If I'm an average do-it-yourselfer can anyone tell me how difficult it would be to regrout the tiles in a small bathroom shower stall. The stall measures 3' x 3' by about 7' tall. So two walls of tiles/grout, plus the floor and ceiling tiles. I was given a quote of $450 which I think is way too much.
Thanks, Walter
It's easy, but tedious. The ceiling will be no fun. Also, "cleaning" or "sawing" the current grout with a grout saw won't be much fun either, but not really that bad at the end of the day. Go take a look in a DIY tile book at your local Home Depot, or the library, and you'll see how to do it. Sometimes people give high quotes like $450 because they don't really feel like doing the job, but for $450 they get over those feelings. It doesn't mean it will excite them into doing a better job than you can do though.
I priced some contractor work recently. I got the impression they are charging out at about $80/hr. In your case it's likely they are trying to get $500 for the day and shaved a bit off to give them an edge over the others who might be bidding.
NB: I cut this back to a.h.r only.
Walter Cohen wrote:
I highly recommend using a grout cutting bit in a Dremel tool. Using a grout saw would be home repair hell.
BRW
I haven't tried a grout saw, and the Dremel grout removal bit and attachment worked well. Tedious, but does the job. I believe I used 3 bits for our shower walls, part way up. 3 walls about 4' wide, removed grout about 5' up. Most important issue would be to make sure grout space is wide enough for the bit or you might chip tile. I hit a few of those spots, but the tile didn't chip. Dusty - need mask and eye protection. I don't remember what it was that got dropped down the shower drain during the project .. drill bit? Hubby bougght a neat magnet on telescoping thingy to get it out. Worked like a dream.
I just finished the tile around my Jacuzzi tub. It was a royal PITA because some of the tile was too close for the dremmel bit. I went through something like 15 bits. At the BORG they're about $10 each but someone here pointed me leakyshower.com; 6 for $22.
Not only that, but it can bust plenty of blades, which gets tedious AND expensive. The thing is, you don't have to clear out ALL the grout. Yes you can take more out with the Dremel, but if you only have to take out a little, the saw should be fine.
I purchased a grout remover tool from Home Depot for about $10-12, it has a blue handle. It came with a normal blade and a carbide blade.
Using the carbide blade, I removed the grout from an 8 x 10 sq ft floor area in two hours. I was amazed at how easy it was.
Now don't ask me about grouting. It was my lousy grouting that I had to remove :)
Gary
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