How To Remove a Fiberglass Shower Without Destroying the Bathroom 

I had a question about your removal process of the fiberglass shower stall... why did you have to cut the shower stall in sections and cut the sheetrock just to remove the shower stall? Why can't you just cut along the caulking around the edge of the fiberglass shower stall and then just remove the entire fiberglass shower stall in one piece? Thus not needed to damage or cut away any piece of the sheetrock?

Bernie Cruz how do you propose getting an entire fiberglass shower through a house? Cutting it into sections is mostly so that we can get it outside.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy Ah then how would it have gotten into the house in the first place? But my main curiosity is can the fiberglass shower be taken out as one whole piece without cutting it up and without cutting up the sheetrock?

Bernie Cruz These units are installed while the house is under construction. They’re typically installed during the framing stage, once the roof is on.

Bernie Cruz there’s really not a way to take these out without cutting the drywall out of the way.

Some of my newer videos have the tool noise in them. I do try and reduce the volume, I know it’s loud. Thank you for the compliment, I really appreciate it.

Thank you for the comment, good luck on your project.

I’m glad I was able to help you out. Good luck with your project.

Thanks for the great compliment, I appreciate it.

Thank you for watching. I’m glad that I was able to help, even a little, even from a distance.

My fear is cutting something I can’t see. Thank you for the comment and watching my video.

Good luck with your project.

Thank you so much for the compliment

Thank you for watching

Good luck with your projects, thank you for watching my video.

I’m glad we could help. If you have any other questions, please feel free to share them below. We love helping people with their remodeling projects.

That how I just felt also. I try to hire 3 ppl to do my shower and they all flaked. So I’m going to do it on my own

Thank you for the suggestion

+golf-freq Thank you

Good luck with your project, I’m glad I could help you.

Thanks for watching, I’m glad I could help you out.

I’m glad I could help

Good job!

What is that saw? I can't figure out what to search for. And what would you use if you didn't have that saw?

We take ours to the county dump

Thank you for watching

Glad I could help, thanks for watching

Breaking things is bad

I’m a tile installer, the videos I have of the replacement will be of a tile shower.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy will be happy to see that!

Good tip

My pleasure

That’s a good tip, I’ll remember that. Thank you.

Unfortunately I do not have a video like that.

I don’t take credit for the music selection, that’s Brent’s department. Thank you for the compliment and watching my video.

Here is a Timelapse of the shower walls being installed Time Lapse - How To Install 3x6 Subway Tile Shower Walls Around Niche ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jiOBZ5_5f5I.html

Thank you

I’m glad I could be of service

Normally that’s what we do. I’m not sure why we did it differently on this job. Thanks for watching and for the compliment.

Nice ! I literally sat here for 3 mins and read this. Great comment and great video to EJ flooring

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy Great video and thanks for sharing with us DIYers. Dumb question here as this will be my first one...is the drain salvageable for the new pan or do you have to cut it and start over?

If you’re installing a new shower pan similar to this one there is a chance you can salvage the drain. Most shower drains are a friction fitting. There’s a 2” pipe surrounded by a rubber piece that’s screwed in place with another plastic piece. If you can unscrew the plastic piece then the shower pan will lift off the drain. Simply install the new shower pan and replace the old rubber piece with a new one (may require purchasing a new shower drain) and screw the holding piece back in. You’re good to go. We replace these showers with a different style drain, so we always have to change out the connection underneath. I hope this helps.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy Perfect...thanks again, very helpful!

Good tip

Thank you

Thank you for watching

We do travel

If you’re removing the whole faucet that’s exactly what you need to do. Unless there’s a shutoff at the fixture now your only option is the main shutoff. Get you some push on caps to make it easy to turn the water back on. You shouldn’t be too long without water using those. Thanks for watching.

Thanks for watching

Thank you

My pleasure

Thanks for commenting I appreciate it.

