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[undisciplined]

My plumber (whose work I like and trust) employs a guy who plumbs but also does minor remodel/construction jobs. He gave me a quote for building a mud-floor, tiled shower stall (36 inches square) for $3600. This includes builder-grade generic tile (or, if we choose and provide our own tile, they knock off $300). Does this sound reasonable? For Big, Exciting City, it sounds reasonable to me, and I am tempted to forgo getting other bids. (I know, I know...) This includes jackhammering up the basement floor and installing a drain. What say you, handy forumites? Thanks.

[msmicrobe]

Post your questions about home repair to this form: http://www.handymanwire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

I've posted questions there and gotten great help. I'm in the middle of a new-to-me project now and the folks there are walking me through each step, patiently answering questions. Last year, I did a different but needed repair and they saved me hundreds of dollars in hired help fees. When I posted pics of my finished (but not pretty!) efforts as a thank-you/update, I was congratulated by all.

There are tile experts, painting experts, carpentry experts... I cannot overstate this resource. One fellow can explain the chemistry of paint in more detail than you'd ever need for most purposes. They are to home repair what the CHE is to higher education.

As far as the quote, Undisciplined, What all is included? Are you having all the plumbing behind the walls done, too? New faucet, shower head? Are you taking the walls down to the studs or is this a brand new home you are finishing for the first time? Is there water damage that needs to be addressed prior to the new instillation?

As far as the drain in the basement... how far are you from the other house waste lines? Will the drain be downhill from the lowest tie-in point? I ask because all of these things contribute to the overall bid. Do get other bids.

Get a contract in writing before any work is started. Handshakes are worth the paper they are written on.

[undisciplined]

Thanks for the link, msmicrobe. As far as the current quote: this is to add a totally new shower in an existing half-bath in our mostly-finished basement. So--all the plumbing pipes are right there. Includes plumbing, drain, construction and tiling of new walls, plus a Delta shower head. But NOT a door, although they did refer us to a company that warantees their doors. We might just use a shower curtain instead.

As far as the drain in the basement... how far are you from the other house waste lines? Will the drain be downhill from the lowest tie-in point?

The house's two baths are stacked one on top of the other. I'm not positive about the answer to your last question.

[biomancer]

My plumber (whose work I like and trust) employs a guy who plumbs but also does minor remodel/construction jobs. He gave me a quote for building a mud-floor, tiled shower stall (36 inches square) for $3600. This includes builder-grade generic tile (or, if we choose and provide our own tile, they knock off $300). Does this sound reasonable? For Big, Exciting City, it sounds reasonable to me, and I am tempted to forgo getting other bids. (I know, I know...) This includes jackhammering up the basement floor and installing a drain. What say you, handy forumites? Thanks.

For having to bust through concrete and do all the plumbing and tiling, I think that's a very reasonable price.  You might want to get other bids just to compare the itemization, though.  There may be "hidden" costs that this remodeler didn't include for some reason.

FWIW, I ran some numbers on what it would take me to do a similar remodel on an upstairs bath - no concrete demolition, but I will be tiling the floor.  I'm looking at around $900 in materials (tile + fixtures), and probably another $500 in plumber costs, and doing the tile work myself.  So, your guy must be giving you a pretty reasonable rate on the labor.

Also FWIW, you'll probably find it worthwhile to pick out your own tile.  Just ask the remodeler how much tile you'll need (remember that he'll need extra to cut partial tiles).

[msmicrobe]

As far as the drain in the basement... how far are you from the other house waste lines? Will the drain be downhill from the lowest tie-in point?

The house's two baths are stacked one on top of the other. I'm not positive about the answer to your last question.

In some houses, depending on layout and construction date, the drain you want to put in could be positioned at a point lower than where the connection to the main line would be. That's a big problem because water runs downhill, not uphill. :-) But even if it is downhill, is the hill steep enough to help remove the water from the shower?

http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Plumbing_Waste_Removal_and_Basement_Bathrooms-Pipes_Drains_and_Fittings-A2546.html explains it pretty well.

[undisciplined]

Good ole Bob Vila! Yeah, I understand what you're asking now. I believe we already discussed this with him but I will doublecheck with Mr. Undisciplined. I think I am also going to just ask for a couple of references on these showers. I plan on a tile shopping trip, if only to satisfy myself that the existing choices are fine. Honestly, we have to work with a tile that looks good with the existing newish floor tile, which is that unobjectionable (but unimaginative) brown, rustic 12" tile. The three tiles he showed me were: glossy cream, matte brown and matte tan.

Anybody have matte tile in the shower? I'm thinking shiny would look cleaner somehow.