Has anyone partially redone their own bathroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not want to spend 20k. I would keep the exact same layout. Thinking of doing demo ourselves, then getting someone to put in tub and shower, and then we do the rest. Do you think it is realistic? How much can we save that way?

How big is your bathroom? Have you called around for estimates and gotten recommendations from friends/neighbors (cheap ones, not folks who want a premium experience).

I think your problem will be finding someone to just put in the tub and shower. Most competent people aren't going to want this crap job. Be prepared for some high estimates (or people not going to be willing to do this at all). Can a handyman do this?

It is big and would be 20k+ I am sure, two full vanities, shower, bathtub, separate room for toilet. I don't trust contractors so alternative is leaving as is.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s okay as long as you’re planning to spend a ton of time and redo a few things. If you’re trying to go close to the bone, I wouldn’t.

I would also try to use Schluter or another waterproofing system with a lot of videos/trainings out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not want to spend 20k. I would keep the exact same layout. Thinking of doing demo ourselves, then getting someone to put in tub and shower, and then we do the rest. Do you think it is realistic? How much can we save that way?

How big is your bathroom? Have you called around for estimates and gotten recommendations from friends/neighbors (cheap ones, not folks who want a premium experience).

I think your problem will be finding someone to just put in the tub and shower. Most competent people aren't going to want this crap job. Be prepared for some high estimates (or people not going to be willing to do this at all). Can a handyman do this?

It is big and would be 20k+ I am sure, two full vanities, shower, bathtub, separate room for toilet. I don't trust contractors so alternative is leaving as is.

I don’t think there’s anyway you get that done for $20k if you’re DIYing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not want to spend 20k. I would keep the exact same layout. Thinking of doing demo ourselves, then getting someone to put in tub and shower, and then we do the rest. Do you think it is realistic? How much can we save that way?

How big is your bathroom? Have you called around for estimates and gotten recommendations from friends/neighbors (cheap ones, not folks who want a premium experience).

I think your problem will be finding someone to just put in the tub and shower. Most competent people aren't going to want this crap job. Be prepared for some high estimates (or people not going to be willing to do this at all). Can a handyman do this?

It is big and would be 20k+ I am sure, two full vanities, shower, bathtub, separate room for toilet. I don't trust contractors so alternative is leaving as is.

With contractors this will cost you significantly more than 20k. You could potentially DIY it for that much but if you have no idea what you are doing it will take you eternity, it is not clear what the result will look like and you might end up making some costly mistakes along the way. Maybe start on a powder room before embarking on this kind of project. There is a reason people pay crazy amounts of money to contractors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We mainly DIY-ed a bathroom and we are not handy.

We laid a new tile floor on top of the existing floor (the threshhold is slightly higher but it’s no big deal); installed a new toilet, vanity/sink and light fixture. We hired someone to “reglaze/spray paint” our tub and wall tiles (you can only choose white or black for this).

We learned how to do this via online how-to articles (there are a million).

There was a reddit FU thread to previous owners and many posters said their leaks happened because of tile over tile in bathroom. One person complained that when they dug it out they found 3 layers of floors and the subfloor was full of mold and warped and there were maggots. Gross.

So there's that for DIY.

Leaks happen bc of poor caulking, not a second layer of flooring. We had a handyman do a bathroom for us and had a terrible leak to the ceiling below because he hadn’t caulked well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We mainly DIY-ed a bathroom and we are not handy.

We laid a new tile floor on top of the existing floor (the threshhold is slightly higher but it’s no big deal); installed a new toilet, vanity/sink and light fixture. We hired someone to “reglaze/spray paint” our tub and wall tiles (you can only choose white or black for this).

We learned how to do this via online how-to articles (there are a million).

There was a reddit FU thread to previous owners and many posters said their leaks happened because of tile over tile in bathroom. One person complained that when they dug it out they found 3 layers of floors and the subfloor was full of mold and warped and there were maggots. Gross.

So there's that for DIY.

Leaks happen bc of poor caulking, not a second layer of flooring. We had a handyman do a bathroom for us and had a terrible leak to the ceiling below because he hadn’t caulked well.

Caulk has absolutely nothing to do with waterproofing a shower.

The underlayment has to be constructed to be completely watertight. After putting down the underlayment and before starting tiling you should plug the drain and fill the shower to the rim with water and leave it for 24 hours. The water level should not drop at all.

Caulk is purely cosmetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We mainly DIY-ed a bathroom and we are not handy.

We laid a new tile floor on top of the existing floor (the threshhold is slightly higher but it’s no big deal); installed a new toilet, vanity/sink and light fixture. We hired someone to “reglaze/spray paint” our tub and wall tiles (you can only choose white or black for this).

We learned how to do this via online how-to articles (there are a million).

