Bathroom Renovation | Anything I'm Missing?

A few thoughts, I am assuming the double hung window is a 3050 double hung (3'x5'). A typical modern house window head height under a 2x12 header is 6'-10-3/8" leaving a 1'-10-3/8" sill height, (a sill measurement would be nice). Any idea when the house was built?

I know nothing about stand alone tubs and the one I drew is from Menards and is on the tiny size measuring 55"W x 31"D x 24"H and still barely fits. Hydro Massage Reiley 55"W x 31"D x 24"H White Freestanding Bathtub with Center Drain  

I'm up to version 8 in case anybody's counting, good thing I always make copies to modify and never erase anything.

I also need to know how wide the door is and which way it swings.

How wide are the 2x4s? 3.5" or 4.0"? The door jambs are 5.5" wide? If the studs are 3.5", then the lath and plaster is 1" thick. This is important so that when this is ready to build, everything is measured off of the wood framing and not the finished walls. To reuse the existing trim, the stud walls will have to be furred out with plywood strips so that the 1/2" drywall will work out to a 5.5" finished wall.

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

Window is 35.5" wide, 66" tall. Sill is 16" from the floor. Old single pane window. 

Door is 32" wide. Left hand swing? Swings into the bathroom, hinges are on the left. 

House we are estimating was built 1920's ish. 

Existing walls are actual 2"x4"s, the right wall for the bathroom will be new, so that will be current 1.5"x3.5" 2x4s. 

Existing is lath and plaster, but the bathroom will be stripped to studs and done with 1/2" drywall, then the lower half of the wall will have wall tile. 

Outside wall is full brick. Currently the brick then has 1x3 furring strips for the lath and plaster to nail to. I'll keep the furring strips and screw the drywall to that. 

For the bathroom, the only existing trim worth keeping is around the window and door. No nice baseboards in there.

The overall measurement I gave of 106"x112" is based on my best approximation to the finished walls. 

Tub, I am currently looking at this one, but haven't ordered yet. Tub 

A couple more examples, this time showing the actual footprint of your claw tub and the 2'-8" door. How much of the 2nd floor are you going to gut and replace? Once you decide on a final plan, I will dimension everything to the 2x4 framing. I am assuming that you are going to use a direct to stud knock down shower enclosure? Something like this? Menards.com: Delta® Hycroft™ ProCrylic® 48"W x 34"D x 78"H White Shower with Center Drain (4-Piece)

I'm really not a fan of any version with the angled freestanding tub. 
 

My $0.02.  But it's actually worth less than that!

SV reX said:

I'm really not a fan of any version with the angled freestanding tub. 
 

My $0.02.  But it's actually worth less than that!

Agreed, I just measured one of my kids showers that was redone last year. It's 26x42 (the floor) and does not feel small. With the door frame that's only 30 inches wide total.  I'd tape that size out and see how it looks to you. Not being 36 wide might help some too. 

Ok, I couldn't find a plastic 42x36 shower surround kit but found a glass enclosure that fits nicely.

HomeDepot.com: Avalux 42 in. x 36 in. x 72 in. Completely Frameless Shower Enclosure in Chrome

Here's a modular one. Not that I find this one particularly desirable, at least I know that someone makes one that size.

HomeDepot.com: Accord 36 in. x 42 in. x 77 in. Shower Wall and Base Kit with Center Drain in White

Some dumb-ish questions, when using the Schluter Ditra-Heat system, that involves the orange de-coupling membrane on the floor that the heat wire clicks into.  

1. Should the decoupling membrane go under the fiberglass shower pan? I would think that could go straight to the subfloor. 

2. Should I tile under the vanity, or around it? 

For the shower I ordered this shower pan: https://www.lowes.com/pd/DreamLine-SlimLine-White-Acrylic-Shower-Base-42-in-W-x-36-in-L-with-Center-Drain/1000463295

We want to see it when it comes in and make sure that floor texture isn't too weird. It looks like it could be. Then I'll tile the walls myself. 

Always tile under cabinets so you can swap them out later. 

In reply to Steve_Jones :

I was thinking that was the general best practice. 

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

I'm not familiar with any heat strip option that would work with a fiberglass shower pan. 
 

Usually it's just the floor outside the shower. 

SV reX said:

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

I'm not familiar with any heat strip option that would work with a fiberglass shower pan. 
 

Usually it's just the floor outside the shower. 

Semi-correct, but not quite what I'm asking. Just wondering if the uncoupling membrane should be under the shower pan, or if I should thinset the shower pan directly to the subfloor. I think it probably makes sense to put the membrane across the entire floor, including the shower pan. 

On the heated floor in the shower note, I actually looked into that a bit, and it appeared that best practice was to have any shower floor heat be on a separate wire than the rest of the floor. Not something I am planning on installing, but interesting to note. 

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

Isn't that for a giant walk-in shower setup?

