MEET THE EXPERTS

Dennis Larocque

Owner
Bathtub King
Website: http://www.bathtubking.ca
Phone: (905) 575-7171
Email: dennis@bathtubking.ca

VIDEOS

Refinishing Your Bathtub - more...

ARTICLES

Reinvent Your Bathtub - more...

Since turning on the tap in 1981 for his first show at Hamilton’s Mountain Plaza, business has continued to flow for the founder of Bathtub King. Dennis Larocque had just purchased a bathtub refinishing franchise and borrowed a display from the head office, consisting of a refinished claw-foot tub, pedestal sink and a tub that was half refinished and half worn out.

He booked 15 jobs that week and with each subsequent show, he attracted more and more customers. It was obvious he’d bought into the right business and could see that there was a big demand for the service. Larocque easily met his goals of one tub a day in his first year, two tubs a day in his second.

Removing and replacing a bathtub usually means also replacing the tiles or tub surround, disturbing the plumbing and the floor. When Larocque heard about the concept of refinishing the old tub to make it look new again without the hassle and expense of a bathroom renovation, it made a lot of sense. His growing list of customers agreed.

The former assistant manager at K-Mart was on his way to becoming the “bathtub king”. As he got busier he hired a helper. He put a second truck on the road and then a third and a fourth. There was an increasing demand for renovation services and the skills of a plumber, tile setter and electrician. As anticipated after Larocque hired a salesperson, sales increased and so did his staff to eventually include four tile setters, two plumbers and an electrician.

He recognized that busy people don’t have the time, and often don’t have the skills to do the work themselves. They also don’t want the mess, inconvenience and less than perfect outcome that could result from a do-it-yourself job. When they hire Bathtub King, the work is done right by qualified tradesmen.

The business outgrew Larocque’s basement, then his first small storefront location. The growth didn’t stop when Bathtub King moved to a single industrial plaza unit. The showroom took over two units and now occupies three units with designs on securing a fourth. The Bathtub King showroom features everything, including the kitchen sink and in amongst the displays of new fixtures, are samples of refinished tubs and bathroom tiles.

As a bathroom designer and renovator, Larocque has seen many changes during his nearly three decades in business. Instead of extra-large corner whirlpool tubs accompanied by a standard sized shower, customers today want extra-large luxurious showers and in some cases, steam showers. As the population ages there’s a move toward removing bathtubs and replacing them with more easily accessible shower areas complete with a bench.

A growing portion of his business is geared to accommodating people with special needs and mobility issues. Seniors want to maintain their independence and having a retrofitted bathroom helps extend their years in their own home. Grab bars, taller toilets, walk-in bathtubs, slip-proof mats and moving laundry facilities from the basement to the main floor, all contribute to both safety and independence. Retrofitting bathrooms for improved accessibility has become a Bathtub King specialty.

Bathtub King’s owner is a goal setter who lets customer demand dictate business expansion and the customers keep pouring in.