There was a reddit FU thread to previous owners and many posters said their leaks happened because of tile over tile in bathroom. One person complained that when they dug it out they found 3 layers of floors and the subfloor was full of mold and warped and there were maggots. Gross.

So there's that for DIY.

Leaks happen bc of poor caulking, not a second layer of flooring. We had a handyman do a bathroom for us and had a terrible leak to the ceiling below because he hadn’t caulked well.

omg stop. Caulking doesn't stop leaks. You need waterproofing UNDER the tile. Sorry but handymen shouldn't be doing bathrooms. It's hard to grade a shower to make sure water doesn't pool, to install the right backing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We mainly DIY-ed a bathroom and we are not handy.

We laid a new tile floor on top of the existing floor (the threshhold is slightly higher but it’s no big deal); installed a new toilet, vanity/sink and light fixture. We hired someone to “reglaze/spray paint” our tub and wall tiles (you can only choose white or black for this).

We learned how to do this via online how-to articles (there are a million).

There was a reddit FU thread to previous owners and many posters said their leaks happened because of tile over tile in bathroom. One person complained that when they dug it out they found 3 layers of floors and the subfloor was full of mold and warped and there were maggots. Gross.

So there's that for DIY.

Leaks happen bc of poor caulking, not a second layer of flooring. We had a handyman do a bathroom for us and had a terrible leak to the ceiling below because he hadn’t caulked well.

Caulk has absolutely nothing to do with waterproofing a shower.

The underlayment has to be constructed to be completely watertight. After putting down the underlayment and before starting tiling you should plug the drain and fill the shower to the rim with water and leave it for 24 hours. The water level should not drop at all.

Caulk is purely cosmetic.

I’m the poster who said we laid a new tile floor on top of the old one. It was the bathroom floor, as I said we had the tub/wall tile reglazed, so no idea why you are going on about waterproofing the shower in response to my post. So any leaks, of which to date there have been none, would be from poor caulking which we spent a lot of time being careful with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We mainly DIY-ed a bathroom and we are not handy.

We laid a new tile floor on top of the existing floor (the threshhold is slightly higher but it’s no big deal); installed a new toilet, vanity/sink and light fixture. We hired someone to “reglaze/spray paint” our tub and wall tiles (you can only choose white or black for this).

We learned how to do this via online how-to articles (there are a million).

There was a reddit FU thread to previous owners and many posters said their leaks happened because of tile over tile in bathroom. One person complained that when they dug it out they found 3 layers of floors and the subfloor was full of mold and warped and there were maggots. Gross.

So there's that for DIY.

Leaks happen bc of poor caulking, not a second layer of flooring. We had a handyman do a bathroom for us and had a terrible leak to the ceiling below because he hadn’t caulked well.

Caulk has absolutely nothing to do with waterproofing a shower.

The underlayment has to be constructed to be completely watertight. After putting down the underlayment and before starting tiling you should plug the drain and fill the shower to the rim with water and leave it for 24 hours. The water level should not drop at all.

Caulk is purely cosmetic.

I’m the poster who said we laid a new tile floor on top of the old one. It was the bathroom floor, as I said we had the tub/wall tile reglazed, so no idea why you are going on about waterproofing the shower in response to my post. So any leaks, of which to date there have been none, would be from poor caulking which we spent a lot of time being careful with.

Not that PP. I'm the one who mentioned the reddit post. One comment said something about wax rings at the toilet base. Looks like laying tile tile does something in that area, causing problems in future.

[Anonymous]

I'm unable to link that thread due to the language in title, but search r/DIY or just Google 'to my house previous owners reddit' and it shows up

[Anonymous]

Sure. At my last house, I ripped out the wall tile myself, put in wooden wainscoting, replaced the sink, replaced the toilet. I hired out demo and replacement for the floor, the tile around the tub, and replacing the tub/shower combination. It worked out really well. It was a great bathroom and I saved a significant amount of money. By the time I sold the house it was 10 years old (didn’t look it, it was classic black and white) and zero problems.

[Anonymous]

Sorry this is the search that brings up reddit thread:

"reddit to the previous owners fu"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure. At my last house, I ripped out the wall tile myself, put in wooden wainscoting, replaced the sink, replaced the toilet. I hired out demo and replacement for the floor, the tile around the tub, and replacing the tub/shower combination. It worked out really well. It was a great bathroom and I saved a significant amount of money. By the time I sold the house it was 10 years old (didn’t look it, it was classic black and white) and zero problems.

You would not know the problems that show up later, but the new home owners would. But that said, good thing you didn't do the floors in bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Why wainscot in a bathroom though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you people disclosing when you sell your house that you DIYd the plumbing and tile?

With a lot of contractors around here, it looks and performs the same. The former owners of our house hired "professionals" who did a diy quality job.

I would do the tiling and just hire a plumber to do the plumbing portion.