Middle of the road. I don't plan on living here past 5 years, but want something that I can somewhat enjoy while I live here.

No, no, no, no - he's pulling out a tub so he has a 5' space in which to install a shower.

http://www.absolutehome.com/assets/i...uct/100095.JPG

Is this your only bathroom?

Yes.

you on basement,crawl, or slab. makes a diff there.
you want 48" or 60" . step in or 0 entry. 1 seat or two? molded in or mounted fold down? multiple heads? some of the smaller details to consider.

:doh!: Sorry Mr. Phobia :sulk:






















:wayne:

That eliminates a nice tiled shower then. It would take at least a week to have one of those up and ready.

You're looking for a 3 piece plastic shower replacement.

Depending on your space and the existing tub, you'll pay up to $500 for demo/disposal.

You'll pay up to $1,000 for a new 3 piece. You'll pay as much as you'd like for a showerhead. You should be able to do something fair for $250. I just spent $500 on mine. Bodyjets are overrated. I have a handheld and showerhead.

Then you have door/curtain options and installation.

You can get the whole thing done pretty nicely for $5000. You can also get it done much cheaper if you're willing to shop around for the crappiest contractor.

last year i plumbed in a shower for a customer who pulled out the tub.
the carpenter supplied the 4' base. i moved the water and drain, set the base after tearing out the tub. my part on that was near $700. no idea what the carpenters part was.

To begin with, getting that tub out isn't going to be easy, usually they are set in the house as soon as the framing is done. The demolition alone is going to be a big job. They make prefabricated walk-in shower enclosures but I'm not sure if you're going to find one that has the same footprint as your tub. I think the closest you'll be able to find might be a 48" x 36". If that's the case, the enclosure, base and shower door would be around $500 on up depending on how fancy of door you want. Unless you find a shower that's the same size as your tub, you're also going to have a lot of cosmetic repairs to the walls & floor as well. Could run you as much as $3,000 if you're hiring all the work to be done.

I'm willing to skimp on the actual unit to get it done right - I don't like screwing around with poor help. I'm not looking for anything elaborate as far as multiple showerheads..no bells and whistles, something simple, but not "cheap".

That's what I was afraid of. I've also seen a couple companies offer shower/tub "covers" - basically a custom fiberglass base/wall that go over the original unit, that gives it an updated look.

Meh..this is sounding more trouble than its worth.

you can find 60"ers. like mr phobia said, you'll need a multiple peice unit.

Oh crap, that's true. He's going to have to move the drain for a shower.

thats one of those things that should be somewhat easy. big pain ifn it's a slab house though.

I doubt he's on a slab. He's in a condo.

Okay, you'll need to find a 3 piece unit that will fit your rough opening after demo is complete. You can find a showerhead and valve that runs $100. I think you can get your materials for around $1000. The rest of it depends on the contractor. I think Bugeater's $3k number might be close.

Has anyone had anything like this done?

Is it worth a ****?

http://www.surfacesol.com/bathrooms.html

Anything can be fixed with ductape....wd-40....super glue....


and if those things dont work...hit the damn thing with a hammer a few times

Never done it. What specifically are you doing and what is the cost? If all you want to do is resurface the tub, it may be worth a shot depending on the cost. JMO

I saw some info on it a while back (or at least something similar). Looks pretty interesting. They one I saw, they made cast of your existing tub, then made a resin insert off of the casting, then showed up and installed the insert over your tub. The display I saw looked pretty good. Don't know how it will last, but it is made of similar material to the newer tubs/showers that are installed in homes today so it should hold up.

Not sure what the cost is, I imagine they come in and bid it. (I'm not exactly handy, therefore I would not even attempt anything like this.)

But anyway, my tub is old, the enamel is wearing away and the pits get dirty. I was thinking that doing something like this, refinishing it with this stuff with a built in surround would look nice.

I've heard those units are great for rehab but for a longterm solution they don't hold up well.

I don't have any experience with it. You can also have your tub refinished. Don't attempt to DIY. Have a pro come in a spray it.

Thanks Guys

Naw naw naw. Whatcha gotta do is get yerself some paint...maybe a good rustoleum, that stuff'll paint over anything...then just spray that baby down with a few coats. Be sure ta keep tha door closed while yer' doin' it..cuts down on yer beer money fer tha' night. Git er' done!

If your tub is cast iron, it can be refinished. The surround would definately add a new level of $$.

I have a question or two about floor tiles...


The wife and I are a week away from closing on our house. Back a week or so back, the lady we are buying from had a bit of an accident. She's an older widow that smokes a lot. She dumped an ashtray into the trash can which started a fire. She tried to carry the trash can through the house and outside. In the process, some papers fell out of the can and started a fire on the rug right between the living room, dining room, and hallway. She has volunteered to pay for new carpet and have it installed in all 3 areas.

