# my bathroom renovation



## rb_in_va (Mar 10, 2007)

I have learned something in my first few minutes het at DIY Chatroom. I am renovating my bathroom and was reading up on some techniques for tiling walls and showers. I knew about the Durock but not about the builders felt. That is a great tip. Anyway, here is my situation.


The other day I was in the shower and I noticed a gap between the soap dish and the tile it was mounted to. I pushed on it a little with my
finger and it popped out and pretty much fell into my hand! Behind the soap dish I could see moist and moldy drywall. I had intended to renovate this bathroom anyway, so here we go. Let me explain the details of the bathroom and what I plan to do.


- The shower has 4" tile surround
- The tub is metal of some sort
- I would like to install a jetted tub
- The sink and vanity, and mirror over the vanity will be replaced
- The floor has subway tile which will need replaced with 8" or 12" tile
- I would like to put some sort of heating mechanism under the new tile
- The commode is in good condition, and could stay if need be
- There is a second full bath in the house to use while this one is being worked on


I originally posted this on another forum, but was not getting any response. I began demolition this morning and have all the tile down around the shower. I am confident in my DIY skills (other than the jetted tub install, not sure how hard that is) to complete this renovation, but have some questions. Do modern bathrooms get tiled all the way up to the ceiling? I am sure I will have more questions as I get deeper into the project. Attached are some pics of the before bathroom.

*** Edit: I realize some of these things may be beyond my abilities, and I am fine with hiring a pro but I think I can do the majority of the work myself.


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## redline (Mar 5, 2006)

rb_in_va said:


> ... Do modern bathrooms get tiled all the way up to the ceiling? ...



That is your choice. Some people like the tile to go to the ceiling others like it to be lower.


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## overkill (Mar 15, 2007)

*other things to know*

If you are concerned with the mold, you should hire an expert as insurance to trea the bath. It could be worse than you imagine. Usually they will look at it and give you a free estimate. You can use an environmental engineer or Servepro, etc. I had this problem in one of the houses I was building. To treat the Master bath and floor joists below , it cost about $900... which is less than you'll pay in attorney's fees if you sell the house and have a problem. If they treat it, it's their baby.

The jacuzzi tub needs a gfi protected plug installed underneath for the motor. Other than that, it's like a regular tub. Just in case, get some specs on the tub from the manufacturer to make sure you're set up right. 

You need green board sheetrock for the bathroom, since it sounds like you need to replace it. 

The rest sounds DIY friendly. Just make sure to shut the water supply off!


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## overkill (Mar 15, 2007)

*one more thing*

I live in Tennessee, our codes are lax compared to VA. About the plastic vapor barrier, you should not install it or kraft-faced insulation behind the tile because it will create a double vapor barrier and potentially give birth to more mold. You should use unfaced R-13 or 15, per local codes.


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## Hobb3s (Apr 2, 2008)

Oh my, it's frightening how much your bathroom looks like mine.. except for the colour scheme. I have that same thick tile all the way around, except in a pastel lime green. I'm just about to start renovating it myself. Demo is scheduled for the weekend after this one. How was removing the tile, any recommended techniques?
As for your question, I've found that most 'new' places tile to the ceiling around the tub/shower, but not the rest of the room.


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## rb_in_va (Mar 10, 2007)

Hobb3s said:


> Oh my, it's frightening how much your bathroom looks like mine.. except for the colour scheme. I have that same thick tile all the way around, except in a pastel lime green. I'm just about to start renovating it myself. Demo is scheduled for the weekend after this one. How was removing the tile, any recommended techniques?
> As for your question, I've found that most 'new' places tile to the ceiling around the tub/shower, but not the rest of the room.


I had forgotten about this thread. My bathroom is complete! I actually had a friend do it, and we spent a ton of cash on it. Here's a couple pics of it. I did do some demolition on the tile, but my friend finished it, and got it done a lot quicker than I would have. A big sledge hammer is the way to go. It is hard to get through the tile and drywall with anything else I think. Wear eye protection too.


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## pear13792430 (Mar 28, 2008)

Nice job. I hope mine turns out that good when I get enough cash saved up to do it.


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## Hobb3s (Apr 2, 2008)

rb_in_va said:


> I had forgotten about this thread. My bathroom is complete! I actually had a friend do it, and we spent a ton of cash on it. Here's a couple pics of it. I did do some demolition on the tile, but my friend finished it, and got it done a lot quicker than I would have. A big sledge hammer is the way to go. It is hard to get through the tile and drywall with anything else I think. Wear eye protection too.


Nicely done. Hopefully mine turns out looking as good. We've got the money saved up (given that I do most of it myself) and so now we're just picking out all the materials to get ready for it.... and I'm researching a ton to find the best ways to do all the stuff I've never done before... hopefully I'll be all done well before the little bambino arrives in August.


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## ACobra289 (May 25, 2007)

Hobb3s,

If you have any trouble getting some of your tile questions answered, here is a GREAT tile website. I am not affiliated with it in any way, other than asking for help on the tile jobs I have done. 

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=11

Good luck on your project.

Bill M


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## HouseSergeon (Apr 6, 2008)

rb_in_va said:


> I have learned something in my first few minutes het at DIY Chatroom. I am renovating my bathroom and was reading up on some techniques for tiling walls and showers. I knew about the Durock but not about the builders felt. That is a great tip. Anyway, here is my situation.
> 
> 
> The other day I was in the shower and I noticed a gap between the soap dish and the tile it was mounted to. I pushed on it a little with my
> ...


 
Brfore deciding on a jetted tub, go shopping, you have a tiny space to work with. I have some more practical ideas for you if you want. E-mail me at [email protected].


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## Hobb3s (Apr 2, 2008)

ACobra289 said:


> Hobb3s,
> 
> If you have any trouble getting some of your tile questions answered, here is a GREAT tile website. I am not affiliated with it in any way, other than asking for help on the tile jobs I have done.
> 
> ...


Thanks I'll definitely check it out!


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## rb_in_va (Mar 10, 2007)

HouseSergeon said:


> Brfore deciding on a jetted tub, go shopping, you have a tiny space to work with. I have some more practical ideas for you if you want. E-mail me at [email protected]


I must have missed your post. The bathroom is already done. It is true the space is small, but the old vanity was large. We went with a 30" vanity, and moved the toilet over to be centered between the jetted tub and vanity and it worked great! There was a leak in the toilet supply line, so we had to dig it up anyway.


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