Thanks for the question and for watching the video. Drywall has no place in a tile shower, with the exception if you’re planning on covering it with Kerdi Paper. Drywall is not a suitable substrate as it will break down with continued exposure to moisture. The best thing to use over the studs is concrete board covered with waterproofing. We like the Schluter System shower, but any major manufacturer will work just fine. Be sure to read all the directions prior to starting. If you have any other questions don’t hesitate to post them. I’m happy to help in any way I can.

I’m not familiar with any faucet that requires the water to be off to Remove the handles and trim. You will have to shut the water off to swap out the faucet, but you can replace the handles and escutcheon without shutting the water off first. Does this help you out?

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy yes it does, thank you.

Thank you

You must have a new shower?

Thank you

My pleasure

Just a fine tooth blade on my sawszall, nothing fancy.

We tiled the new shower. It’s a white subway tile shower waterproofed with Schluter Kerdi membrane.

We cut them out the same way. Once the walls are cut down to the tub the tub will fit through the doorways no problem.

You can do it, just be careful.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy ❤

Roxanna Alcalá did you love all that fiberglass dust ? I hope you used a mask.

My general recommendation is to stay away from the ceiling a few inches to avoid that problem. Being that we’re past that point are you tiling to the ceiling? If so I’d install the new board pretty tight to the ceiling and silicone the joint. Then run the tile up and use a color match silicone at the joint again. The color match is the same as the grout color you use on the tile.

Build a temporary wall while you add your header where it needs to be. We typically use 2x4 and plates on top and bottom just tapped tightly into place. Be safe.

Are you ready for an upgrade too?

+BDP 350 this is the video of putting the shower back together. It’s not a complete video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jiOBZ5_5f5I.html

Thank you

They are all about the same to me. If it’s a slab home and you want to move the plumbing to a different wall it can be more difficult because you may have to cut out part of the slab.

I have to access the piping behind the fiberglass and want to reuse the shower if possible

I’m not sure how you’ll be able to save the shower without cutting out different walls. If you can, more power to you. Good luck with your project.

If you’re just fixing the plumbing you have to go in the wall behind the plumbing, not through the tub side.

I guess they didn’t care about the surrounding area

Unfortunately I don’t have a video specific to mobile homes. Rest assured though that most aspects are very similar. I would be happy to answer as many of your questions as I can. Good luck with your project, just take your time and you’ll do fine.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy Thank you so much

This is a 3x4 shower

+Ridwan Ahmed usually the plumbing just gets capped inside the wall. I like to remove it when I can, but there’s nothing wrong with just capping it off either.

Patty Thompson You do have to find a way to cut the shower out at least. Unless your home is new construction, there’s simply no way to get it out in one piece. Sometimes you can get away with leaving the drain pipe, but that depends on the type of connection that was used when connecting it. We usually cut the shower floor around the drain instead of cutting the drain pipe. We will then cut the drain pipe to fit when we install our new shower base.

It likely depends on your location. In my area if the tub/shower is the only thing being changed out no permit is required. If adding or moving plumbing, walls or electric you will likely need a permit. Great question, thanks.

You don't need no stinking permits!

@@russellcyr4867 To move the pipes I would.. I'm considering painting the stupid thing with fiberglass boat paint. Since I don't want to pay $3k for a tub install. ;(

It’s a multi tool. It’s like a vibrating saw. We’ve upgraded to a Milwaukee battery powered one now, but they all work decent enough. I started out using a cheap Harbor Freight one because I didn’t think it was a quality tool. It’s a tool we use a lot. Thanks for the question I really appreciate it.

Thanks for the compliment.

During these unprecedented times masks should always be worn😜

I’m not fixing something that isn’t broke. Just be gentle and almost any tool works fine.

The tub is usually not deeper than 20”. Most doors are minimum 24” (30” is very common). Just carry the tub sideways through the door and it should fit just fine. Thanks for a great question.

Typically the flange is only 1.5” or so wide. 2” is plenty of room for the cut.

Why did u cut the drywall above? Do we have to do that?

We used a sawszall or reciprocating saw to cut the fiberglass. We used a multi tool to cut through the sheetrock.

