Help with bathroom remodeling

[jjs]

I am in the process of getting quotes for remodeling our bathroom for a roll in shower, sink, countertop and toilet. I am confused and am having a hard time finding information about these items. The contractors are all giving me different opinions about the roll in shower. They say buy a fiberglass fully surrounded shower or do a ceramic tile shower with a drain in the bathroom floor. I wanted shower doors to help keep the water in, but they are saying that won't work. I have stayed at hotels where they have the drain in the bathroom floor so the water just flows out of the shower and runs down the drain. It became very messy. I have never seen the fiberglass tub surrounds for wheelchairs. I am being told the toilet will cost around $300. Can't I just get a 17-19" toilet at home depot? Any help or info on your situations or how you remodeled would be greatly appreciated. Or any websites I could visit to get info. Thanks
Jessica

[giambjj]

Go the ceramic route it is cheaper and skip the doors. Use a shower curtain if you must.

[FREEJ]

HI JJ, CHECK OUT ''NOEL'S'' POST ON 8/14. E/M HIM IF YOU HAVE SOME Q'S, A FIRSTHAND OPINION CAN BE QUITE HELPFUL. GOOD LUCK.

[rtr]

I have a roll-in shower. It's pretty roomy, ceramic tile with a drain in the middle.
___________
|.....x.....|
|]............|
|]....o.......|
|..............|
\..............|
\_________|

The angle is the entrance, slightly ramped. The x is the showerhead. The o is the drain. The ] is a towel bar. Water doesn't splash out and it drains just like it should. I love it.

The drawing doesn't look right. It's really a square shower. Never could draw.

[This message was edited by rtr on August 24, 2001 at 12:53 AM.]

[This message was edited by rtr on August 24, 2001 at 12:54 AM.]

[This message was edited by rtr on August 24, 2001 at 12:54 AM.]

[stephen212]

I renovated my bathroom (5' X 8') a few years ago repositioning all the fixtures. To achieve a roll-in shower the entire bathroom became, effectively, a shower. The entire bathroom floor has a single lead pan beneath it to protect against leaks to the floor below. (Lead pans are always placed under bathtubs and shower stalls to protect against leaking.) Two drains were installed, one directly below my wall-mounted shower seat, and another positioned a few feet away. The floor is pitched so that water flows towards the drains and not into my bedroom. No problems to date. I use a basic shower curtain to maximize maneuverability.

[tvot]

I made the mistake of getting a fiberglass unit, yes it's easy and less exspensive but how do you get over that 2 inch lip? Oh build a ramp, thats how I got burned listing to his ham and egger.

I recently moved and had a roll-in installed like Stephen described, the only difference is they now use heavy gauge vinyl instead of lead.

If you can afford it go that route.

[Sue Pendleton]

We're on a slab so it took breaking through it to angle the shower area down. But well worth it! All ceramic with the bathroom blue board behind the walls and reinforced walls where the grab bars are. Cheapest thing was a handheld shower from Sammons Preston for about $45 that attaches to the regular showerhead. Push a button and it switches ove to the handheld. This way both my husband and I can use it. Oh...and the handheld comes with 2 stick on holders for the handheld. They are terrific for stick on types! Just makes sure the tile they go on is clean, dry and don't cross a grout line. Also have a shower curtain hanger that crosses the entire shower area. Takes an extra wide curtain.

[219152]

We just finished having a shower put in and after 18 years of sponge baths we are real happy with the way it turn out.We tore a wall out and had a 5'by 10' area to put it in.We went with the 3"Mozaic floor tile,they told us the Mozaic tile would not be as slick when wet and that the tiles are least likely to crack using the smaller tiles and easier to lay when laying them on a sloped floor.They cut the floor out and reinforced the floor joist with 2" by 6" and put floor jacks on cement blocks in the crawl space before they poured a 2" cement floor and put a rubber bladder on top of it.The bladder keeps the water from seeping down through the cement. After putting the bladder down they poured another 2" of cement and sloping it towards a drain in the shower area.The drain had holes in the side of drain pipe so if any water was to seep through the tile and top layer of cement it would reach the bladder and go down the drain. We took the tile all the way to the ceiling in the shower area with a hand held shower sprayer water goes just about everywhere and we had a mounted shower head also put in so if and able body person decides to use the shower they just flip a knob and it changes over to it.We went with recessed can lights in the shower and above the sink and are real happy with the lighting. We also went all the way around the rest of the bathroom before they put the tile and green board on and put 2" by 6" between each 2" by 4" wall stud so if later we wanted to put any more grab bars on it is hard to tell where you want them until you get in the shower with your chair.We also went with a 40" pocket door it slides inside the wall and just pulls out when you need it, I wish I could have one on every doorway they are great.You don't have to worry about going around or hitting the door either. We did put several coats of clear polyurethane on the door to protect it from water.We had a 24" by 30" wall cabinet mounted above the toilet you will have to get a 12"deep one and cut it back to 9" sticks to far out and when getting up from the toilet you hit it, great for putting all your stuff in.We went with the shower curtain and works great.Make sure they lower the light switchs and the mirror so you can be able see and reach them.Like I said earlier we are real happy with it, the only problem has been our married friends have asked to try it out?????