With kids, the thought of new carpet under the table that will be seeing lots of use kinda concerns me. We would like to tile the kitchen at a later date but with this, we are giving serious thought to going ahead and replacing the carpet in the dining room with tile, going ahead and putting tile in the kitchen at the same time, and having the carpet installed in the other areas. I will most likely be doing the tile myself and the tile will be laid on a slab foundation.


What type/thickness of tile would the handymen of the Planet recomend? Stone, porcelain/ceremic, ? (NO Vinyl!:))


Thanks.

What's your budget? Do you have any experience?

I alwasy recommend slate for inexperienced tile setters. It's my own personal choice. I have it in every bathroom of my house, the fireplace surround, and in my downstairs kitchen. Plus you can cut slate with an angle grinder. Good stuff.

If you go with slate, just be sure to get some tips on cleaning the grout before you get started. If you don't do it right, the grout cleanup can be a true PITA. Other than that, slate is wonderful. Beautiful stuff, durable, and the natural imperfections tend to make up for any problems you might encounter.

One other warning: if you're doing a large area, don't let the women "pick out" the pieces. That can take more time than actually laying the stuff. My friend had about 20 boxes of tile, and he had to lay them all out to pick out and place the "pretty" ones before he even started laying it.

Good point. I always seal my slate right out of the box with a cheap (or used) paint roller. Don't even try to clean the roller after you use it on sealer, it's done.

This way any thinset (tile adhesive) will clean off easily and grout will as well.

Most tilesetters seal it after they put it down, but I think it's better to do it before.

BTW, my slate foyer is probably still our favorite renovation that we've done to our current house. It turned out really nice. I'm hoping that the bathroom will be even nicer, if it ever gets done. I've had it demo'd since first part of November (had to go down and scab the joists and replace the subfloor due to a leak). Just now getting the sheetrock back up. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't seem to understand that working a full time job and traveling to Chiefs games on the weekends doesn't leave a lot of time for major remodels.

No experience on tile directly. I have watched it go down numerous times though. As for budget, I'm thinking the cheaper the better, but about $4 a sq ft will be about the most I want to spend on the tiles.


I hadn't even thought about slate. I'll do some looking into it.

People clean paint rollers?

Here are a couple of pics of our entryway. Yes, I'm aware I layed tile on hardwood. It's a long story and was, unfortunately, necessary due to the dildo that lived in our house before us.

I should also add that the grout that's on the wood trim and floor has been cleaned up and no longer shows.

You can use a stone sealer or a product called grout release. Either way, do it before you grout. Stone is porous and will absorb the grout color if you're not careful.

Personally, I would recommend a nice ceramic or porcelain tile over stone. No sealers are needed except for the grout, which I would suggest for kitchen/DR use.

You might also consider a laminate floor. Like ceramic and porcelain tile it is very easy maintenance. Advantages over tile are easier installation and warmer under foot.

Is your subfloor wood or slab?

Oh you'll love slate then. It's half that price and the finished product is VERY forgiving to novice setters. If your grout lines aren't perfect, that's okay because it's a natural stone. I love the stuff.

I thought I read "slab" which is really good. He'll save a lot of underlayment costs.

Absolutely.

It's kinda cool getting to plan and do stuff without getting approval first. The floor is minor compared to what I hope to pull off if $ and the local building inspector allow this summer.

:)

I'll send you mine when I get through with them then.:thumb:


:D

I think I sense a new enterprise coming for Phobia. Cleaning paint rollers has to pay better than Athan.

I'm hoping. We'll have to see what the floor looks like when the carpet comes up. I've looked things over as close as a prospective buyer can with realtors looking on and the owner's stuff in there. I haven't seen any signs of ridges from cracks in the concrete anywhere in the house or other houses we've seen in the same developement but I won't know for sure until I see the concrete itself.


Dad has a slab house back in MO. He had some MAJOR slab problems to fix when he put his laminate in.

LMAO LMAO

He must have had some serious problems because laminate is the most forgiving flooring product in terms of floor prep. Laminate floors are "floated", meaning the planks don't actually attach to anything but themselves. As long as your slab is reasonably level you can use a laminate floor. They can also be installed over vinyl, wood and most tile....anything but carpet, actually.

Yeah, he had some cracks where one slab had risen over an inch! My guess is the contractor didn't reinforce the concrete when the slab was poured (Or didn't use enough steel). Several of his neighbors have had problems with their floors too.

Nice pics, NewChief - you inspired me to take a couple while the reboot was going on.

Here's a picture of a small bathroom in my basement. The lighter colored tile in the middle is a limestone travertine.

Having sold floors for the past 25 years I can tell you that there is rarely an absolute right answer for the type of flooring each customer should buy. The room it's going in, kids/no kids, pets/no pets, budget, tastes in decor, DIY or professional installation, subfloor condition, local climate and a host of other issues.

The best advice I can give you is to look for a flooring dealer with a wide product selection and knowledgeable salespeople. Also, at least for the carpet, make sure professional installation is available, preferably not subcontracted.

Anyone buying floor coverings should feel free to PM me with questions. I'm not an installer but I'll gladly help with product info and estimating.

