Do we really need to remove tiles to replace bath?

justaquestion

Hi,

Long story short, we have to fit a new bath because old one had cracked.

Bath end runs into tiled studded wall of walk in shower at one end, and tight against the wall at the other end.

Bathroom is tiled from floor to ceiling totally with no spare tiles, been like that when I arrived.

Ok the plumber says he would have to remove a row of tiles all around the top of the bath to get it out. Bath has those plastic rubber stripes all around the top of it, presumably sealed with silicon, strips seem to sit at an angle.

I do understand that to get bath out a part of the tiles studded wall of walk in shower would have to be removed (hopefully if care was taken it would be able to be cut along the grout lines of tiles, and then bath could be pulled horizontally out) But surely it would be possible to cut along the plastic seals of top of bath without having to break the tiles.

Just looking for a few opinions on this please.
Thanks a lot for any help

cddc

Sadly, unless you are extremely lucky, the bottom row of tiles will probably be toast. Baths are very often fitted so tight it is almost impossible to just slide them out with our damaging the tiles.

If you are equally lucky, you may find a spare box of tiles under the bath. That happened to me once. Don't expect it though.

It is amazing how tight people are about spare tiles. When they come to the end of a job, they will return any spares for a credit rather than keep a box.

That kept box could save a fortune further down the line.

Any

cddc wrote: »

Sadly, unless you are extremely lucky, the bottom row of tiles will probably be toast. Baths are very often fitted so tight it is almost impossible to just slide them out with our damaging the tiles.

If you are equally lucky, you may find a spare box of tiles under the bath. That happened to me once. Don't expect it though.

It is amazing how tight people are about spare tiles. When they come to the end of a job, they will return any spares for a credit rather than keep a box.

That kept box could save a fortune further down the line.

I have boxes from my last 2 bathrooms, never needed them:rotfl::rotfl:
Thinking of making some project with them

You could replace them with mosaic or something, to make sure it is easthetically pleasing and that it was supposed to be like that in the first place?
Or slightly different shade of tiles, to make it look like gradually changing colour?

Or, tile with structure in it (like a wave), to make it look interesting

27cool

I suppose that the bath could be cut up in situ with a disc cutter and removed that way. But I still wouldn't bet on no tiles being damaged.
In my experience, if you can't match something then make a feature of it. Nothing looks worse than a row of tiles that are trying to match but don't quite manage it.

andyhop

Reciprocating saw to remove old

Tilt the bath to get it into space then fit and adjust feet

This will only work if you have easy access on the front edge and the bath

Tiles if fitted correct with a cement based adhesive will not come off without breaking

justaquestion

Thanks for all the very helpful replies.

I have just checked around the top of bath and the sealing plastic/rubber strips along top of bath are at a angle, and you can actually see the tile grout, so tiles don't seem to be tight on top of bath, was able to slide a sharp knife under the top of bath towards the tiles.

Good idea about the disk cutter, especially as bath extends into studded wall of walk in shower, was thinking maybe of cutting up bath into three sections and removing it piece by piece that way.

One additional question or should I say crazy question!
I have sourced an acrylic cream bath, but it is 1700mm long and would have to extend into wall of shower enclosure as well, would have to cut part of studded tiled wall away to get it to fit probably defeating the whole purpose of the fix.
Would it be possible to actually shorten the acrylic bath to 16500mm at one end with a disc cutter?
maybe a crazy sounding question but don't want to spend up to £3000 pounds to totally refit the bathroom if I can help it.
Thanks once again for all your help

Mr.Generous

baths are fitted with brackets screwed to the wall behind the tiles, its just about possible that the bath could be removed by pulling it our sideways - but I would say very very unlikely. And as for getting a new bath in under tiles - presumably anyone saying this can be done has actually done it? Fitting a bath with 1 row of tiles missing is hard work, in modern houses the bathrooms are 1700mm wide with 1700mm baths, very tight. We always fit the bath before basin and wc go in, more room to move. This sounds like a nightmare job!!

justaquestion

Thanks for reply, just did a google serach as regards shortening an acrylic bath and seems its not a good idea at all as it can affect the rigidity and strength of bath.


As regards shorter baths which are not readily available I notice a good few on


https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/baths/standard-baths


anyone dealt with them and got an online bath?


Thanks again