Poor thing was neglected and abused for decades. We got by on it for a few months until the remodel/gut of this house and a second new bathroom but it's time for this one. I'd really appreciate advice along the way. It's not a big project but for many reasons things like this get done slowly here. Gimpy lady doing most of this, I have decent skills but pretty elementary knowledge. This fall and winter (hopefully not into next year.....) walls-icky, 1980ish wallpaper floor-water damage, likely the leaking sink & vanity icky + water damage new shower/tub plumbing fixture kit-icky, broke, leaks toilet-already replaced rusted out broken medicine cabinet-already replaced light fixture-already replaced electricity-partially gutted surround over tub for shower is icky
Replace all icky items with non-icky items. Seriously though, if this is a small bath, consider a gut job and a do-ovah.
Hardest part is going to be that cast iron tub, but it's gotta go. Can you get a one piece tub/shower unit in?
I apologize for showing dirty laundry.....gross utility room that has not been updated with the exception of removing the cabinet after the electrical fire. There is a leak where the hot/cold mix in the back, not quite sure where since I don't go in that corner of that room unless necessary, and the shower head is pretty low. I was thinking about new (along with the front fixtures, as you can tell one of the water handles had it way worse than the other stuff. (BTW, water damage from floor is both from the pic #1 leak (small), and the broken handle valve pic #3 (sprays when being used, SORRY, how hard is it to drape a washcloth over it while showering so the water drains into the tub and not sprayed onto the floor and built in vanity ?!? We have a manual pex crimper from revamping the laundry lines, can I use pex to run up for a higher shower head height. Oh, and I think I will move the grab bar for getting up off the potty, or... maybe not, it really helps when feet/ankles or knees act up. Maybe hang it vertical?
wildwest .. Do you need/want to replace tub?? For ease of access?? Most new cheap plastic tubs won't last as long.. Yes you can use pex to go to shower diverter and anything else just need the right fittings.. Before you put shower walls back in make sure to add lots of blocking.. Additional grab bars are cheap and save medical bills!! What is budget, if tub Dosent leak, remove walls around it add add blocking MMR sheetrock and plumbing. Less than 500 for materials if done with non fancy items..
Thank you, that's a major part of why I'd like get back in the old bathroom, new jetted tub in new bathroom is 21" high, old cast iron shorty in old bath is only 13" high. The original plan was radiant flooring in both bathrooms, knocking out the wall between pic 2 and pic 3, and putting in a decent sized walk in shower, but over 4 years now and haven't caught a break in the budget. I'd like to stay under $1k. The tub does not leak and is in pretty good shape, I was going to replace it with walk in shower, but the room was framed around it so it would not fit through the door even if I did hire someone to remove it (and that pesky budget thing) so it will stay. I planned on a new surround and rethinking that too. The long rear wall of the tub & surround is concrete block, sheetrock glued to it, then surround glued to sheetrock. I'm toying with refinishing it with a kit, that back wall seems like it would be an ordeal to remove. Kit is $30, guess I could try it, and if it didn't work then look a new surround? Tub/shower fixtures have been pieced together and rigged multiple times over decades, just going to get a new kit. After looking at the pictures (I avoid that area), I wonder if the the smaller leak on the diverter might be that same broken handle? (as you can see the cover plate is long gone), that would be ideal to only replace fixtures and not worry about plumbing back there. A new shower pik head should give me a couple more inches of height. I just peeked under the sink, interesting, ancient flex copper coming from the under the floor (cement bunker where cistern pump/water lines/septic line is) and directly into the faucet. Guess I'll have to get further into the project on that, hopefully there are shut off valves down there. Atleast it's copper, the kitchen sink here had rigged up garden hoses for the lines when we bought the place
Ok no replacement of tub bonus for budget!! Most cast tubs are built-in IME.. Replace with moen tub shower kit.. About $100 Lifetime warranty, they send you new cartridges if leak.. After year call and get them sent.. Then you have on hand. Put as many shut offs as you can. I've done it a dozen times not sure I can explain it as well as others.. From look of your pics its not all copper its galvanized also. Can you or hubby sweat a joint? Not hard.. Clean very well, flux and use a good (read not cheap BBS) solder.. Umm. Who is resident Plumber?? TurboDiesel you know better than I, young lady..
Thanks!! Edited, Thank You Canadian border VT I did not know what it was. Yes he can, I can too though it's been years. I know we have flux, brushes, pipe cutters, but need to check the solder I don't know what kind it is, and we've actually looked for the torch several times over the last year, it's disappeared. I was eyeing this, it's a Moen Shop Moen Adler Chrome 2-Handle Bathtub and Shower Faucet with Valve at Lowes.com The sink faucet, I was looking for a higher, longer spout, are you hands down Moen on those two or suppose one of these is better than another? Comparison Assistant – Lowe's for Pros
Just an FYI wildwest the second link above is no longer working. edit.. scratch that, it's working now. Gave an error earlier I caught this post at work, so couldn't take the time to comment on the 'icky-ness', and I see the other hoarders have that covered. As far as the tub, it's good you like it, as it's way easier and cheaper to work around it than to rip it out and replace. Now.. that being said, we did manage to get a porcelain/cast tub out of my BIL's upstairs bath many years ago. It only required plenty of Carhartt® clothing, good leather gloves, safety glasses, and one very large sledge hammer. That was not a pleasant experience, but it can be done. For the tub surround, will you be ripping off all the old sheetrock? You may not get a choice if it's all glued together. As to the wall paper, you can remove it, once again a royal PITA, or you could paint or panel. I know you were talking about carpet, but that b'room seems smallish, perhaps a large area rug would suffice, and it would be easily removed for cleaning. Whatever you decide, I along with others will be watching to see how it progresses.
I think you just called Tim “young lady”.....! He’s a princess alright. Nah, just kiddin’ TurboDiesel
I’d lean towards gut job and might as well double the budget now so you can claim you stayed under later First thing shut off water and install isolation valves then the rest of the house can go back to normal.
