Bathroom and Shower Remodeling in Tampa, FL

A full bathroom remodel usually takes the old tile, the board behind it and often the tub or shower pan down to the studs. That is the moment to look at what the walls were hiding. Dark or soft framing near the valve, rusted screws and old drywall used as a tile backer in the shower are all common finds.

Fixing any of that now costs far less than fixing it after new tile is set over it. The open walls and floor also show whether the subfloor is solid enough for tile and whether the drain sits where the new layout needs it.

A shower wall needs a backer that won't break down when it gets wet. Cement board is the usual choice. It's screwed to the studs with corrosion-resistant screws, and its seams are covered with alkali-resistant mesh tape set in thinset.

In a shower built this way, cement board goes up on the walls first, before any membrane or tile. Cement board holds up to water, but it is not waterproof by itself. Water passes through it slowly, which is why the next layer is the one that protects the wall.

Tile and grout are not waterproof. Grout is porous, and some water gets behind the tile every time the shower runs. A properly built shower has a waterproofing layer, either a membrane over the board or a barrier behind it with a liner under the floor, so that water has nowhere to go but down to the drain.

There are two common ways to build that layer. A sheet membrane is set in thinset over the board, with its seams and inside corners sealed with the manufacturer's banding. A liquid membrane is rolled or brushed on in coats until it reaches the thickness the manufacturer calls for.

Either one only works if the details are right: seams lapped, inside corners reinforced, every pipe and valve opening sealed, and the membrane tied into the drain below. Many installers plug the drain and flood the shower floor before tile goes down, to check it holds water.

A shower floor has to pitch toward the drain, commonly about a quarter inch per foot, so water never sits in a corner. With a center drain, the floor is built as a shallow funnel. With a linear drain along one wall, the floor slopes in a single plane, which lets you use larger tile on the floor.

Small mosaic tile follows the funnel of a center drain more easily than big tile does, and the extra grout lines give wet feet more grip. A curbless walk-in shower needs the floor recessed or built up so the slope works without a step, and that is decided early because it can change the framing.

A walk-in shower suits a primary bath where nobody needs a tub. A tub surround keeps the tub, with tile on the three walls around it. Where the tile meets the tub, the joint gets a flexible sealant, not grout, because the tub moves slightly as it fills.

Turning a tub into a shower frees up floor space, but it changes the drain and the valve height, so plumbing becomes part of the job. If anything moves inside the wall, ask who is doing the plumbing and whether your city or county needs a permit for it. Our project photos include both tub surrounds and walk-in showers.

A recessed niche is framed between studs before the board goes up, with its bottom sloped slightly so water runs out. It gets waterproofed like the rest of the shower. A built-in bench needs its seat pitched toward the drain for the same reason.

Grab bars are easiest to plan now. Wood blocking between the studs takes minutes with the wall open and a lot more work once tile is on. The same goes for the height of the shower head, the valve and a hand shower if you want one.

Layout is planned before the first tile is set: where the cuts land, how the lines meet the niche, and which wall you see first when you walk in. Large-format tile, like the marble-look wall tile in our photos, needs very flat walls and full thinset coverage, or the edges sit uneven.

Cement-based grout is the most common and should be sealed. Epoxy and other premixed grouts cost more and resist stains better. The vanity goes in level and fastened to the wall, with the joint between the top and the backsplash sealed so water can't get behind the cabinet.

Rafael, the owner, comes out for the estimate. He walks the bathroom with you and talks through what you want done. The size of the room, whether plumbing moves, the tile you have in mind and how much of the old bathroom comes out all affect the price, so the quote comes after the visit, in writing. We follow up to answer whatever questions come up.

Primecraft Remodeling Solutions is licensed and insured, with workers' compensation coverage. If the bathroom is part of a bigger project, the same company can also handle the drywall, trim, doors and paint around it.