i guess it's preference but still makes me wonder who is better. i have an approximate 42 inch square shower stall with offset drain that cannot be moved so i need a custom pan

contractor 1. will make the base approximately 41.5 Wide or so and he said he can keep my existing 2 by framing around where the door and front wall is and just slide the base in sideways and drop it in then build out the wall a bit . he said he would take off the bottom piece of wood but doesnt have to take away the vertical pieces

contractor 2. says all front of shower 2 by must be removed so he can slide the base in. will be 42.5 Wide i believe. then he has to reframe the front of the shower


now i realize framing out is not the end of the world but it is more labor also there will be some header work done as well to open up the shower but still wondering in theory which would be better. the smaller base with wall built up or fit tight with the perfect base?

i can tel you one thing. if these guys come in too high in labor ill be doing it myself and having the base too small and building out the wall.

 

Hopefully you can clarify some things. Is this a new shower? Is it an existing shower? Are the walls already up? Are the walls tiled already? I can't figure the problem with building a shower pan from scratch with a preslope and slope with a pvc liner and proper drain. Maybe posting a picture or two of your shower would help us help you.

 

I'm with Larry in that I am not sure what you have and where you are going. Sounds like a repair, but I hear no allocation for proper waterproofing of the shower after the repair. A quick pic of the area would clear us many questions.

 

How to add pictures....... http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

IMG_0575_zps8e7c0687.jpg Photo by luckydriver | Photobucket

 

You seem to be leaning toward a preformed base given the questions about sliding in. Most bases have built in curbs and therefore, the need for any framing at the front of the shower is eliminated, Get the best fit you can that works with the drain location. Your cement board will sit on the lip of the base and the tile itself will bridge that gap to the actual base.

 

well i'm pretty sure i need framing to hang the glass door so he would have to put it back up. i dont want to pay for a custom door. i want to find out from the glass company what is standard and if i have ot move some studs, so be it.

also im pretty sure its a one piece curb that goes over the lip of the pan but i dont have the drawing with me.

i just was curious if it really is easier to rip out all that front framing instead of just building out a wall half inch or so. as a NON contractor , to me it seems so much easier to have a smaller base and build out the wall if i do it myself rather than rip all that down just to squeeze in the perfect size base.

 

welp 1st estimate was 4800 and 1800 is the walls and base alone. so looks like unless my other contractor ever gets back to me this will be a DIY thing for me and ill have to learn as i go along