I know I probably went overboard, but I have been searching Houzz for shower/tub combos for myself if I decide to go in that direction. Most of these pictures have Master Bath titles - they tend to be small houses or apartments in large cities where space is an issue. They all have a generous sized tub. A few have extra shower bling and even a separate tub filler. All of them have material choices and the level of tile work that you see in a master bathroom. I'm sure that if I searched Houzz I could find just as many, or even more, remodels of small master baths where they have just built a walk in shower. I think the decision to do a shower/tub may be a personal choice because they want a soaking tub - since they are titled Master I'm assuming the bath is not the only bath in the house and they could easily just go with a shower. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/lakewood-bathroom-contemporary-bathroom-denver-phvw-vp~564696) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Aurora General Contractors Heritage Home Improvement [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/tamara-mack-design-interiors-traditional-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~1860108) [Transitional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2112) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Tamara Mack Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/jackson-hole-residence-rustic-bathroom-portland-phvw-vp~1116073) [Rustic Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2111) by Portland Architects & Designers Howells Architecture + Design, LLC [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/bath-traditional-bathroom-charlotte-phvw-vp~1153799) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Charlotte Architects & Designers Don Duffy Architecture [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/tile-showers-traditional-bathroom-houston-phvw-vp~1597876) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Lake Jackson Kitchen & Bath Remodelers JC Remodeling & Restoration, LLC [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/icon-development-tofino-job-contemporary-bathroom-vancouver-phvw-vp~2443799) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Nanaimo Tile, Stone & Countertops City Tile [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/riverside-drive-super-groovy-masterpiece-contemporary-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~2456534) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by New York General Contractors Rusk Renovation [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/burns-park-addition-and-remodeling-2000-and-2006-traditional-bathroom-detroit-phvw-vp~374078) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Canton Architects & Designers Studio Z Architecture [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/erica-islas-silverlake-contemporary-bathroom-los-angeles-phvw-vp~190979) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Culver City Interior Designers & Decorators Erica Islas / EMI Interior Design, Inc. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/hall-bathroom-traditional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~678390) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Nathan Cuttle Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/master-bathroom-highrise-new-york-city-contemporary-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~89484) [Contemporary Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by New York Photographers Vanni Archive/Architectural Photography [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/carnegie-hill-residence-traditional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~204853) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by New York Architects & Designers Incorporated[[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/upper-west-side-nyc-apartment-renovation-transitional-bathroom-new-york-phvw-vp~6968329) [Transitional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2112) by New York Architects & Designers John M Reimnitz Architect PC div> [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-bathroom-mediterranean-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~1042841) [Mediterranean Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2109) [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/nyc-bathrooms-traditional-bathroom-phvw-vp~7215764) [Traditional Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by New York Design-Build Firms DELUXE Design & Construction [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cat-mountain-greenbelt-homes-austin-tx-transitional-bathroom-austin-phvw-vp~834553) [Eclectic Bathroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2104) by Austin General Contractors Greenbelt Construction This post was edited by Anna_in_TX on Tue, Feb 11, 14 at 6:40

The drain unscrews from the assembly below the tub. Normally the drain and overflow are all one assembly. If you have access to the back/underside of the tub it's a lot easier, because you can control both the drain basket from the top and the nut that captures the threads on the basket from below. However, you can try to replace the basket just using access from above. Easiest way is with a tool called a "basket wrench": An inexpensive basket wrench costs maybe $5 to $10 at a hardware store. You can see how this would lock on to the cross pieces in the basket and allow you to rotate the basket counterclockwise to unthread it. Or you can use the standard DIY method which is to insert two sturdy screwdrivers into the basket, one at the 9 o'clock position and one in the 3 o'clock position, and cross the screwdrivers and use that leverage to rotate the basket. Once the basket is removed, clean the tub surface and install a new basket using a bead of plumbers putty. I will say that the proper way, and the best way, is to have access from below. It's best to set the basket into the putty and then secure it by rotating the nut from below instead of rotating the basket from above.

I prefer odd numbers of courses. If you want larger tile with an odd number of courses, and would prefer rectangles over squares, let's go with three courses. Figure three courses, each tile being 6.5-ish inches high, grout will fill it to the full 20" height. To use fibonacci to determine a pleasing rectangular ratio for the tile, 6.5" high times 1.62 is about 10.5" for the width. So I'd cut each 13 by 20 tile into three 6.5" by 10.5" tiles. You could cut a 13" square into two almost 6.5" by 10.5s. That would give a decent looking running bond type of pattern. If you wanted five courses instead of three, your 20" of height would require a slightly smaller than 4" tall tile. Smaller due to material you'll lose when you cut the tile, and smaller to also allow for the grout joint between the courses of tile. 4" times 1.62 is about 6.5", so your tiles would be 4" tall by 6.5" long, less the grout joint width. Say 3-7/8" tall by about 6-1/4" wide. While you might still have to fudge the dimensions a bit due to material lost when cutting on the wet saw (blade kerf width), you can see that you could take a 13" by 20" tile and get 10 nicely proportioned 3-7/8" by 6-1/4" tiles out of each large tile with pretty much no waste. Just another idea. If you want squares, sure stacking the squares an infilling with mosaic would work.

Our installers somehow managed to put a crack in the tub surround at our vacation place. I'm assuming it's acrylic or maybe it's fiberglass, but this was a one piece unit - tub with shower. Our builder assured us that we would never notice the repair and said he'd replace it if we could point out where the crack had been. We had nothing to lose so we approved the repair. He was right. It's been almost 20 years and we've never been able to discover where the crack was. Someone bumped my DH's 50th anniversary Corvette and left a nasty little gash along the side. Our Chevy dealer promised us that after coming out of the shop it would look pristine - and he was right too. So I hope your tub looks brand new when they're done! Maire