Same bathroom, different angle.

Those two pictures make the 2" tiles look askew. They don't actually look goofy in person.

This one is a pic of part of my kitchen.

I've already asked this once, but I'd love your opinion on VCT. We've more or less decided on it for our bathroom renovation. I know it's an unconventional choice, but we go for the whole modern/industrial look.

This is another part of my kitchen, behind the bar.

That's a nice, large piece of rock in the center. Nice patterning, though.

Is that one also slate or is it a ceramic variety?

Damn dude. You're Mr. Fancypants on your patterning. I thought I was being clever by laying the center row of 6" tiles between the two rows of 12", and you have to get all artsy fartsy.

That stuff adds a significant amount of time to the project, but what the heck - it's my house. I'm only doing it once.

The little mosaics inlaid are slate. The 16" tiles are a ceramic that do a really good job of looking like a natural product. It fooled me the first time I saw the stuff down.

VCT is obviously very functional. Lasts forever, easy to clean, etc. But if you like an industrial look, check out this stuff.....


http://www.metroflorusa.com/product_...collectionID=5


It costs a few $$ more per s/f than VCT but for smaller areas like bathrooms the actual cost won't be much difference at all. Very cool products, I've used them in residential and commercial jobs. I especially like the metal and stained concrete patterns. they would work well with the look you're shooting for.

Very cool! I'll bookmark that and have the wife (give someone a design degree and they think they get to make all the decisions) take a look when she returns from Indy.

Also these from another manufacturer, I have one of these installed in our showroom.....


http://www.mannington.com/residential/Adura/style.aspx?type=('15','16')&style_id=Manhattan

If it wasn't for people with design degrees my job would get really boring. I can only sell so much cheap beige carpet.

I need to get some more installed pics of the Metroflor. That's pretty much our look. I may have to flip through some back issues of Dwell and see if they have anymore.

BTW, here's the bathroom my wife is using as inspiration. I'll not comment on the choice of fecal brown as a wall color...okay, maybe I will.

http://chicago.apartmenttherapy.com/...rn-bath-013538

I actually love the clean lines of the bathroom and like it as inspiration. Just not sold on the brown.

Brown is a really hot color right now. We're using a lot of chocolates and oranges in our place. I like it.

I know. The problem is that it's been hot for a few years. My wife's job is in trends, so I try to steer her away from "hot" things toward more classic things, otherwise I end up in a constant cycle of repainting and remodeling as she follows the next hot trend. I actually love the brown, I just don't want to be remodeling again in two years when she decides that brown is out.

Thats a cool bathroom. Im not keen on dark colors. Also the cabinet space for that sink sucks. I think that sink is way too overated for practical purposes.

But the bathroom does look cool overall.

Painting over that to hide the color would be a bitch.

Yeah - that's why I wouldn't agree to paint anything of ours chocolate. We have a very bold gold in our master (which I still intend to faux over)and an orange accent wall in our kitchen. That's about as crazy as we go.

Oops, I just forgot... She had me paint our accent wall in the master bedroom a very dark green. I hated it. She hated it. I think we're gonna go over it with chocolate.

I get the idea. Straight lines and uncluttered, it's a cool look.

Dial that brown down to taupe and you probably get the same effect without being trendy.

Metroflor has done a great job creating retro/industrial/modern/loft type looks. I'd bet you'll find something there that you'll both prefer to VCT. Problem with VCT is that you won't update your home. The looks today are basically the same as the looks in 1965.

Yeah. Kilz does wonders, though. Believe me, I'm an expert with Kilz at this point.
:banghead:

That's exactly why I wouldn't use it unless it was on a specific retro project - but then who wants to do a retro kitchen to the 60's?

I have a feeling that I will be too in 3 weeks. As stated earlier, the lady in the house now is a heavy smoker. I am thinking it will take a good coat of primer before we paint to kill the nicotine/smoke smell bleed-through.

I hate that runny stuff too. (I'm giving serious thought to taping and spraying).

Do it - especially since you're replacing floor coverings.

I'd open every window in that sucker and let it air out for a few days as well.

My next door neighbor (single guy, college prof, sort of a loner) has a late 50s house that he's totally restored to 1950s specs, all the way down to the appliances. It's cool, but kind of creepy as well.

Exactly. We're usually tearing those out. I'm thinking that history won't judge the 60's to be timeless decor.

Tell me about it. I had to repaint the kitchen cabinets both inside and out with that. Then paint over them with white. It looks good.

That was my project last july. It took me three weeks, with at least 2-3 hours every day. Lots of cabinets. That sucked. But glad it was done.

Here's a retro stove similar to one a local fireplace/wood stove dealer has that I looked at. I was pretty impressed.

http://www.elmirastoveworks.com/file...4120/Page4.jpg

The whole house? That's wrong. I can see somebody doing a retro kitchen cafe style, but I can't see a whole house. If you're gonna go retro go even further to Arts & Crafts era.

Where would you get 50's looking appliances?