Can you share pictures and/or links for your materials? It is sometimes difficult to envision material combinations when you can't actually see the materials. However, imagining the tiles from your description, I think the combination of slate and white would be lovely. Will the accent at the top of the shower be of the same granite as the vanity countertop? If so, I think either using the same granite for backsplash or the pearl white glass accent tiles as a backsplash would be lovely (or even a combination of the two). I suspect any color of wood would go well with your selections.

Thanks, pepperidge farm :) Sounds like you have the response I always used to have when I saw mosaics before I started doing them...if you get started you won't stop, I'll warn you :) In this case, I got the tiles as seconds at Pratt & Larson (see above post), and then have just been playing 'organize-the-dishwasher' (as my family likes to call it--I'm a bit obsessive about that too :)) until I like what I see. Most of them have some degree of sparkle to them, opalescence, and I didn't use any crackle. I have three long pencil tiles going through each 25" span to keep some sense of direction--now that I see it I'm wondering if I should have put in more...not too late, actually, and I have some more...hmmm, it's not finished until they take it away from you, right? :) So mongo, I am waiting to order until I hear what your thoughts are--would you share? Or were you just curious whether I'd bought one yet? You know I will wait for your thoughts on any issue, so TIA as always :)

how long should I wait to use hydroban after sealing joints with mesh and thin set? I am a little worried that putting the hydroban on too quickly after thin setting the joints and niche that it may stop the thin set from curing. I thin setted one joint between the durock, the corners around the bottom and sides of a window, my niche and where the tops/sides of the durock meets the green board (above and in front of my shower). I thin setted in the afternoon and then went home to eat and shower. I then went back to my other house and started to apply the hydro ban above these areas except for the ones that had not dried totally (mainly the gaps between the durock and green board). Can I apply another coat to these area and then the field tomorrow? I read this on the Laticrete web site...does this apply to the thin set mortar being used to seal the corners/joints/niche etc. ? I am thinking this is talking about a floor application and hoping not thin set. 9. Allow wet mortars/plasters (deck mud consistency) to cure for 72 hours at 70°F (21°C) prior to installing LATICRETE Wateright Floor N Wall Waterproofing & Crack Isolation. BTW my niche came out great so far...It is huge because one of my walls along the shower is 6" deep. Thanks, Steve

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.