Mold in shower

[Emilie]

OK- we just bought this house in August-
After we moved in my dad came to visit and noticed that the tiles in the shower were plastic- not real tile( the whole bathroom is done in them) I guess this is a big no no and does not belong in a bathroom at least not in the wet shower area,
So he has talked about fixing it temporarily with one of those plastic tub surrounds. Anyhow- last night I was fixing my bath and saw one tile loose... so I thought Oh- I'll look behind.
Major mold- and what looks to me like damage.
Dh said he has checked other ones to hang the shower head- etc and they were not like this- but this one and I am sure others are really gross.

Wondering if anyone has been thru this. I think that a 50$ plastic tub surround is just tacky( I had an old boyfriend who had one duct taped to the wall- so that is what I am pictureing) and if we are going to do anything we might as well do it right. New tile in the shower area..
Anyone remodle a bathroom> Cost suggestions etc
Thanks
Emilie

[Hayes]

Our children's bathrooms have plastic tub surrounds and I like them. They are all one piece, easy to clean, etc. They cn be installed without duct tape! and look nice!

[Emilie]

oh good.... I hope I did not offend- that is just the pic I have in my head!
Thanks
Emilie

[twindaze]

I think that they're fine, I don't love them because I think they're harder to clean than tile, I mean you have to be careful what cleaners you use, obviously the grout is a PITA on tile, but I think they look fine, definitely no duct tape though. LOL

I'd definitely do something immediately though, if water is already getting behind the tiles it will keep getting worse and can become a major problem, honestly, if possible I'd quit using that tub.

[tanjarine]

Maybe this is something you can put through your house insurance ?

[Emilie]

We have a 1000 deductible- so probally not.
My dad is my insurance agent so he would know- but most likely not.
They will be here for the baby( 3 weeks or so) they will handle it then- one way or the other....
It is are only tub- the basement shower is not functional.
I wonder how much it would cost to just retile it tho.
Emilie

[tboroson]

I've seen some tub surrounds that are just naaaaaasty. But, there are some out there that are really nice. The one in our bathroom is very nice. I've had no complaints about it. It's *so* easy to clean. I'd say, go to Lowes and take a look at what all they have available before completely discounting them

[Emilie]

Thanks
Emilie

[marasmum]

Whatever solution you decide on, make sure that you abate (remove) all of the mold. It is a health issue and could possibly grow more by simply covering it with a surround or tile, especially .

[3boysmom]

My dh completely retiled our kids' bathroom - floor,etc. He taught himself how to do it with a little online research. It's beautiful! The plumber that we hired to install the new plumbing (we do leave some things to the professionals!) even said that the tilework looked great and asked who we had hired to do it - dh was so thrilled with that compliment! So, the moral of the story is...it's not too difficult to do it yourself (and well) if you are so inclined.

[Emilie]

How much did the tile cost if I can be so nosey? I do not think it would be that much- and I do think dh and my dad could do it.
And it would look better- only trouble is that we only have the one tub functional now!
Hmmm....
Yes- We are going to be removing all the mold- my mom suggested just covering it up and I threw a fit.
Hump.... just in time for christmas!
Emilie

[3boysmom]

I can't remember exactly (it's been over a year), but I think it was a few hundred dollars for a medium-sized bathroom. We found lovely cobalt blue tiles that could be bought in bulk off the shelf at Lowe's. I'm sure it would be more $ if you went to one of those fancy tile stores.

[marasmum]

Originally Posted by Emilie

How much did the tile cost if I can be so nosey? I do not think it would be that much- and I do think dh and my dad could do it.

I am an interior designer/project manager and have specified a lot of tile over the years! Tile can be as inexpensive or as expensive as you want it to be. Honestly, you will get a better price at a tile warehouse than at the big hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes. Also, 4 x 4 porcelain tiles are the least expensive and the easiest to install. Remember too, that a bathroom is a small area, so if you like a tile that is a bit more expensive, it's usually not that big of a deal because you aren't buying that much!

If you are installing floor tiles, please make sure that they are slip resistant, especially in wet areas like a bathroom! Also, make sure that you use a waterproof backerboard (aka green board - it is much more water resistant than type x gypsum board).

Lastly, is there adequate ventilation in the bathroom (ie an exhaust fan)? When we moved into our current house, there were no exhaust fans in the bathrooms because when the house was built (1955), building codes only required a window for ventilation (total joke!). Anyway, that was a top priority for our bathroom remodeling - install ceiling exhaust fans - they make such a difference (and are not too difficult/expensive to install)! I specified 150 cfm fans and they are wonderful (our bathrooms are approximately 50 sq. ft. each). I don't even have to buy mold/mildew removers anymore because the fans are so effective - yay - no toxins!

HTH!
Laura

PS Personally, I think that tile installation is a true craft - I admire anyone who does it and does it WELL

[Emilie]

Thanks for the info... I just want to do it right ya know- nothing half .....
However it is pertinent that we do it NOW. So that may mean doing something to tide us over like the tub surround.
I would like to take all the tile down and put up bead board,....
Who knows.
Thanks so much!
Emilie