Bathroom upgrades??

[old bear]

I'm thinking about having my 30 year- old master bathroom brought up to date. I see lots of ads for two companies, Bath fitters and Re-bath. If any of you have had experiences with either, good or bad, please share them.


Thanks, Fred

 

[arjay]

I don't,but I was in the biz for decades.Get several estimates and definitely check references

 

[2tall79]

I'm thinking about having my 30 year- old master bathroom brought up to date. I see lots of ads for two companies, Bath fitters and Re-bath. If any of you have had experiences with either, good or bad, please share them.


Thanks, Fred

I was in the remodel business for 40 years and I have to say that any makeover that can be done in one day is just covering up issues. If you plan on living in that house awhile....do it right.

 

[Maddog 521]

I think the Re-bath techniques are just "a patch to match". If you are going to take the time and money to make it the way you want it, do it right.

 

[old bear]

Thanks guys. Anyone else have options to share?

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I plan to do that next year.

I'll have a private contractor do the work. I know him, I've seen his work and he takes "suggestions" (none of this "I'll do it MY way" stuff).

Ya' gotta' make it so you enjoy that bathroom.

-downtown-

 

[pawngal]

I've done 2 minor bath re-habs in the past 5 years.
One turned out great (that was the second one)
1st was a disaster from the start. Irresponsible contractor.

Suggestions, if you don't already have a walk-in shower, get one. Spend the $$ for tile, not one of those fiberglass jobs. A bench in the shower is nice. Wouldn't hurt to have grab bars installed. You might not need them now but that time will come (I know!)
Elevated toilet, quality vanity & sink, heated floor if possible.

One of mine has wood wainscotting, I saved a lot of $$ doing the finish work on that myself 2 coats of a sealer before it was installed and on all the other wood trim.

Jetted tubs are nice, if you use them, otherwise a waste.

My 2 cents worth....

 

[BearBio]

We did two last year: Master and Main baths. The main went first=took forever. Kept the cast iron tub and re-finished it. Tiled stall to the ceiling and raised the shower head! Buy extra tile (20%) if doing it yourself, Definitely elevated and elongated toilet! Be sure to waterproof! Ours turned out REALLY nice.

The Master took the lessons learned from the first one! Took out tub and installed a fiberglass/faux stone (NOT plastic!) floor, walls and contrasting accent strip. Had a local plumber install and we grouted and installed extra tile. Changed hardware to oiled bronze. Again. elevated toilet, changed out toilet mechanism to maximize flow. Looks GREAT.

Recently, I broke my arm in 3 places. Sponge baths and assisted showers for last 4 months. Walk in shower was a God-send!. Likely needing help in the shower until January!

When I'm back to snuff, we're doing the basement shower also!

 

[Golddollar]

Suggestions, if you don't already have a walk-in shower, get one. Spend the $$ for tile, not one of those fiberglass jobs. A bench in the shower is nice. Wouldn't hurt to have grab bars installed. You might not need them now but that time will come (I know!)

I am going to up the ante from nice and desirable to requirements. I had grab bars and seats in the shower put in right at construction. When I was stricken with dizzy spells a few months ago, I didn't have time to retro-fit the grab bars and seats. Being able to shower and shampoo while sitting down prevented a lot of anxiety about falling in the shower because of the dizzy spells, and being able to hold the grab bar is always comforting.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Having lived in a few sub-standard homes over the years, I would recommend the inclusion of at least one toilet, lavatory, shower and/or bathtub. Those features can make a real difference in daily life.

 

[old bear]

Seats and grab bars are on the list. Ever since I fell and brook my foot, I've become a big believer in hand rails. I just spoke with a old line contractor, who done some work for me before and we will get together one day next week, to see what we can come up with.

I'd still like getting suggestions for any of you who've gone through this process.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

My wife has been "redecorating" one of our bathrooms for 15 years. If she ever finishes, she is not starting anymore while I am alive.

 

[Maddog 521]

One other thing to consider if you don't have is,
Installing new doors. The doors to the bedroom and your bathroom should have 3 foot doors. That size opening is needed if a wheelchair is ever needed in your future. It's nice for walkers too. GFCI receptacles should be added too. They are a must to pass code. These 2 items are relatively cheap to do and have a lot of benefit.
Afterthought-----LED lighting as bright as you can get is wonderful. Ask me how I know.

 

[Watchdog]

I upgraded my bathroom just a few months ago.

It's inside the house now.

 

[rock doc]

I can remember using my grandpa's outhouse many years ago. He said he just upgraded it by sanding down the wood splinters around the seat.

 

[v_ger]

We remodeled a bath room and used ReBath and I didn't consider it just a patch. They removed the tub,took everything to bare studs around the tub, installed cement board and then put up a walk-in shower enclosure. We also had them replace flooring an put wainscoting all around room. Same material as the shower.

The stand behind their work too. The job was priced to reuse the toilet. After they finished the toilet leaked, they made one trip to replace the wax seal thinking that was the problem. Still leaked. Came back and put in new toilet at no charge. Told me "We touched it, we own it."

Job was pricey but I'm to worn out to attempt it myself and I am very satisfied.

ETA Made this reply in the wrong place. Looks like I replied to Watchdog, meant to reply to Old bear.

 

[bigwheelzip]

A few of my favorite features have been,
Wall mounted elongated toilets, easier cleanup under bowl.
Vertically adjustable bar mounted / hand held spray head in shower.
If you don't have forced air heat, radiant heat under tile floors, eliminates rusty baseboard enclosures.
A remote mounted ventilation fan that runs absolutely silently and moves enough air to stop shower condensation on walls. For many years we've used these Fantech fans that mount remotely in the attic and they are great. Products | www.fantech.net

 

[walkinghorse]

Some good comments already!
Several things I can add:
1. Have good access panels if/ as needed for plumbing piping, cleanouts, just in case.
2. Ventilation is key as been mentioned already.
3. Elevated elongated toilets make a royal throne!
4. Review accessibility in case an accident occurs.EMR, EMT training and calls show
incidents in a bathroom can create some creative solutions solving this.
5. Be sure to review existing substructure carefully for unknown leaking water issues.
Even slight leaks over time can do a lot of damage!
6. Attachment points and substructure for grab bars are critical! Better to have extra
backing just in case the grab bar locations change later? Note where backing is!
7. As mentioned previously a vertical adjusting shower head system with flexible head
in addition to a fixed head of sufficient height is a godsend.
8. Fixed shower doors or shower curtains? Both have advantages and disadvantages.
9. Confirm sufficient water supply hot and total.

Have fun, and enjoy the new bathroom!

 

[nachogrande]

BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK!

Real estate wise kitchens & bathrooms give the most return on investment. +1 for the high toilet & grab bars, EVERYONE gets older with each day. A bathtub is a slip away from a broken hip for a senior & hard to climb up/over & into with bad knees. Luckily our house was designed & built from the ground up for a wheelchair bound kid, it has come in handy. We just floor tiled most of the house including 2 1/2 bathrooms. Use a good tile & sealer with a splash guard. Wood molding on a bathroom floor is asking for mold/mildew IMO.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Be careful with the contractor you choose. My inlaws had a bathroom redone and it took about 6 weeks and $18,000.00. Then they sold the house and farm and took a big hit on the value.

Have a blessed day,

Leon