How much to tile shower?

[Richard]

We've had two (so far) guys come out to give us an estimate on tiling our shower.

Shower is about 4 1/2' x 4 1/2' x 9'. it has two cubbyholes in it as well as a foot rest place.

I've already done the framing and all that's left is installing the pan, durock on the walls (ceiling durock already installed by me) and of course, tile.

The pan... the floor is not strictly 4 1/2 x 4 1/2, additionally, the drain is let's just say 18" in from two sides, as opposed to being centered in the middle of floor.

It all has to be custom done and I'm fine with that, however, our first estimate was $3,200 (materials extra) and the second estimate was $4,000 (materials extra).

The second estimate is a guy who has not only done some beautiful work in other houses, ONE of the houses has been written up in a magazine with various vendors discussed in the article (of which he is one, he had the magazine with him)

I'm not very interested in paying to have some Italian artesian fly in from Italy to make my shower into his Mona Lisa, however, I don't want the other end of the spectrum and get someone who's only done 2 showers before in his life...

So, do those numbers sound reasonable?

We've never hired anything out once the house was in drywall. We've done ALL the flooring, finish work, even the tile in the kitchen & other bathroom. My wife is VERY capable of doing the artistic part, but it'll take her a long time, she's working and my BIGGEST concern... I want a "pro" to build my drainpan. I don't want ME to do it since I've never done one before. Since we're dealing with water & getting a slope on the floor, there is one chance to do it right and I'm willing to pay for this one.

so, my main question is, by hiring it out, do those numbers above seem "reasonable"??

 

[hockeypuck]

It all depends on your tile and patern types. Is it all one collor and tiles size or are there special patterns you want. I have seen good tilers spend a week and change is a shower stall that size. The reason for such a high number is uncertainty. Do they know exactly what they are installing. If you buy the materials, they maybe making up that difference in their bid price figuring on what they would have made on materials.

Puck

 

[Richard]

We're likely to buy the goods through the installer (doesn't matter to me at all) I realize that's another place they can make a buck.

I don't MIND them making a buck either, but I gotta admit, you factor these prices in, the fact we (the wife) picked out $2,500 worth of faucets for the SHOWER alone (and this is before the first firring strip cost)...she's got me shaking my head...

I finally told her (wife) that this whole thing didn't HAVE to cost us so much, we could have saved a bunch of money on the faucets (1 shower, 3 body sprays & 1 hand held)

Today she says "Oh, I didn't know we could have spent less"

Righttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt

 

[Dusty]

I haven't done much tile work, but I have done a few copper shower pans in my lifetime. I do it the old fashioned way. I pay someone to make the pan, and then I set it in place. Go to a local plumbing supply house and ask them who makes the pans for them. If that doesn't work out, then contact some sheet metal fabricators. The people that make the hot air ductwork. That is where I had all of mine done. I just gave them the dimensions and they cut, bent, formed, soldered the joints and drain into the pan. All I had to do was to put it in the shower and install the cement board. Then the tile man came and mixed the concrete for the floor and set that in place. After it hardened, he did the floor tile and then the wall tile. One thing that he does with the floor cement is that it is almost dry powder when he sets it in place. He mixes it extremely stiff. Trowels it in place and gets the pitch he wants. I like a lot of pitch so the water can't pool. He wraps the drain with Saran wrap and screws it to the part that is soldered to the pan. After it set up, he then unscrews it, removed the Saran wrap, and tiled the floor. On my pans, the sides were 6 or 8 inches high. Don't remember, it was 20+ years ago. The floor tiles were set with cement mixed with epoxy liquid, instead of water. Same for the grout. No failure or problems. I suggest nothing larger than a 4" tile for the wall, and very small tiles for the floor. Around these parts, there are not many tile setters, so they do get a premium price. The fellow that did mine, and taught me has passed on, so any tile work that I will ever do in the future I will be thinking of him. He was the type of guy that didn't mind teaching the homeowner, or to have the homeowner work with him.
Dusty

 

[gsganzer]

I had a one piece cultured marble pan made. The pan cost $600, installed. I did all the wall tile myself.

After I had the pan installed, I put up all the hardi-board inside the shower and also on and around a drop-in jetted tub deck and surround. I started running short on time, so I had a guy (he had also done the stonework on my fireplace when we had an addition added) give me a quote for installing the tile in the shower and on the tub deck and surround (all material was already purchased by me and on-site). His quote for just installing the tile was only $400 - $500. He and a helper would have it done in part of a day and return to grout the next morning. Unfortunately, he couldn't start on it for almost three weeks, so I ended up doing it myself.

Your price sounds high, but I'm not sure it's completely out of line. I think your probably looking at 3 -4 days of labor when you have to do a custom pan, rock the walls, set tile and grout. Our labor price in Texas for drywall and stonework are still two of the great bargains.

 

[TheKid]

Here's a good place to ask about pricing for tile jobs.

 

[dmccarty]

Richard,

I did the tile in the bath tub surrounds in our old house. I think it was about $800 for el cheapo white 4x4 tile, grout, mastic, Hardi backer board, screws, saw rental, fixtures, etc. The surround was roughly 5'x3'x3'x 6' tall.

I have read that a rule of thumb is that some contractors bill 2 to 3 times the price of materials. I don't understand that billing method but that is what I have heard.

Tiling was very time consuming to do correctly. I'm sure I spent a good day or so putting up the backer board, and putting mastic/thinset and tape on the joints. Then you had to wait for the next day to tile. Spend another one or two days tiling. Then wait to dry. Then grout. Wait to dry. Clean up and the put on grout sealent. And dont forget caulk. I think it would have taken three to four days for a professional to do one of our bathtubs.

There is an ANSI standard on putting in tile. I think it is 800.1 or 800.3. It would be worth your while to look at it and compare what it says with what the installer says he will do. Ask if he has heard of the standard.

Later,
Dan

 

[riptides]

Yes, they sound reasonable.

Showers with tile are a custom job. For proper drainage, you need the right angles, then you need some rubber in there somewhere, in case of failure. Cutting tile is labor hours, shower hardware is expensive. You mentioned angles or cubby holes, more work time. Not all tiles are cheap, some are outrageous.

It ain't cheap, but if done wrong, will not last, and may ruin your day lokking for the leaks......

Bet of luck.
-Mike Z.