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i'd assume the cage is doing weird stuff because you have thet ngon right there.

@Deqa You have the right idea.

Drawing out the shape borders and topology flow over the reference images can be a great way to start the block out process but it may also be helpful to gather additional reference images with cleaner lighting. Single piece tubs and shower surrounds can be difficult to model because they tend to be designed with a lot of pattern draft and soft shapes that make it easier to pull the fiberglass shells from the molds and helps keep the water moving towards the drain.

Since there's few flat surfaces it's often helpful to use modeling operations that preserve the angle of the surface and keep everything co-planar. This will help prevent the cage mesh from becoming lumpy. Try to resolve the topology flow issues at the lowest possible level, before adding all the support loops, this will make the whole process a lot easier. Remember to let the subdivision smoothing do most of the work.

The amount of geometry required to do this will depend on how sharp the shapes need to be but there are diminishing returns. Subdividing too soon or over subdividing the mesh adds a lot of unnecessary complexity that can make it difficult to cleanly join certain types of compound curves. Start by blocking out the major forms then add the necessary geometry to support the smaller details. Keep things simple by focusing on creating accurate shapes first.

Below is an example of what the modeling process could look like. Create the basic shape of the tub then adjust the width of the flat surround. Add a chamfer around the rim and continue adding support loops to control the smoothing and provide support for the smaller shapes. Cut in the loops for the accent ribs and add the shelves then create transitional shapes that define the triangular hand holds. Support loops can be added around the highlighted edges using a bevel / chamfer operation. Edge dissolve operations can be used to clean up any overlapping loop geometry.

Recap:

• Plan the block out and establish the major forms.
• Try to keep the mesh simple and resolve the topology issues before adding details.
• Work through the block out in stages and use the geometry in the larger shapes to support the smaller shapes.

A more detailed write-up on how to approach these sort of soft hard surface shapes can be found here:

https://polycount.com/discussion/comment/2751340/#Comment_2751340