What the work is
The tub comes out, the valve is replaced, the drain is relocated and the space is waterproofed and tiled or panelled as a shower. It is the single most requested change in the housing stock here.
The parts that decide whether it lasts are behind the finish: the waterproofing system, the slope to the drain, and blocking in the walls. Blocking is worth putting in whether or not you want grab bars today, because the cost of adding it later is opening the wall again.
We will always ask whether you want blocking. It is close to free while the wall is open.
What is included
- Removing the tub and the surround
- New valve and trim
- Drain relocation and the correct fall
- A waterproofing system, installed to the manufacturer's instructions
- Tile or a panel system, set
- Blocking in the walls where you want it
- Disposal of everything that comes out
What is not
- Moving walls or the door
- Electrical, which is our licensed electrical partner's
- Repairing subfloor rot found once the tub is out, which we will show you and quote
- Any claim about resale value
Ask for the blocking, and ask what it holds
A grab bar has to be able to take a 250 pound force. That comes from what is behind the wall, not from the bar. While the wall is open, blocking costs very little; afterwards it means opening it again.
If staying in the house is any part of why you are doing this, the accessible living side of the guide below is worth reading before you finalise the layout.
If your association has to approve it
A bathroom is inside the unit and most associations have nothing to say about it, but that depends on your documents rather than on the general rule. The guide below sets out when an association does have a say.
What to ask anyone quoting this, us included
- What waterproofing system, and installed to whose instructions?
- Is blocking included, and where?
- What happens if there is rot under the tub?
