Discussions

Looking for recommendations on where to go for a cost-effective, efficient bathtub replacement.  
 
We had tried one of those home re-glazing kits and for various reasons, it didn't turn out too well. We're hoping to sell our home this spring and have decided to just bite the bullet.  
 
We have a surround that will be staying as it is in good condition. It is just the tub itself that needs to be replaced at this point.  
 
I'm not sure what is all available in Brandon as I haven't lived here long and am now planning to move out of town anyway. If anyone could please give me the names of some businesses, that would be fantastic!  
 
Thank you.

Hi. I don't believe that you can just change the tub and leave the existing surround in place. The reason is that the tub has an approximate 1 inch flange on the 3 sides where it is either screwed or clipped to the wall studs to hold in place. The wall board (drywall, cement board, or whatever) then comes down inside the flange, and then the surround should come down to the tub surface to make a single horizontal seam that is sealed with silicone. There is no physical way to pull just the tub out with the walls still in place.  
 
The only option I can think of to what you want to do is a tub & wall cover or skin, like BathFitters. The pros & cons of that approach are the topic of another discussion. I will say though that if I was looking at a house that had a tub skin, I'd be budgeting for a remodel and taking that off of the offer price.  
 
Hope this helps. Good luck!

it real tough to take out a tub without substantial damage to the tub surround walls and end walls. as previous commentor said the tub has a 1 inch turned up flange that is screwed to the wall studs, then the drywall is usually down over the flange by a bit. there will also be blocking at the ends of the tub so you can't just lift one end, and you can't pull it straight out.  
 
google tub installations to see how they are put in at construction stage then you'll see how to take out.  
 
look carefully at the whole bathroom set up, if you need a new tub, you may also need a new vanity sink and toilet.  
 
maybe time for a complete makeover alternately Bath fitters do a nice job. however a new tub and surround with an older toilet, sink mirror flooring etc just does not look right.  
 
if your doing it for a house sale, doing a 1/2 job is worse than doing nothing.

Tubs are put in before anything else. Disassembly is the reverse of assembly.  
 
Like the above have said, tub fits tight to the studs and everything is built on top, and around it.  
 
My buddy ended up with a tub he could not get in. He called a guy, there was no more discussion about it after that. I know darn well it cost him a lot.  
 
"look carefully at the whole bathroom set up".  
 
I "fixed" a rotten window, which had rotted the wall, new cabinet setup, new toilet, sink, vanity, flooring. Now, I can source and do my own work.  
 
Like Goshdarn said, all in or do not start.

You physically can't pull a tub without ripping out the surround due to the phlange. We redid our tub a couple of years ago and saw how the process worked, it needs to be done in order.  
 
We used a well-known local contracting company, and while the final job is esthetically pleasing, we had issues with the plumbers. We didn't catch that they used the wrong materials INSIDE the walls until it was too late, and now we have some issues. Minor ones for sure, but they weren't supposed to use pex for a particular section according to the specs that came with the fixtures. Moral: make sure you know your specs and speak up if you don't like what they're doing.  
 
As for Bathfitter, I would recommend against it. We did it in our old house in Winnipeg, and while it was quick, cheap and easy initially, my parents also did it. It doesn't wear nearly as well as just putting in new fixtures, and there's been some issues. I too, if I bought a house with the skins like that, would be looking at replacing it post-haste.

For all the replies!  
 
Because the glaze was for cosmetic reasons (just a tiny bit of water staining, no chips or anything) and hadn't set well it was surprisingly easy to remove without damaging the tub.  
 
We removed it and have looked at alternatives to glazing again. The vanity and toilet are all already new. The tub isn't old or anything, just a tad ugly.  
 
I think we've got it sorted now.  
 
Thanks again!