You’re going to reinstall a fiberglass surround? I would just tape and mud the lip. It will be a thick coat of mud and will take a while to dry but that’s the fastest way I know to do it.

Yes installing a shower kit. I saw you cut around the fiberglass, the green wall. So I would cut that 2 inches piece the patch in

We just use a new fine tooth blade. Cuts like butter with very little chipping.

Your way works as well

I’ll about guarantee that your tub is 60” wide from stud to stud. That’s a standard size for what you’re describing.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy yes i believe so if i measure from stud to stud will be 60 inch means I can install 60inch walk in shower base?

@@danyeldan2139 yes

The alternative is destroying the house. These showers are installed when the house is being framed, they’re one of the first things to be installed. I think cutting the shower up is preferable to cutting big holes in walls to get it out in one piece.

Today we use a Milwaukee M18 multi tool. When this video was taken we used a corded one that I forget the name of.

Costs are going to vary wildly depending on location and quality of installer. You’re wanting to replace a tub/shower with just a free standing soaking tub?

Do it behind the shower

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy What if its already newly installed?

What I mean is cut the wall out behind the shower. Typically it would mean a closet, hallway or bedroom wall that gets cut. After the repair either patch the hole or leave it accessible in case you have future leaks.

Most contractors are concerned with how fast, not thinking that sometimes a little slower on one end is much faster on the back end. Plus the end result is better too. Thanks for commenting.

Josh Garcia We used a regular blade in the multi-tool for cutting Sheetrock (wood/bi-metal). For the sawzall we use a short fine tooth blade. Thanks for the question.

Thank you

I find that to be the best way.

You can use a drain removal tool or plug wrench and leave the drain intact just in case your new install will be in the same location and then you can reuse it.

I’ll pray for you, hopefully that helps

The multi tool will cut the tub, it would just take about 5 times longer than a sawszall. If it’s all you have, it will work.

@@friendlyneighborhoodtileguy Thank you for answering. I do have both tools, but haven't yet tried cutting out a tub and wanted your feedback.

I live dangerously. The few showers I tear out a year isn’t the same thing as the guy in the factory building them every day.

Be careful, there’s a good chance that something is behind the shower you don’t want to hit.

Wire is expensive. Tubs are installed early in the building process and hide a lot of stuff between the the fiberglass and the studs. It’s easy to cut into stuff when you can’t see it. Hopefully you’ll be able to get it repaired easily enough.

Hopefully you install a custom tile shower instead

Thank you

Thanks

Removing a shower is part of the project. This particular project was $9,500 for everything.

Just be careful, good luck with your project.

I don’t think there’s a way to do what you’re wanting. I wouldn’t recommend it anyway. You have to have continuous waterproofing behind the tile. There’s no way to add waterproofing behind tile that is already installed.

Thanks

Sure

I guess I’m happy that showers aren’t installed that way around here. I bet it makes them very difficult to remove though.

That's the way the factory recommends the installation keeps the walls from being flimsy because they're so thin

Everything is changing in construction they're making everything lighter and thinner so even the methods for install are changing I like so many for your old school methods and attitude problem is one guy goes to McDonald's and orders a hundred cheeseburgers you walk in and want one you're not getting the quality you should.

People that call me aren’t getting a McDonald’s cheeseburger. I’m selling Ruth’s Cris steaks. There’s a huge difference in quality, experience and cost.

Everything is getting made cheaper doesn't matter what brand and a construction is changing and installation is changing it's a fact the McDonald's thing was just a analogy for people who don't know construction.

It gets in the air, but it doesn’t bother us. We don’t cut them out everyday, we might do a dozen of these a year. 30 minutes (or less) of cutting isn’t worth the hassle. I keep filtered face masks on the truck, it’s up to the employee if he wants it or not.

Absolutely. Must wear protection!!!

If the plan is to tear out the whole bathroom have fun. If you’re only wanting the shower replaced, be careful and have a plan.

I like to live dangerously