Bathroom help

So we closed a couple of weeks ago and as we start trying to make things livable in the house, we started cleaning of course. And I found a nice little surprise in the tub..... There was a big rubber mat in the middle of the tub and as I am about to clean it and lift up the mat, I see underneath the mat, the bare bones of the tub!!!! Meaning, I see the metal of the tub. All of the white porcelain has been worn down to the basic metal, which by the way was the size of the rubber mat. Of course my mom had something to say about that, as in why we didnt notice it during our walk through. But who actually lifts up the bath mat to expect to see the metal being concealed by the rubber mat! I was going to try to epoxy it but have been disappointed from stage one which was applying the alkyd primer which did not stick, so i haven't even gotten to the actual epoxying part yet.

To not make a long story longer, we need a new tub! We were thinking about bathfitters and was quoted about 3500, for the tub and wall above. I think we can get it done cheaper, by buying a tub at Home Depot, hiring a plumber to install and retiling the bathroon ourselves. What are your opinions? Please help! I need advice. What have you done and can you recommend anything, plumbers, diy techniques. PLEASE HELP, we are on a very tight budget. Any suggestions are appreciated.

TIA!

Re: Bathroom help

Im sorry

I do think Bath Fitters is always expensive. Id get some more prices

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$3500 is crazy! Maybe get estimates from Home Depot and Lowes?

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My advise is to replace the tub - Look in the pennysavers for a contractor to do it - and if you can re-tile it your self.... IMO I dont think bathfitters is a good idea...

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What about having it reglazed? DH did that in his old apartment and the tub looked like brand new.

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We recently did our bathroom over ourselves after getting quotes for around $7500!!! However, I have a brother in law who is very handy and put in our new tub, toilet, sink, vanity, wainscotting, tile, new wood floor and new plumbing himself. My DH helped him...but, BIL did most of the work.

We saved sooo much doing it this way...so, if your DH is handy or you have someone who can help you, I suggest going this route.

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Posted by PiyoPika566

$3500 is crazy! Maybe get estimates from Home Depot and Lowes?

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i think buying a new tub and doing it yourselves would come out cheaper

Re: Bathroom help: Updated

Thanks you all for your responses.

So here is what we've decided.
I was reading through someone's post about glazing the tub and have decided to use Glazetec to glaze our tub.

So now, here comes the problem. We were also going to have them glaze the tile, but where the original tiles were, the original owners had put in one of those acrylic pieces on top of the tiles. Something like bathfitters. So DH and I had pulled the acrylic off last night so the glaze guy can come today to do the tiles and bathtub, then we find, all the tiles right above the bathtub were either loose or gone. Which means we would need to retile.

DH has doubts that we can tile the walls ourselves. I think we can do it. Those that have done it themselves, can you give me some pointers and tell me if it really is easy? DH wants to hire someone to put it in, but I am trying to be as cheap as possible. But if you know someone who is good and for a relatively good price, please let me know. Please help!

Thanks for listening.
TIA!

Re: Bathroom help

We did the whole lower bathroom over for around $3500.00. We had someone install the tub/toliet/sink but we bought the materials straight from H/D and the tiles were relatively cheap. They sell at H/D a U TILE IT tape and believe me, if my hubby (who had ZERO home improvement skills when we started) can do it, so can you. Once he got started though with the tiling, I couldn't stop him. He tiled the kitchen backsplash, the lower foyer, the dining room, etc.

Ask Jamie, it turned out great.

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Posted by ambersmom

We did the whole lower bathroom over for around $3500.00. We had someone install the tub/toliet/sink but we bought the materials straight from H/D and the tiles were relatively cheap. They sell at H/D a U TILE IT tape and believe me, if my hubby (who had ZERO home improvement skills when we started) can do it, so can you. Once he got started though with the tiling, I couldn't stop him. He tiled the kitchen backsplash, the lower foyer, the dining room, etc.

Ask Jamie, it turned out great.

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you guys can do it, I believe in you!!