shower kit vs on-site build
snowcountry
5 years ago
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Tile shower compared to the 4 piece shower kit
Comments (12)The Swanstone stuff looks like a composite material like Corian. It is not fiberglass. If it is what I've seen before, it is about 1/4" thick and heavy-duty. Instructions say to mount it over cement backerboard or greenboard (water resistant sheetrock). I think you could get away with a curtain seeing as you have a high step-over. But I would do a door. If you were replacing all the tile with new tile, you could use a tile guy for the work. But you might want to go ahead and replace the shower valve with something new now while the wall is open. Hence, a plumber. Also, the plumber I think would do a better job with a new pan. You could do a combo thing where you use a solid shower pan with tile. Let the plumber do the pan. The swanstone stuff would go in quicker than tile, but you have some extra surfaces to do, which means you may need some xtra stuff to make it look the way you want. Or go to a flat wall. If you tile, you might think about larger tiles (12x12) so they go in faster....See MoreModular vs kit?
Comments (6)We looked into, and almost proceeded with, both of these building methods before deciding on an on-site custom build. The modular company that we were working with was unprofessional, didn't deliver updates in a timely manner and in the end would have cost us as much, if not more money for much less house than we are currently getting. In CA (we are in SoCal) there are a lot of structural upgrades that you have to pay for to meet code requirements that really drive up the cost from the base model that is usually advertised, and that's even before you get to the fun finish stuff that you can add on. The kit home also wound up being as expensive as what we are currently getting, but that was due to shipping costs because the closest place we could find was in northern CA (I have a link somewhere to the place we were working with). In retrospect, had we gone that route we would have been in big trouble due to the time demand. My husband's workload has greatly increased this year and although he was planning on doing some finish work on this house to save on labor costs, he won't even be able to do that due to 50 hour work weeks! I am so, so glad we went with a custom build, but also that we fully researched and eliminated the other options so I wouldn't ever wonder "what if?" ETA: with regard to kit homes and time commitments, be aware that many places have time limits for how long it takes you to complete your house. I believe in our area it's two years. Just something to think about....See MoreLarge shower vs soaking tub and separate shower
Comments (26)For those who like the immersion of a tub and the moving water or massage-like functions, but hate the gunk and the noise, one company makes jetted tubs differently and those issues are supposed to be minimized or eliminated. They used to be called Sanijet and Spike had a policy against allowing us to even mention the name because they had violated his strict anti-advertising policy. I got a warning just for asking about them. (For you Houzzers who never visited us when we were THS, it was strictly forbidden for even the Pros who contributed to the discussions to even mention their company names before Houzz bought the Garden Web and This Home Site) Now, the company is named Purewater Baths. Pipeless Technology at Purewater Baths Each jet is a separate electric motor and there are no pipes under the tub going from jet to jet. So no microbe-filled gunk will greet you when you start jets that have been sitting unused with stagnant water sitting in the pipes since the last bath. Since there is no central pump, there is no vibrating motor making noise and humming for all the adjoining rooms to hear. It is supposed to be a technology that allows you to talk, listen to music, or watch TV, if that is what you want to do while soaking. Also, when installing a conventional jetted tub with pipes, you should be able to elevate the center of each plastic tubing pipe so that it always drains clear after using the tub. This would help with the dirty water/gunk issue. I always wanted to try one, and had hoped for years to someday have one, before arthritis and my other joint disorder made getting in and out of tubs impossible for me. They are more expensive, but I was willing to save for that if it made the bathing experience worthwhile. For those voicing objections to the gunk and the noise, I thought that letting you know about this option would be beneficial....See MoreBlack modern tub and shower head kit
Comments (3)Most designers design jobs with individual system components so they can build exactly what is needed. They rarely use “kits”. The price on those kits isn’t at all out of line for what you want though. I suggest that any faucets that you are considering be evaluated by reading Starcraft Builders Faucet Review site. If the brand isn’t listed, don’t even consider it. There are a lot of illegal imports into this country that don’t pass the required testing. But because there is no money for enforcement, they’re sold everywhere. Be very careful! http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/sources.faucets2.htm...See More
snowcountry
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agosnowcountry
5 years ago
PROAnglophilia
5 years agosnowcountry
5 years ago
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