Updating 1950s bathroom
I live in a co-op built in the early fifties. Two different plumbers have told me that both my shower and sink plumbing should be replaced because they are in such bad shape they can’t be repaired very well. (In the shower, the diverter no longer works, and in the sink, the faucet drips and…
I live in a co-op built in the early fifties. Two different plumbers have told me that both my shower and sink plumbing should be replaced because they are in such bad shape they can’t be repaired very well. (In the shower, the diverter no longer works, and in the sink, the faucet drips and one handle leaks.)
So, like many people here, I am looking for a contractor–but one who is not going to try to convince me to rip out all my pink tile and install beige travertine. I just want to put in new plumbing, a new sink (old one’s also badly worn), and patch tile as necessary (not just where the shower is fixed, but also a few small areas where the existing tile was patched at some point with the wrong color). Any recommendations of someone who is very sensitive to restoration? (BTW, I have some extra matching tile from when neighbors gut-renovated their bath.)
Final question: Is it true (as one plumber told me) that if I replace the shower plumbing, I must install a one-handle control rather than the two handles I now have?
Coop staff? Coop handyman? We just have a part-time super (who is not very handy).
The thing is, I actually *want* new plumbling in the shower and sink. The external fixtures I have–faucets and handles–do not look nice (due to wear, mismatched parts, etc.). I’ve looked online and seen things that are new that actually have a vintage look, and those look much nicer than my old messed-up fixtures. So I just think, well, I’d like to replace those, so why not? And I want a new sink. I guess the thing that makes me feel like I need a contractor is that I think I need advice about buying all these parts–putting them all together. One plumber I had in told me I have to be really careful when buying the new sink because the plumbing connections at the back might be too high up to match where the pipes come out of my wall. Really, he acted like this was a major deal! So I got worried that I might buy all these various components and they won’t work together. And then there’s this question of whether I must install a one-handle shower control that has a temperature valve in it. I am totally clueless about this stuff. But maybe I just need someone to advise me while I’m shopping, not a contractor. o_0
About the tile, you’re right, I have seen replacement tile in tubs and showers (including mine). It’s noticeable because…it doesn’t quite match. It would be great if I could get some replacement tile that would match the original so exactly that even I wouldn’t see the difference, but is that even possible? And if it is, would that be less expensive than retiling the whole bath with new tile? I have to admit, I am starting to like the idea of finally having all the tile in my bathroom matching! (I haven’t even mentioned the floor–it is a pinkish and black spiral tile that is patched, in sections, with a slightly different shade of pinkish/black spiral tile and also one patch of white and black spiral tile. I’d like for all the tile on my floor to match, too.)
Maybe I could do this all myself, just working with a plumber and a tile person. But it seems like there has to be the kind of coordination that would be a breeze for people who do this stuff routinely, but would stymie me. For instance, it seems like the floor should be done before the sink goes in (because the base of the sink would rest on the floor). But it seems like the shower-wall tiling needs to be done after the shower hardware is put in. That’s another thing I feel like I’d need help with–knowing who should come in when and scheduling the different workers.
This sounds like a very small job, not something requiring a contractor. The diverter can be reached from your bedroom, right?
1. Leaking sink. If your coop does handyman work, ask them to remove the sink assembly for you. (If there is no shutoff valve under the sink, ask them to cap it so you can still use the bath and shower.) Take the assembly into Alfano. Your coop handyman can reassemble the whole mess and put in the new washers and other parts.
2. Get a plumber to remove and install the diverter from your bedroom. Also, isn’t your coop responsible for anything inside the walls? And maybe to patch the wall?
3. Get any replacement tile you need. (Restoration Tile needs about five weeks.) Get a tile guy to patch it. Oh — you will need a loose tile to match. I presume you have these. (FYI, your coop staff can demo tile if required to get at something they are responsible to fix inside the wall — but few tiles will survive and often the ones that do will have cement clinging to them. They aren’t really reusable. Well, at least this is true of shower pan tiles. I’m not sure about wall tiles.) People patch tile all the time. I’m sure you’ve seen replacement tile around tub faucets.
Have you read Bungalow Bathrooms by Jane Powell? Many photos of colored bathrooms, a section on what to do with a pink bathroom, and many tips for preserving, repairing, and matching.
BTW, mopar (just in case you come back), I meant to thank you for your suggestions, too.
I still feel like I might need a contractor…I am nervous about trying to coordinate the plumbing and tiling jobs myself….
Lucky you, Carol! And I am a fan of Retro Renovation. 🙂
Here is a post about pink tile:
http://retrorenovation.com/2009/04/22/where-to-find-retro-vintage-pink-bathroom-til/
I love those old bathrooms. In my last place, I found boxes of tiles in a closet that were from the original tiling–event he contrasting trim. So I was lucky that when I needed some work, I had the stuff to match. I left the rest behind when I moved. I’m sure the next owner chucked it all and redid the bathroom to be chic in the current manner. Anyway, this site is fun:
http://retrorenovation.com/
Try salvage places for an exact replacement sink.
Needless to say, your plan is entirely workable and is going to look better than a Home Depot patch and cost *much less* than ripping out the bathroom. It’s entirely do-able, you just have to know how.