I want to replace a fiberglass tub and shower in an apartment. The bub has cracked and been repaires several times.

Hi Ron...

Shut the hot/cold water supply off to the tub/shower or the house if necessary.

Remove the tub/shower trim.

Disconnect the tub waste & overflow trim plate and remove the trip lever guts if present. Loosen and remove the tub strainer if possible and if not use a sawzall with a wood blade to cut a 6" hole around the tub strainer assembly (don't go too deep, just cut through the fiberglass). This disconnects the drain from the tub, too.

Draw a level line on the wall at 3"-6" above the old tub/shower unit then cut that line and down the sides with a sawzall with wood blade. DON'T go too deep with your cut here as the sheetrock is only 1/2" (or 5/8" and you do not want to cut any wires, OK?

Remove the screws/nails at the nailing flange of the tub.

Remove the wall surround in pieces if walls are in pieces. Otherwise, use your sazwzall with wood blade and cut a line about 2" above the tub. Again, be careful, the surround is only 1/8" thick and you don't want to cut any wires or pipes behind the wall.

Use leather gloves to remove any cut pieces and wear goggles for safety sake. A fiberglass dust mask is also advisable here, especially if you have breathing issues.

Next, cut the tub in half... cut the depth of the tub. Be careful not to go too deep.

Remove the tub.

Remove the tub waste assembly and determine future plumbing rough in needed for the new tub/shower.

You'll probably want to install a new shower valve.

If installing a new fiberglass or even an acrylic tub/shower unit be sure to bed the tub in a structolite or mortar base for best result, but of course, check the manufacturer instructions on this, OK?

Finally, for best result on the drain you'll want to have access to the tub drain from behind the tub (access panel at drain end) or through the ceiling. If these options do not appeal to you, you can reconnect the tub drain without access, but measurements need to be dead on!

That should get you thinking! Glad to talk you through the new install if you need help!

Questions..

Mark

I used a rotozip with ceramic tile cutting bit set to the depth of the drywall to expose the edge.
Be careful cutting where the pipes lead to the shower arm so you don't nick them.

A rotozip tool is also a good tool for this job, Patty... ;)

A fiberglass dust mask and safety goggles are also a good idea especially with this tool as it creates a lot of fine particle dust!

Thanks... Mark

You are right Mark! I didn't mention that since you did in your reply. Here's my son removing his fiberglass shower with only the rotozip and he did wear a dust mask and goggles.
I was there of course... supervising and reminding him he saved $400 doing the demolition himself. He had a contractor tile a new shower for him with my suggested niches.

Always fun seeing your pics. Patty!

The only thing I would mention here is that anyone removing one of these units using a rotozip or a sawzall should remove anywhere from 3"-6" of drywall above the tub unit (and along the sides) so that they can easily fit a new unit AND so they can easily slip in and properly secure new drywall.

Here, if you only rip the drywall as high as the nailing flange you will either be trying to install a 1-2" piece of drywall and that isn't going to make for a very secure patch OR someone will need to make the same cut again only 2-4" higher.. ;)

Hope that made sense and hope it saves somebody a few hassles/time down the road!

Good day!

Mark

I installed cement board up to that cut and taped and thinsetted the joint. I then applied the tile and trim over the cement board and hid the seam.

YUP! But you installed a custom shower so you better have used cement board... ;)

In Ron's case, however, he will be replacing the existing tub/shower unit with a new fiberglass or acrylic tub/shower unit and he'll want to make the cut 3-6" higher as mentioned above... as will anyone else planning to rip out/replace one of these tub/shower units.

Thanks...

Mark

That's true! He can use a straight edge and the rotozip to remove necessary drywall.