Help with a bathroom remodling decision

[FireBrick]

As we have another bathtub in our house, we have decided to remodel the wife's bathroom with a large shower stall instead of a tub unit.

Unfortunately, the area where the shower stall is just a tad short on the depth measurement. The existing 2 piece plastic tub measures approx. 30" from greenboard to outside edge of the tub. The width is a normal 60".

I really don't want to come into the room much farther as that will encroach on the toilet and moving it would be a REAL CHORE.

As a retired brick/stone mason, I'm sure I could build a concrete curb/base over a welded seam liner. But the outside chance that a leak would appear has me considering a premade retrofit base.

But all the bases or receptors, are at least 32" deep. Swanstone, Onyx, Kohler etc.

Do any of you plumbers our there know of a firm that can supply a 30" deep retrofit base? Of course if the price is so outrageous, a custom may not be practicable.

If I indeed HAD to move the toilet which is piped in iron pipe, is there simple way to move the closet bend (is that the correct term?) approx 6" to the left (as you face it)????

If we can get a suitable base, I'll be using marble tile over cementboard for the walls.

Please help, wife and I have looked at so many suppliers with no satisfactory retrofit base.

[Charles Spitzer]

lose the geenboard. that's not a correct substrate for tile in a shower.

[Speedy Jim]

As Charles said, remove the greenboard; use one of the readily available cement-boards.

I would vote for moving the toilet. Yes, that's the "closet bend". You'll have to study what is there (I assume access is from the basement) and make a layout plan to see what fittings would be req'd. If the bend is cast iron, rent a snap cutter to cut the pipe. Sometimes a Sawzall will work, but it can be arduous. Use PVC or ABS for the new work and connect to the old with a Fernco "No-Hub" coupling.

If you must use a custom-size shower base, look in the Yellow Pages or do a web search for "cultured marble". There are small shops all over who will do one-off work, but you need to find one nearby as shipping is too risky.

Jim

[FireBrick]

My mistake, I didn't make that clear. I presently have greenboard behind the EXISTING 2 piece plastic tub. I just used that as a measurement point. The Plastic tub measures 30" from the EXISTING greenboard to the outside edge of the EXISTING tub.

[FireBrick]

Thanks for the tips on the cultured marble place. And I knew I had to remove the existing greenboard, and replace with cement board as I mentioned further down.

Access to the closet bend will be by removing the floor (plywood). I figured I could snap the pipe and use a Fernco. I was hoping to not have to do it as it would be my luck the shock would create a leak elsewhere. :-(((

Thanks for confirming.

[calhoun]

Building a new base for a mason is cake. You will have no trouble forming up a nice base. No need for the old liners either. New products have made the old shower pan obsolete. Contact your tile dealer and learn about the new pourable membranes. You set up the base, coat with the membrane, and set the tile on that. Lots easier than moving a toilet and more fun too.