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.

seattlemamadrama ~Well my Wasauna story ended badly. The first tub was drained the wrong way for me. I shipped it back at their expense and received my replacement last week. The crate was in horrible condition, held together by plastic wrap about 2 times around it. The person who sent it to me must have received my tub and we just traded. I sent him one in perfect condition never removed from the crate. The tub he sent me was dirty, removed from the crate and damaged with scratches. I refused the delivery and call Alex for a refund. He tried to give me 300.00 off and get a new one sent to me but I just took my refund. I have not seen the credit on my card as yet, it has been 4 days. I would say stay away from them. I am in the process of looking for something else now. Good luck to you! Mariofo

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.

There is normaly an opening through the slab called "leave out" beneath tubs that will allow routeing the drain as will be needed. If there is no leave out when you remove the tub,just raise the floor of shower above slab enough for drain to go underneath. Retro-fit all in one showers normaly sit high enough to use a "shoe"drain to address this. You didn't ask but before you get too far along, I reccomend measureing your doors and halls to make certain you can get the shower into the bath room.