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

Standard practice would be to NOT install the membrane under the fiberglass shower pan, but I'm not sure there is a reason for that.  It may have to do with construction sequencing (the plumber finishes installing the drain and the pan, then the tile installer can do the complete tile job, rather than waiting for the plumber to return to set the pan before he can tile the walls). The membrane is a waterproofing, so you could theoretically consider it worthwhile to install under the pan, but I'm not convinced it is an actual benefit. The pan is one piece and can't leak, (except for around the drain, and the membrane can't help that).

I wouldn't do it because I want the pan well secured to the floor. I'm not gonna heat it, and therefore don't need to decouple it for thermal expansion. 

I also would not put the ditra under the shower. There is no benefit (and possible detriment) to "uncouple" the plastic shower floor from the subfloor. 

Another possible detriment...

The Ditra membrane has some flexibility to it. This goes away when the cement base is grouted between the hubs. So a tile floor doesn't flex. But the membrane under the pan would not have the cement grout.  This could lead to the actual shower pan flexing, and the tile grout joint would crack where they meet they pan.

Ok, no membrane under the shower pan. I see the logic. 

Tub and shower pan should be in this week. As long as the shower pan looks good, I'm going to order a door. Planning to order my Schluter supplies this week as well. 

Trying to get as much as I can lined up and ready to go ahead of time. Once I'm ready, I am planning to take a week off work and get as much done in one section as I can. 

VolvoHeretic said:

With this being pretty much the plan now (tub will be flat to the wall, going with a smaller shower.), where should I put my vent fan?

Should the vent fan be dead center of the room?

I think I'm just going to do a drywall ceiling. I am debating a drop ceiling with PVC ceiling tiles still though. 

I hope this is getting more accurate. All dimensions are to framing but need to be verified once the plaster and lath is removed. You need to fur out the door wall and window wall so that the new drywall matches the old plaster depth to match the door and window framing and trim. The two side walls can just be drywalled to the 2x4 studs.

I put the shower controls in the bathroom wall framing because I don't know how much depth the controls need. For the 2x3 wall, you will have to find the straightest 2x6 studs you can find and rip them in half to 2.75". I would reattach the flat 1x4s to the brick wall with Tapcon masonry screws.

I don't think it matters where you put the exhaust fan.

I would leave the existing ceiling lath and plaster on the ceiling and just screw a new layer of drywall under it to hold it up and for finishing. 

That is all that I can think of for right now. 

How's the floor joist locating going?

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

I think you will be happy with that layout. I like the way the window will give a view out from the bathtub. 
 

I wouldn't center the vent fan. Center your lighting. 
 

Primary purpose of the vent fan is to vent water vapor from the shower. Put it near the shower. 
 

I'm not sure why you are considering a drop ceiling, but I definitely wouldn't do that. Mostly just because of aesthetics. Drop ceilings look awful in residences. 

What do you cover the shower enclosure studs with behind the tile? 

Menards.com: DUROCK® 1/2 x 4' x 8' Cement Board

I did a shower light and fan combo unit (separate fan and light circuits) and used a switch with timer/motion sensor for the light and timer/humidity sensor for the fan. It works great keeping water vapor under control. No fogging of mirrors or windows regardless of shower temp or length. 

The only issue I've noticed is that with the glass door in the shower and only approx 6"x32" gap by ceiling, I need to prop the shower door open 1/4"-1/2"with a sponge to get air circulation to dry the lower half of the shower for it to dry after showering. I usually turn the fan off/on to reset the timer (20 min)  and prop the door and that is enough to dry things out.  
 

edit: here's the one I used: Shower light fan combo

One more thing, I'd put some thought into blue board and plaster instead of drywall for the bathroom. It's more personal preference, but I would expect plaster to hold up better long term in the bathroom and the rest of the house is plaster.

If you're going to be working on it anyway, why not add in one of these light / heatlamp / vent fan combos?

Aero Pure 4 Bulb Bathroom Fan with Heat and Light 1.2-Sone 90-CFM White Decorative Lighted Bathroom Fan and Heater in the Bathroom Fans & Heaters department at Lowes.com

Infrared bulbs to go with the heated floor would be REAL nice in the winter.

SV reX said:

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

I think you will be happy with that layout. I like the way the window will give a view out from the bathtub. 
 

I wouldn't center the vent fan. Center your lighting. 
 

Primary purpose of the vent fan is to vent water vapor from the shower. Put it near the shower. 
 

I'm not sure why you are considering a drop ceiling, but I definitely wouldn't do that. Mostly just because of aesthetics. Drop ceilings look awful in residences. 

I agree on the layout, I am excited. 

Haven't decided on lighting choice yet, but I'll note to put the fan near the shower. Maybe actually centered in the shower? 

Drop ceiling I am considering because of the fancy tiles, like this, not necessarily this specifically. Plus being PVC in my experience in other installs, I can set the track very close to the ceiling joists, and kinda pop the PVC tiles into place. Low clearance, but allows access if necessary, and can have a nice design. 

I do agree though that the cheap, basic ceiling tiles are not pretty in residences.