Transformative Dustless Shower Replacement in Spanish Fort, AL

Preparing the Workspace for Seamless Shower Replacement

We acknowledge that homeowners desire us to safeguard the surfaces surrounding our work area, ensure as much cleanliness as possible, and prevent dust from spreading to other living spaces. Taking the necessary precautions and properly preparing our workspace is something we adhere to on each project.

For this dustless shower replacement, our setup featured:

• ShuBee® Surface Protection and Protective Board surface protection
• Masking tape and plastic
• Magnetic door and plastic zip wall
• HEPA air scrubber and window duct in the bathroom
• HEPA air scrubber outside the bathroom door

Once our dust extraction system was implemented, we extracted the old shower fiberglass insert. We also removed the old shower valve and secured the pipe until plumbers could tend to it later.

Substrate Preparation for Shower Replacement

With tile installation, properly preparing the surfaces that will support the tile is critical, especially in a wet environment like a bathroom. The existing subfloor material had been known to swell and degrade with moisture exposure. We repaired it and installed a thicker, more moisture-resistant subfloor material.

The existing walls were mildly tilted, and the angles were a little misaligned. With the shower insert, these imperfections were not very noticeable, but with the straight, clean lines of tile, these imperfections would become apparent. We performed the necessary adjustments using Built with Foam shims, making everything straight, square, and ready for tile.

The Shower Pan and Waterproofing

For the shower pan, Jacob Wiseman, Owner of Spanish Fort Pro Services, preferred using “tried and true” fortified mortar, providing a solid foundation that can last a lifetime.

We used high-quality Laticrete products for the shower walls and waterproofing, including HYDRO BAN® Board, designed to protect against any water or vapor intrusion, HYDRO BAN® waterproofing/crack isolation membrane, and HYDRO BAN® Adhesive & Sealant.

For this shower, we chose a FloFX Traditional Bond Flange Drain.

The homeowners decided to opt for a beautiful, luxurious, and highly functional upgrade to their shower: an Infinity Niche running the entire length of the back wall with an Illuminiche LED light channel and dimmer switch. This feature will provide useful storage, plus lighting that can be adjusted to set the desired atmosphere, from dim and relaxing to bright and invigorating.

“The patent-pending magnetic coupling system is a revolutionary design that gives you peace of mind. Not only does it provide custom lighting placement, it also eliminates the need for costly tear outs if the lights ever need to be serviced.” – Illuminiche

We also performed a 24-hour flood test prior to tile installation.

Shower Replacement: Tile Shower Installation

The homeowners selected the perfect tile for this project, Contessa™ Oro 12″x24″ tile. “Pure, simple, relaxing, Contessa™ is a true jewel adding timeless value to any space.” – Emser Tile

For the sill, bench, curb, and the custom floating niche (inside the Infinity Niche), our clients selected engineered marble.

We consulted a lot of questions before installing the first tile to be sure that the design would meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. For example, the homeowners wanted us to use the hexagon mosaic tile installed on the shower pan on the back of the niche. They also described the size and placement of the custom floating bench. We were happy to oblige these and other smart design decisions.

For the tile installation, we used:

• MULTIMAX™ LITE adhesive mortar
• TRI-LITE® thinset
• TRI-LITE® Rapid thinset
• SPECTRALOCK® 1 Frosty grout
• LATASIL™ 100% silicone, color-coordinated sealant
• FloFX Clean Lines drain grate
• Schluter edge profiles in griege (grey-beige)

NOTE: One of the perks of the grout these homeowners selected is that it has Microban® antimicrobial protection, which reduces the growth of mold and mildew.

We performed a second flood test after tile installation.

Plumbing by Spanish Fort Plumbing Service

Spanish Fort Plumbing Service placed the new shower head. “Emerge™ Shower Column adds an upscale look to your showering space, with European-inspired design that makes a big impact. The Delta Emerge Shower Column transforms shower spaces without plumbing through the ceiling and works with any Delta shower head for a fully customizable experience. The shower column is designed for single or shared operation with a shower head and hand shower… it serves to replace existing shower arms, eliminating the need for additional valve modification behind the wall.” – Delta Faucet Company

We take care of the little details… We take pride in being problem solvers. Here are a few things we addressed that fall outside the umbrella of tile installation.

• Moisture problem resolved. The homeowners told us they were having some moisture problems in the attic related to this bathroom. Upon inspection, we discovered the problem and came up with a solution. We installed a ReVent humidity-sensing fan with a built-in timer in the shower. The existing exhaust fan in this bathroom was not ducted out of the roof, so we installed a new roof boot and an insulated 4″ duct from both fans out through the roof. The homeowners will no longer need to worry about moist air from this bathroom getting trapped in the attic.
• New light installed. We removed the old, outdated can light and replaced it with a new, 8″ recessed LED light. We centered the new light over the shower, and it looks amazing.
• Drywall repair. Our dustless shower replacement and tile installation quote included any necessary drywall repair and touch ups.
• Baseboard replaced and finished. Not only did we put the baseboard back, we added a quarter round return to give it a nice, finished look. This is something we always do. Wiseman said, “[It’s a] nice little extra detail that you may not get with other companies.”

Our shower had previously been done very poorly by another contractor. Jacob had to completely gut it and start over. He even gave us a discount because of how bad it was before. We are so happy with his work! His tile work is excellent quality, and it looks exactly how I wanted it. He helped us choose the design for the shelf along the back wall and it's perfect! We added a second shower head and the water pressure is still very good. He was very thorough and kept us in the loop during the whole process. I've already recommended his services to some of my friends.

I'm thrilled to share my exceptional experience with Spanish Fort Plumbing Services and its owner, Jacob. He's a true professional who consistently delivers outstanding results. Jacob has successfully tackled a range of home improvement projects for me, from fixing various issues to laying down beautiful wood tiles and constructing a fantastic new porch. His punctuality and dedication to quality work are truly impressive. I highly recommend Spanish Fort Plumbing Services for top-notch home improvement work that's done right the first time.

It was a pleasure from start to finish working with Jacob. He was referred to us by a friend, and we were not disappointed. We had both of our bathrooms updated after some water damage occurred. Our 1980's look is now just a distant memory! We love our new tile shower and floors. Jacob is a hard worker and gets the job done in a clean, professional manner. He is very polite and keeps you in the loop of what is happening every step of the way. We would highly recommend Spanish Fort Plumbing Services. Thank you Jacob.

Give us a call now at (888) 860-0649 to request a free in-home estimate.