One of the common things that happens to you when you have done something long enough is you start assuming people around you understand the subject of your work and its intricacies on the same level as you do. To some degree, with advances in technology and information available to us through the internet, many of us these days have a pretty good grasp on many aspects of different fields.
But the truth is this: you can never replace 15 years of experience polishing your craft and learning small new things every day with watching TikTok for 30 minutes, or more. Today I bring to you this technical, dry, and possibly boring blog about bathtub replacement, specifically replacing your tub for either a new tub or a shower base without removing the wall tiles above.
Common Questions About Bathtub Remodeling
What prompted me to write this blog today, you may ask? Well, just today I’ve received two phone calls from prospecting bathroom renovation customers inquiring about replacing an old tub with a new one without fully removing the tile walls above it, and though this may appear to me as such an easy answer, I realize that for many people who are not involved in home renovations, this might be still a valid question.
Can this be done? Will I save money by leaving existing tiles in place? Will this reduce the cost of bathtub replacement? Will work take place much faster since you do not need to do the tiling? In this blog, we’ll try to answer some of these questions and shed some light to the best of our ability on this topic.
Before we dive deep into this subject though, let’s get a couple of things out of the way.
Can You Replace a Bathtub Without Removing Tiles?
First, in bathroom renovations, just as in many other home renovation projects, there is no such thing as “you can” or “you cannot do this or that.” It’s not an ultimate and unconditional yes or no, black or white type situation. As a homeowner, you can do a lot of things, some may lead to very positive things, such as your home being beautiful and improving its value and enjoyment.
On the other hand, it can be less positive, or you can even go as far as violating some building codes and face some horrible consequences. The point is, you can do a lot. However, we should look at this from the perspective of whether doing things one way or another is a reasonable thing to do. We also need to decide whether it would be beneficial for you and your family in the long run.
The assumption is that most, if not all, reasonable homeowners come from the perspective of improving the quality of their home and their life, not making it worse.
Why Consider Replacing a Bathtub Without Removing Tiles?
So why would someone want to remove their bathtub and install a new one without taking the wall tiles off?
It’s a similar concept as why would someone who needs a bathtub drain replacement leave the old drain. There are many good and logical reasons why someone would, in fact, do that.
We’ve had clients tell us “as simple as the tiles on the wall are new and look great, I just don’t use a tub and would like to shower. Instead, let’s remove the tub and add a few rows of tiles down to the new shower base the builder left with enough tiles to do just that.”
In reality, this is a reasonable request within consideration of one’s budget and time.
Advice from Experienced Bathtub Remodeling Contractor
So what would someone like myself, after more than 15 years renovating bathrooms, recommend to my clients and to anyone who is looking to do this kind of work?
As I always say, anyone can do anything they find reasonable, but when it comes to this kind of work, one should approach this with caution.
Ensuring Waterproof Tub Enclosure
Your wall tiles about the bathtub or shower actually form an important part of the waterproofing systems that allows your tub or shower to have a water-tight enclosure. This means direct contact with water won’t pose any risk of leakage, water damage or any sort of deterioration in the short or long term. This is not like skipping an old bathtub faucet replacement. There are larger consequences to consider.
Whatever you do, you must always bring the project to completion with the above in mind. A well-constructed shower consists of a quality shower base and waterproof walls above the base that would house tile installation. Tiles themselves are a cosmetic component that though very effective at repelling water, does not make the shower waterproof. It’s what is behind the tiles that make the shower or bathtub area waterproof.
When you remove the tub or shower base, you inevitably will need to remove the first row of tiles. Once that is done, the waterproof boards behind the tiles will be damaged. Assuming the walls behind are waterproofed in the first place. If you install new tiles over the walls when the waterproof enclosure is already compromised, it’s just a matter of time until your shower starts leaking or deteriorating to the point of failure. So technically, you could achieve your bathtub remodeling goal and replace that tub or shower with a new one without removing all of the wall tiles, but you would do that at the expense of short term benefit for a long term loss.
Real Bathtub Replacement Lessons Learned
In doing bathroom renovation for many years we have seen this approach play out many times, especially when previous homeowners are preparing the house for sale, and do a makeover of their existing bathroom to “spruce it up” and make it look presentable for sale.
A year or two later, new homeowners call us saying they just bought a place and the shower is leaking and tiles are coming off the wall. It’s a sad but all too common phone call.
Check out more: Bathroom Renovation Mistakes To Avoid
Honest Advice for Bathtub Replacement
So what do I advise people to do when they are considering a project similar to this?
I’m being honest and telling them that I won’t do this kind of work and that I suggest they don’t do that either. It may save a few dollars upfront but will lead to problems in the long run and even if they sell the house, I would not want to complete a job knowing the foreseeable problems it’ll present to future homeowners in a couple of years.
My honest advice for anyone looking to do bathtub remodeling without replacing their wall tiles is this:
Do the work properly right away. If the cost prevents you from doing proper work, look for professional bathroom contractors whose pricing structure takes into account proper work and falls within your budget.
If it doesn’t, you can ask the preferred contractor to help with a small discount.
No matter what, do not sacrifice the quality of the work and integrity of the bathroom remodeling you’re planning to do.
All the best, Ben W.