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Hi everyone. I'm in the process of making a few upgrades. The master bathroom has a free standing shower with the ubiquitous molded fiber glass or whatever fake material it is for the shower. I always am surprised when I see this in new builds. This house was a new build not that long ago.
I mean really... how much more could it have been to put in tile in the first place? I'm guessing it is a standard sized shower stall. A thousand? Maybe 2k? The space is not that big. It would have made a big difference visually.
Anyway, I am considering having the shower surround removed and replacing with tile. Haven't had any estimates yet. Based on what I've looked up, depending on the quality of the tiles, the design and all - it should probably be about a thousand or so, with labor being the greatest expense not the tiles.
Mine is exactly like yours. The rest of the house looks nice, but the plastic shower in the master looks ultra cheap. Well, any money saved goes into builders wallet - who doesn't want more profits.
My neighbor who has the exact same bathroom as mine re-did hers with tile and glass enclosure and I believe it was $3k. The glass can be close to $1k, labor is the bulk of the cost. Would love to see what you decide on.
Is it really that much cheaper for builders to use a plastic shower surround than tile?
Absolutely. Beyond the materials costs involved you don't need another trade involved.
Most carpenters are plenty qualified to install the plastics -with guidance by the plumber.
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I am considering having the shower surround removed...
Based on what I've looked up, depending on the quality of the tiles, the design and all -
it should probably be about a thousand or so, with labor being the greatest expense not the tiles.
Don't forget the pan and the wall work that probably won't suit the need (as is) with tile.
There are other reaons to use the fiberglass units. We had a custom house built and chose them because it would take less time than putting tiles and glass in. Because we had previously been happy with the fiberglass units and needed to move sooner rather than later (the construction started late due to city bureaucratic hurdles), we stuck with those.
We figured if we wanted something fancier we could always do it later without much ado...unlike new hardwood flooring.
Actually, I prefer the fiberglass one-piece shower stalls. No grout to get all mildewy, and as my contractor explained, when the stall & pan are one module, it eliminates leaking at the joint. I don't get that much of a charge out of the fancy tiled bathrooms on the house porn shows. I want something that will look good even when I don't clean it.
Actually, I prefer the fiberglass one-piece shower stalls. No grout to get all mildewy, and as my contractor explained, when the stall & pan are one module, it eliminates leaking at the joint. I don't get that much of a charge out of the fancy tiled bathrooms on the house porn shows. I want something that will look good even when I don't clean it.
That is why we liked ours, too. I like that tile allows more creativity in appearance, but, geez, it's a bathroom, not a showcase. Cleanliness matters most, and wet tile is harder to keep clean.
Those house porn shows have lots of other touches that make me gag. We built for practicality and our lifestyle, not for showing off or pretending we are rich.
I'm not sure how much the shower pans cost. Our old house had a marble surround and the fiberglass pan. I HATED that thing. I've never really been a fan of fiberglass showers/tubs anyway. As for installation though, you can get a fiberglass shower installed in a day, ready for use. Tile, takes however long to install, grout--wait a few days for that to dry, seal the grout, another few days so yes, installing the fiberglass is easier. Some people don't want to have to deal with grout, cleaning, etc. We just replaced a tile shower, what a mess it was to take out, but we put in new tile and I do love the tile. It was about $1000 of cheap labor and about $350 in tile to do the whole thing. We could have spend a LOT more on the tile--just depends on what you want. The first tile I picked out was going to cost $5000 just for the tile .
I had to do a remodel after a fire and I considered tile but it was too expensive. I priced what I would have wanted, plus installation and it wasn't worth it to me. The fiberglass thing worked and it was much cheaper. The bathtub has a shower curtain in front of it and frankly I didn't care that much, and the people who live in the house don't care at all.
If I cared to spend more for what I really wanted, then I would go for it. That is a customization that costs more and the cost is included in the pricetag of the house. If you look at it that way, then you can have your bathroom however you want and you will pay for it either way.
Yes, it really is cheaper to use a plastic shower surround.
To speak to the whole HGTV influence; while it is surely there, I really prefer the timeless look of tile. The realness of it.
Just as I thought, the cost is not hugely different, its the labor and time aspect.
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Originally Posted by MrRational
Absolutely. Beyond the materials costs involved you don't need another trade involved.
Most carpenters are plenty qualified to install the plastics -with guidance by the plumber.
Don't forget the pan and the wall work that probably won't suit the need (as is) with tile.
Can you explain further? Thanks.
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