Although I am not brave enough to do something so permanent and daring- I LOVE it! We went to a Homearama this past weekend and the first floors would be safer with color choices but when entering the basements, I would catch myself saying, "Wow, that's unexpected!" Unexpected meaning that it didn't match the style of the rest of the house, kind of like a retreat I guess. I say if you really love it, "Go for it!"

If I "ignore" the issue, and just caulk over the crack, what's the worst that could happen? Second worst: Water leaks behind the caulk, destroys the studs behind the tile and the joists in the floor, and you have to rip out the whole shower stall, wall and floor and replace everything. And do mold remediation. Worst: Water leaks in there, destroys the studs behind the tile and the joists in the floor, and you step in the shower one morning and the joists give way and you and the shower stall end up in the basement. No fooling, this happened to a friend ... he caulked around the base of a leaky toilet because he didn't want to have to remove/replace toilet and fix the problem. About a year later he sat on the toilet and ended up in the basement because the joists had rotted. The paramedics were amused.

CP I will have to post it in a couple of days. I dont' have access to it on this computer. The current plan has a bathroom there, but a completly different configuration, which I have to now move around because of the footing issue.

I just finished a remodel and replaced the shower/tub combination with a great shower. I really couldn't tell you how much it cost because your costs would depend on the cost of labor in your area plus the materials and fixtures you choose. My showers were expensive because they were taken down to the studs. The rough plumbing including the drains had to be replaced. Both the floor and the walls had to be waterproofed. I also opted for relatively expensive finishes - Encore tiles and marble basket weave floors with Phyrich fixtures. I live in a jurisdiction which required multiple inspections before work could proceed including flood tests for the shower pan. The work was done by a licensed plumber and the tile work was done by a really experienced tile setter so labor was expensive. The end results of the intricate tile designs were done really well and so I have none of the horror stories that are rampant on this forum. I love the end result and I also am as sure as one can be that my new shower doesn't leak or have structural issues. Getting rid of the tub/shower combination was one of the best things I did in my new remodel as the end result is both highly functional and - at least in my opinion - beautiful.