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Question: I bought a new house that is being built, and construction will be completed in three weeks. I recently discovered that the tub in the master bathroom is too shallow to be useful. When I pointed this out to the builder's representative, I was told that a deeper tub is available, however, it would cost an additional $2,000 to put it in now. I subsequently learned that the deeper tub costs only $350 and that as an option before the house is built, it's only a $500 upgrade. I feel like the builder is trying to rip me off because I've already committed to the house and the move-in date is so close. Is there any way I can get the tub and avoid paying the outrageous fee?

Janet: Builder's upgrades often are priced much higher than you can find the item listed for because if you've already purchased the house, you're part of a captive audience.

Your case, however, is different. Since the house is almost completed, I assume that the shallower tub is already plumbed-in and that the tile or other surfacing around it has been finished. This means that to install the deeper tub, the builder would have to rip out the earlier work and start from scratch. In a sense, it's renovation, not new work. While I'm not sure that it would actually cost $2,000 to do the job, it certainly will cost more than the $500 upgrade quoted before construction began. I suspect that the builder simply doesn't want the hassle, and has quoted a high price to discourage you from asking for the work.

There are three ways that you can handle the situation. You can bite the bullet and pay for the work, have a new tub installed as a renovation after you move in -- at a cost which may approach $2,000 -- or live with the existing shallow tub.

Mr. Irwin has more than 25 years' experience as a Los Angeles-area real-estate broker. He is the author of more than two dozen books about real estate and is recognized as one of the most knowledgeable writers in the real-estate field. Mr. Irwin's most recent book is "Power Tips for Selling a Home for More," (McGraw-Hill, 2000).

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Janet, Sacramento, Calif.

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