The UGLY TRUTH about one day installations of your new tub to shower conversion.
We’ve all seen the tv commercials and advertising for “one day bathroom remodels. Ever heard the expression ” you get what you pay for”? That’s not always true, sometimes you just get what you are sold.
The “ugly truth”: about one day tub to shower conversions is they are slapped in your bathroom often voiding manufacturer warranties in the process. Combine a one day install with some flimsy acrylic 1/8″ thick wall panels glued over your wall with no waterproofing or vapor barrier and you’ll have an outstanding chance of mold growing behind the wall panels.
If you’re getting a new shower valve installed in your one day installation chances are it’ll be installed with snap together plumbing connections instead of real soldered plumbing joints. If snap on plumbing connections were reliable your whole house would be plumbed with them, but it’s not because homebuilders understand the value in quality work that doesn’t cause them problems later. Even a small leak that is undetectable outside of the wall can still cause rot inside the wall which leads to infestation.
The four ways you are cheated with a one day tub to shower conversion.....
1. The demo.....
A one day installer will demo out just enough to flex flimsy products into the space, oftentimes just installing right over the top of the existing walls, rotted subfloor or worse.
What you should be getting…..
The entire tub/shower area should be demolished down to the studs and bare subfloor. Now you can visually inspect and repair an underlying problems such as rot, infestation or mold. Once this is done you are ready to install the new plumbing to your shower valve, shower head and hand-held wand if equipped.
2. The rough-in plumbing.....
A one day installer will use snap together plumbing fittings that quickly just slide onto a water supply pipe. Unfortunately they’re prone for leaks and drips as well as the possibility of the water pressure blowing it completely apart. The one day installer will use flexible rubber drain pipes so they don’t have to spend time cutting and gluing drain fittings together to tie into the existing drain pipe.
What you should be getting…..
The plumbing connections should be installed to match the existing water supply piping.
- Copper pipes should have solder connections
- Galvanized pipes should be converted to Pex”A” using a galvanized pipe screw in adapter.
- CPVC piping should be glued together with the proper glue.
- Drain piping should be a schedule 40 PVC pipe glued and connected to the existing drain pipe.
3. The shower pan or base.....
The one day installer will install the new shower base without using a mortar or silicone bed resulting in flexes and cracks to the shower base. This voids most manufacturers warranty, its also the main cheat to a one day installation because when bedded properly the installer has to wait for the bed to dry before proceeding.
What you should be getting…..
The shower base must be set in a bedding material, usually mortar and then attached to the wall. When this is done the installer should be done for the day so the bedding material dries with the shower base in place.
4. The wall panels.....
Your one day installer will glue up flimsy acrylic panels over what’s already there, bypassing the need for waterproofing the substrate and/or installing a vapor barrier. Your only barrier against water penetration is a single bead of caulk around the edges and corners.The minute the caulk fails (and it will) you’ve got a hornet’s nest of potential problems including rot, mold and infestation. By the time you notice this outside of the panel it’s too late. You need another expensive bath remodel.
What you should be getting…..
Before installing the wall panels, the installer should inspect and repair any framing concerns followed by installing a plywood substrate on the walls covered in waterproofing. A high quality wall panel system will have coordinating corner pieces to lock the wall panels into a watertight seal insuring the integrity of the shower, its substrate and your investment.
To sum it up…..
Bathroom remodeling with a tub to shower conversion when done properly can add value, beauty and function to your home. Don’t be fooled by gimmicks and sales pitches into buying a tub to shower conversion installed in one day.
A tub to shower conversion project is usually a two day process when done right. Now that you know the “ugly truth” about one day installations why risk your hard earned money and the devaluation of your home value? Here at Knoxville Tub to Shower Conversions we believe in the quality of our work and back it with a lifetime residential warranty. All for a cost comparable with the other guys pushing one day bathroom remodeling. Give us a call at 865-247-5504 to learn more about exactly why you should choose us for your bathroom remodel or tub to shower conversion.
