Small bathroom Design with tub

Even in the dead of winter, you may see people with bathing suits in hand heading down the street in Newton, Mass., on their way to the Splash Kitchen and Bath Showroom. "When someone's really interested in a certain model of whirlpool, we tell them to make an appointment, bring a suit and come try it out, " says sales representative Michael Morey. "We get a lot of takers."

Easing into warm water, relaxing as the jets pulse, envisioning it all right in your very own master bath... that's the fun part about choosing a whirlpool for your remodel — but it should be one of the very last steps, says Tina Dyba, a member of the American Society of Designers and owner of Dyba Design, based in Las Vegas.

You'll never reach that "fantasy fulfilled" stage without lots of practical legwork, says Dyba. "I've seen this happen so many times: Someone goes out and buys a Jacuzzi first, with no idea of how it might fit into their space, and then there's a lot of expensive remodeling work to make it work." Before deciding on a certain model, get the answers to these questions:

What will fit?

Make sure to measure your bathroom before you even look at a whirlpool, including any space you might gain taking down dividing walls or showers. "Most whirlpools come in three standard sizes, " says Morey. "Five feet, five and a half and six. But you can't just consider the tub size — they're all designed to be dropped into a deck, and that will take up more space, with the bare minimum adding at least a half-inch to your measurements on all sides.

"If you think you'd like to hold a lot of stuff like candles and oils near the water, you'll also need extra space on the deck, " says Morey. "If you're over six feet tall, you may want to forfeit deck space for more tub room."