Hi! We just had an addition put on our house, and are finishing the last items since our contractor left us high and dry (but that's another problem).

The shower has a common fiberglass shower base, and we have a standard sliding shower door that must be installed. The contractors built a small wall on either side of the shower opening, but these walls are on the OUTSIDE of the shower base. Therefore, if I installed the shower door between these two walls, the base of the shower door doesn't have anything to rest on. If I instead build the shower door on top of the shower base, the shower door will actually be on the inside of these walls, which would look ridiculous (and this would require me to remove some of the tile inside the shower, as we have some decorative tiles which are not flush).

I am thinking about building out the shower base between those two walls, with a 4x4" piece of lumber (or molded plastic) so that its height is even with the fiberglass shower base. I would tile over it, and install the shower door on this new piece (instead of the fiberglass base), and this way the shower door sides can be attached to those walls.

Does that sound like the best option? Would simply tiling and caulking this piece prevent it from getting water damaged?

Thanks!

Normally the shower door sit on the 4" high shower base"dam" and in about the middle and the water then drains back into the shower. If the walls were tiled and a tile dam built still the shower door sits in the same spot. The tile job needs to be close so a "factory" installation" is achieved. I've never see a shower door otherwise even with a Neo angle door system.
The bull Nose Tile should have been the last two inches of the tile end at the opening and THEN the decorative tile starts there that's maybe were the screw up was here
All shower doors sit on the shower base "dam" in the center or on the floor area if it's a handicapped set up and enough slope and tile in front of the door to drain back into shower. Do you have a front shower dam about 4" high and maybe 3" wide ? That's the target
Remember it has to drain water back from door so no matter what a lip or build up will be needed. And the walls again need tile like the actual shower stall. 30 years in construction and this is a new one unless I'm not getting the picture

Iam thinking about building out the shower base between those two walls, with a 4x4" piece of lumber (or molded plastic) so that its height is even with the fiberglass shower base. I would tile over it, and install the shower door on this new piece (instead of the fiberglass base), and this way the shower door sides can be attached to those walls.

Does that sound like the best option? Would simply tiling and caulking this piece prevent it from getting water damaged?
The above part sounds really odd to me an you explain better please

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A picture would really help here. Shower doors are normally installed right onto those side walls.

Thanks for the advice. Some photos are attached. There is a 2" bullnose tile on the end of the inside wall, so in theory I could put the shower door on the inside without removing tile. But wouldn't that look ridiculous from the inside of the shower??

The "dam" on the shower base is just over 4" high and 2.5" wide.

I've also included a photo that sort of illustrates my idea. The text says "Build out the "dam" so that the front of the new base dam is flush with the side walls. Install the shower base on this new extended dam base, and install shower sides to the side walls."

Any ideas would be much appreciated. Thank you!

I don't know how to say this but your contractor was a total fool. That wall on each side never should have been built to start with, it does not belong there. I have ben doing bath remodels for 45 years and this is the first time I have ever seen such and attempt. However, you already have it so lets not dwell and just rty to get a fix. You need to measure the full shower pan width from wall to wall and ignore that goofy side wall. I am guessing you have a 60x32 pan. Order a shower door kit, I like Kolher Sterling, to fit the 60" base. Install the lower track on top of the shower pan sill, normally centerd on the sill but you probably need to move out 3/4". Install the complete kit. Your doors will close and strike the vertivcal rail but now hidden behind the goofy wall.