I consider myself a pretty handy person, I'm a mechanic by trade but for the pass couple years I've been dabbling in minor home repairs. As homeowners we try doing for ourselfs before calling in the pros. So here's a bathroom project I've been toying with. One of my bathrooms upstairs has a shower stall and with two little kids this is impractical for us. For this reason the kids get there bath in the master bathroom.

How involved can it be to remove a shower stall and install a shower/tub combo? The following pics don't show the bathroom in full detail but you can see where there would be enough room to install a standard tub once the stall was removed.





I'm thinking
-turn off main water supply
-remove fixtures
-remove shower stall enclousure
-remove sheet rock down to studs
-remove the shower pan
-cap water lines in order to turn water supply back on
-inspect sub-floor for water damage
-replace any damage wood flooring
-replace vinyl flooring with tile
-install durarock as the sub wall (I think that's the name)
-install tub (might even go for a whirlpool)
-decide on type of shower enclosure, tile, fiberglass, etc.
-Install new fixtures and seal everything up
-step back, keep fingers cross and enjoy my hard work

FYI:
I've already had the pros come and give me a estimate so I know it's possible. As you can guess this is why I'm here asking these questions

I also realize that there's probably a lot more involved in doing a project like this, so bare with a rough baseline procedure

Thanks
Mike

 

Plan sounds pretty good. Just a couple things to add. Instead of capping the water supply lines, why not install valves? This way you always have them in case you need them. The drain location will probably change when going from shower to tub and also the size of the drain. Showers typically have 2" drains and tubs (even with showers) only require 1-1/2". Check the size of the drain opening on the new tub. If the new tub is fiberglass or plastic type, make sure you install a mortarbed under it when doing the install. These tubs flex and twist if not properly supported. This is one of the most common problems we hear at DIY. The other most common....How do I access my plumbing? Now is the time to install an access panel if you have a space for it. Good luck with your project.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the mortar bed and size of the drain. I really don't expect doing this project anytime soon but it's good to know my flow chart seemed correct

 

Seeing that shower reminds me of the time my son (then about 3 years old) decided to take a bath in an upstairs shower (much like one in the picture) by covering the drain with a couple of washclothes. I was downstairs and realized something was wrong when water began to run out of the ceiling light fixture and the air conditioning vent.

 

Also, when you install the new tub/shower faucet, be sure to install it with the valve body in the correct position. In another post, I detailed the nightmare caused when my plumber installed the valve body upside down.

Judging from the appearance of your bathroom, your place is fairly recently constructed. You have to wonder what they were thinking putting in a shower rather than a tub/shower in the first place. Since there is an offset in the framing adjacent to the toilet, I'm guessing that you have a 48" shower. If this is this case, what is on the other side of the wall? Although they make tubs to fit in a 48" space, I wouldn't recommend this route. To me, this would convert what is pretty much an adult's bathroom to something that would be a child's bathroom.

However, going from 48" to 60" in your situation will complicate your project because now you will need to move the plumbing (both supply lines and drain) by one foot and rework the framing. Being on the second floor makes this a little easier. A couple of years ago, I replaced a 32" x 32" tiled shower (with a leaking lead pan) with a 48" fiberglass one piece shower. Normally, you can't use a one piece unit in a remodel because it won't fit through anything less that a 36" door. I brought mine in through the front door and slipped it through the space where I took the wall framing down (I removed the toilet and the wall cabinet above it to allow more room to work) . Moving the plumbing was a little complicated since it was on a slab.

If you are planning on removing the shower without removing any walls, you'll probably have to cut it up to get it out. If you take down enough wall to get it out in one piece, you probably can't get anything for it anyway.

Why did I choose to go with a one piece fiberglass shower?
1. It was rental property and I wanted something low maintenance.
2. The guy at Home Depot said it couldn't be done.

On second thought, it was #2 above that convinced me.

 

Yes it's a newer home 11yrs, yes it's currently a 48" shower, there's nothing behind the recess portion (no duct work, electrical, etc. I've checked) but there is a bedrrom closet on the other side and yes I know what they were thinking when the house was built. We are the third owners and I have the original option sheet from the first owners. Basically the shower stall was standard and a tub was an option. Thanks for all the advice and btw did your son ever get his bath that day?

 

As I remember, he was pretty much a prune by the time the water started running through the ceiling, so he was past the showering part and well into the playing part. I think we used every towel in the house and the wet/dry vac to clean it up. Funny thing is, once it all dried out the ceiling wasn't discolored nor did it sag anywhere.

 

I want to replace a Kohler shower head but I am not sure how to remove it. I'm afraid of damaging the main pipe coming out of the wall.

I was able to remove the hood of the shower head but now there is the main pipe with a rounded end. Does that round end come off to where I will have a threaded pipe end expose to screw the new nozzle on?

 

You really should have started a new thread. You would have gotten a response long before now.

The shower "arm" you have will work only for shower heads that will mate (must have a socket) to the ball end. To use a screw on shower head, you'll need to replace the shower arm. You should be able to unscrew it by turning it counter-clockwise. When you install the replacement arm, be sure to use teflon tape of pipe thread compound.