# Save the shower pan?



## Craig (Oct 2, 2004)

Demo'd a tile shower stall today in preparation for new walls, floor, etc. The old shower pan looks to be in good shape with only a couple of minor dings from removing the old tile (none of them go through to the liner). The questions is how much risk is there in trying to reuse the old shower pan? My major concern is there may be some cut in the liner at the junction of the floor and wall that isn't apparent from a close visual inspection and will cause problems down the road. I guess I'm inclined to demo the pan and start from scratch, but it would be nice to save the labor involved. Any thoughts?


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Well the first one is this a job or something you are doing for your own home? If it's a job I certainly hope you had this figured out before you got this far... did you have some sort of agreement with the customer that you would demo down to the pan for x amount of money and then evaluate and talk about a change order? I can't imagine you are going to demo the pan and rebuild it for free by eating the labor and materials at this point are you?

From using the word liner when you say shower pan you are actually referring to a mud job here right and not actually a fiberglass or acrylic shower pan right?


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## Craig (Oct 2, 2004)

Mike,
Its a job. I originally bid it to include removing and rebuilding the shower pan. And yes, its a mud job. The problem is really one of time. I've lost two work days due to the flooding around here, and may lose some more. I thought if I could save the labor involved in rebuilding the pan (with an appropriate adjudstment in the contract price) I would be able to finish within the original time allowed and save the customer some money along the way. When I bid the job I included the demo and rebuild because I was afraid the liner wouldn't survive the demo intact. As I said, I'm inclined to replace the pan, but I'm curious as to whether anyone has experience with tiling over the old mud pan.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

I'm trying to recall what that water proofing is called you could brush on the liner, redhat or redcoat or something like that? I see your delema, sounds like the only thing stopping you from just demoing it is your schedule.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

You can always plug the drain and fill 'er up with water to test it out.

I would be concerned that if you did not go ahead with the tear out and 2 or even 3 years down the road there is a leak.... You will have been the one who talked them out of a full re-do to save time and a little money.

I vote tear it out, your putting your reputation on somebody elses work.


Mike, That is RedGard you are refering to.


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## Craig (Oct 2, 2004)

Thanks guys. I just found out that the supplier for all of the bathroom fixtures (special ordered, received and stored in their warehouse) is under 5' of water. Also, other deliveries are delayed because of closed roads, railroad delays, etc. So I have to readjust the schedule in any event. Fortunately, my contract allows for adjustment due to weather and delivery delays. Sooo- will demo the pan and replace it as I intended. As Tom said, I don't want to risk my reputation on the chance that the installation will fail down the road. Good to know about the Red Guard for future purposes though.


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## ee3 (Feb 10, 2006)

i was going to say why would anyone ever want to screw around patching something like a pan tring to save ,what maybe 50 dollars.....

rip it out do it right.. the red gard would cost just as much anyhow...


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

$50 ? 

My lunch each day costs that much! Where did you come up with $50?


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## ee3 (Feb 10, 2006)

if it were a 5'x5' liner at $2.00 psf and thats for the good stuff CPE,--PVC would be less.


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