they can be removed, if necessary, but grouted such that you can't tell. In the worse case (leak), you can easily remove them for access, and re-install without damaging the rest of the tub deck

[ethanw]

No worries you're ok. Is a code requirement to have a panel access to the Jacuzzi tub. What happens is when the inspector comes they have a panel covering the access hole and after inspection is done they will put a tile in its place. Take a coin and hit each tile, where you will notice one or two of them will sound empty.This is also common knowledge around builders and plumbers so they know how to get access to the plumbing.
And sometime a panel is installed on the wall behind which may be in a different room :-) Trust me me, there is a way to access it.... Ask me how I know :-)

Originally Posted by d2mini

This is a photo of a Trendmaker model home.
Notice that the sunken jetted tub has no repair access.
It's surrounded by tile, the shower and the vanity.
Is this normal/acceptable???
It's only about a foot tall, so there really isn't much room for an access panel.

[HoustonBornNRaised]

My husband is an inspector and writes this up all the time. It's going to be a pain if you ever have to bust the tile up to get to it though.

We built a new house this year and had them install two panels. The surround is tile, just like the photo that you posted, but there are two doors (basically, they're the same doors as our cabinetry) on one side. My tub is in the center of the bathroom though, so you only see the doors from one side. Yours would be in the front.

See if they'll work with you to figure out some sort of panel that you could tile the front of. Or see if they'll do the front in wood instead, if it matters that much to you. You could always have panels installed, from the same wood as your cabinets. Those look exactly like my cabinets, by the way.

Trendmaker built my last house, and there was wood at the front, with a panel, by the way. This was back in the early 90's though.

[ethanw]

And by the way you're missing nail metal plates in 3 places :-) You should fire your inspector for Phase-II if you had one. Else you're at the mercy of the builder
And the termites (green) wood treatment should be at least 20" inches higher on all the wood not just the bottom piece on the flow. See green...