# shower/bathroom tile



## flounder boy (Oct 26, 2006)

I am looking for a reputable contractor for a consultation before I start rehab on the masterbath in my home. I am going to install new tile on the floor, walls around the bath tub and in the shower. This will be my first diy tile job so I would like to have a clue before jumping in the money pit.

Thank you in advance


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## DGAustin (Jun 5, 2005)

To save yourself a lot of trouble and avoid the risk of it leaking, you might have a synthetic marble base made to fit your opening and then tile up from that. If you take that route, make sure you run a piece of angle (L) aluminum around the edge of it and bed it in with high-grade silicon caulk. Have the base made so it fits stud to stud, add 3/4 plywood over the stud walls, cover the plywood with poly and add Hardibacker board (or similar) and you are good to tile. Then get a glass company to make a door and you are set. We removed a tub and converted it to a shower doing it this way and it has worked great. The plumbing for it is not bad, especially if the bath is on the second floor--consider Pex for any water pipe changes. When they make the marble base, the drain hole can be made to help fit where the plumbing is. We used University Marble in Houston off Beltway 8 in the Pearland area. Good luck with your project. PS--If your tub is metal (and seem like most are, instead of being cast iron) use a Sawz-All with a good Bi-Metal blade and you can cut it in half and remove it by yourself. I just cut the tub walls, raised it up some and then cut the bottom, and then cut it in half again, so it could be removed by me alone. John Bridge tile forum might be helpful also.


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## carryyourbooks (Feb 13, 2009)

i tried diy tile. alot of folks told me, its easy. don't believe em. go get a contractor.


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## 41082 (Dec 19, 2008)

Well I'm not a tile contractor,but have done plenty of tile jobs. If you got the time, back, and knees it very doable. Although tile subs are relatively expensive compared to the amount of work involved. Much easier with two guys. one to lay the tile and one to cut and bring in the tile to the layer. Good Luck pm for any questions.


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## TheSamarai (Jan 20, 2005)

Tiling is not all that difficult. Just take your time. Mark up some gridlines so that you don't get off course. Use the premixed thinset. Does help to have two people, one to cut and one to install.


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## Pier Pressure (Aug 30, 2009)

TheSamarai said:


> Tiling is not all that difficult. Just take your time. Mark up some gridlines so that you don't get off course. Use the premixed thinset. Does help to have two people, one to cut and one to install.


You can do this yourself, I just installed a new fiberglass shower pan an built a new shower from the ground up. Im ready to grout in a week.

And you can have two people, but whoever marks the tile to cut should cut it. Well thats if you want all the lines to be within 1/32. 
Really its a one man job.

Just besure to use Red Coat on everything you want to tile for a water proof membrane.


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## robdog (May 10, 2006)

It's not very hard at all just make sure you do some research and make sure you are 100% water proof. I just re-did our guest bath and the only part I hired someone for was the sheetrock. It was 100% gutted including walls and ceiling. I used a Kohler cast iron shower pan and it was a little more but well worth it. The whole remodel including granite, tile, shower pan, new fixtures and cabinets (Which my father in law built) cost right around $2k. Good luck


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## 41082 (Dec 19, 2008)

Mgray said:


> Well I'm not a tile contractor,but have done plenty of tile jobs. If you got the time, back, and knees it very doable. Although tile subs are relatively expensive compared to the amount of work involved. Much easier with two guys. one to lay the tile and one to cut and bring in the tile to the layer. Good Luck pm for any questions.


sorry about the mistype was trying to say that tile subs are inexpensive for the amount of work involved.


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## TheSamarai (Jan 20, 2005)

very nice robog


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## flounder boy (Oct 26, 2006)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the input. I would still like to have a reputable contractor come by for a consultation and estimate. Trouble is I don't have a clue who to trust in the Spring area. I have a week or so more for painting the entire inside of the house and kitchen counters should be in by then. I should be ready for tile work in early March. I will take pics as I go.


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## slmc (May 21, 2004)

A buddy of mine and I did this in my master bath. Took four full days for the tub, floor, and half wall in the toilet room. That includes laying the wiring for the heated floor. Heated floor is great. If you do everything on a 45 plan on it taking longer. Make sure you have a good tile saw.


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## carryyourbooks (Feb 13, 2009)

pm swampus on here. he'll fix ya up right!


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## agonzales1981 (Jun 12, 2008)

I'd go w/ a tile floor vs. the fiberglass or marble bottom, tile just looks better. Maybe some river rock on the floor, seen a few of those lately. Get a new valve/trim for the shower and bath while you're at it, maybe add a handheld on a slide bar in the shower. Give me a buzz if you have any questions about the valve/pan I can answer questions for ya or do it if you're not comfortable.


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