I just did this and after pussyfooting around the edges I finally did some real therapy. :) Put on your safety gear, tile shards can be sharp and all's fun and games until someone loses an eye. ;) I used a skill saw along the edges but then just busted the surround up alternately with a giant hammer and a long, heavy wrecking bar. Take care of what is on the other side of the walls, tho. I whacked so hard in places, some nails backed out of the drywall on opposing walls! Cover your tub up if you intend to save it. I didn't and mine got really beat up but we took it out anyway since it was YELLOW under about five layers of paint and kept chipping anyway when the kids dropped stuff in there. Amy Fremont, CA

For a jetted tub used as a shower, it has to have an integral tile flange. That allows the wall cladding to overhang and any water that hits the wall to not go behind your walls. There aren't that many in that size that are inexpensive. It will need a specialized drain, and, if you want to spend any time in the tub, a supplemental heater so the water doesn't cool off so fast. Since it's a tub/shower, the wall cladding will need to be redone to be waterproof into the tub. It's possible, if the build is recent, and it was done with the proper vapor barrier behind it, that only one row of the tile would need to be pulled in order to replace the tub. But, I wouldn't count on that. I'd count on having to replace all of the wall cladding in the alcove. That can be as cheap as a plastic surround for around $100 or cheap tile with the proper vapor barrier for probably $150 or so. The first is the easiest and the least chance of leaking. The second will read as more upscale, but you have to be sure your contractor understands about the vapor barrier and correct materials to use to tile this (NOT mastic.) And since you have that torn out, it would be foolish to try to keep your current control valves for the bath unless they are also very new. New safety standards are in place for anti scald mechanisms. So, you will need a new shower/bath faucet and valve. Then you will need the electrical line run from the panel to the location for the whirlpool pump and supplemental heater. That location is usually opposite the drain side of the tub. You will need to be able to site an access panel that is removable to be able to get to the electrical innards here. That can be from an adjacent room, or from a hidden panel on the tub itself. All in all, you might be able to get all of the needed materials for 2-3K if you shop the box stores carefully and find some bargains. The danger to that is that if you are inexperienced, you don't know if you're buying quality or crap. They sell both. And that's one reason that it would be simpler to let the pro pick the products after you tell him the features that you want. Then you've got to pay the contractor labor to install all of that. The electrician's price will depend on how difficult it will be to access the panel and run the wire to the location. For that, it's a really good thing you are on a crawlspace! That makes it cheaper for both the electrician and the plumber. On the whole, I'd expect your project to cost between 5-7K, depending on location, and if you have no DIY skills to bring to the table and have to hire professionals for the whole job. And be sure that you hire someone that is licensed and insured to be in your home, and will pull the proper permits to get the job inspected with your code office. Some handyman guy isn't licensed to do electrical of that nature, and while he might be able to do the demo and get the tub in place and glue on the plastic surround, it's unlikely that he'll have the right insurance to deal with a large job like that, and thus probably wont' want to pull permits and be inspected. They are usually limited to smaller jobs like simple fixture replacements like a faucet or light. Which this isn't. Just remember, you are doing a project that combines electricity and water. You really have to know what you're doing here! A small General Contractor should be able to do the complete job, and also carry the needed papers. And he should have no problem with the code guys coming in to inspect his work either. If he does, then he's not the right person for the job.

I just recently had to make that same decision...and I went with a Sterling tub and 3 pc surround in my 1930 home. Main reasons: 1. Tile was there before (c.1966) and caused a water leak that caused a quite large piece of plaster to fall from my kitchen ceiling...granted they didn't install tile back with a good backer board. 2. I had to get rid of the 1966 cast iron tub...it was not in good enough condition to keep. 3. I wanted a larger soaking tub...my cast iron was small! The Sterling tub is 18" tall and very wide...and has arm rests. 4. This was the hall bath. In a master bath, I would probably have gone with a tile surround. 5. My budget on this bathroom was small....as the kitchen is coming up in January and that's where I want to put my $ So far, I love my Sterling tub/surround. And since I mainly take showers, my plumber raised the water controls up about a foot or so. I never would have thought to do that....but it's GREAT. Even my 11 year old son mentioned how he likes it better higher. Here is a picture below. KOMPY

Just curious...how'd you come up with 31 sqft for tiling to the ceiling? For a typical tub surround: -poly sheeting: $10 -Half-inch thick Tile backer board, 4 sheets: $60 -Roll of mesh alkali-resistant tape: $7.50 -Tile: Name your price. Say $5 a foot for grins, for 60sqft it's $300. -One bag highly modified thinset $30 -One bag Grout $15 -Caulk $15 So materials, rounding way up, about $150 not counting the tile. Tools? -Stapler to staple up the poly sheet to the studs. -Utility knife and blades: You can score and cut the tile backer board like Hardiebacker with a utility knife. You can even cut holes with a utility knife, score the perimeter with the knife and pop out the center with a hammer. -Stapler to staple up the poly sheet to the studs. Hammer/nails: to nail up the backer board. You could use screws, but you'd need a drill with driver bit. To cut the tile: The box stores will do it for you on a per cut basis. I have no idea what they charge. For for basic tile you can use a score and snap cutter. They can be had for $25-$50. Or you can buy a cheap wetsaw at the box stores for $50. Or buy one on craigslist then resell it when you are done. So...$50 let;s say. Always good to have tile nippers, $20. Have your plumbing fall on grout lines instead of in the middle of a tile and you can nip a hole instead of having to drill a hole. To mix and spread the thinset: -bucket -margin trowel: $7.50 Yup. To hand mix the thinset and grout. The thinset, mix maybe a third of a bag at a time. Pace yourself. Or you can buy a paddle if you have a low-speed drill that has the torque to spin it. -notched trowel: $5, 1/4" x 1/4" to spread the thinset. To Grout: -Grout float: $10 -Grout Sponges: 2- or 3-multi-pack for $5 Basic hand tools, about $50. Add $50 for a tile cutter, so total tools is about $100. Materials: $150 Tile: $300 @ $5 a ft Tools: $100 Total, about $550 Rough guess.