Believe it or not, replacing a bathtub is a project that can be accomplished alone or with a small team. Over the years, any bathroom surface is vulnerable to erosion: chemicals, daily use, and simple wear and tear on the surfaces involved make tub refinishing or new tub installation a high-priority goal for many homeowners.
When the focus is on family health, the bathroom is the first place to look for possible mold or germ collection. Even a great-looking bathtub has cracks, invisible to the naked eye, that can easily become a breeding ground for unsavory guests like bacteria, viruses and germs. The cost of bathtub refinishing can add value to a home and can also be cheaper than replacing a bathtub.
Since tub refinishing takes about a day and a half (four hours or so to reglaze and a full day to set up the new finish), some handy homeowners find that they have the rest of the weekend to fill up with projects, and so are turning to shower tile installation, replacing or at the very least, regrouting, the ceramic tiles that surround a bathtub, whenever they are replacing a bathtub or refinishing it.
Ceramic tile installation can be as complicated or as simple as the homeowner’s time and skill allow. Vintage tile patterns going back as far as the Victorian era are now available, and for a home whose history dates back to the middle of last century or further, matching the shower or bathtub tiles to the build year can add both lasting comfort and value.
Tile installation cost will vary, and some homeowners prefer to involve tile installation contractors, figuring that the cost involved will be more than made up for by the peace of mind. Various patterns, colors and materials are available, enabling homeowners to customize their bathrooms to their personal tastes.