How to Remove a Standing Shower & Install a Bathtub/Shower Combination

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At some point, you may decide that your shower alone is not sufficient for your bathroom needs. Installing a multipiece tub and shower unit may be just what you need to start your bath remodel project. One-piece tub and shower units generally are for new construction only, because they won't fit through doorways and are too big to place in an existing bathroom. Popular tub and shower choices today are the units that mount directly to the studs, with no drywall needed.

Things You'll Need

• Eye protection

• Ear protection

• Knee pads

• Respirator

• Screwdrivers

• Spanner wrench

• Cordless drill

• Drill bits

• Sawzall

• Crowbar

• Claw hammer

• Screw bits

• Drywall knife

• Tub drain wrench

• Level

• Shims

• Roto saw

• Drywall

• Drywall tape

• Drywall joint compound

• Putty knife

• Paint

• Paint brushes

Remove the access panel that allows you to get to the shower plumbing. Use a screwdriver if needed. Turn off the main water supply to the bathroom. Put on all protective gear. Remove the shower drain cover, inside the shower base. Pry it off with a screwdriver or remove the screws if applicable. Insert a flat-head screwdriver into the slots, located inside the drain itself. Loosen the drain. Use a spanner wrench and remove the drain connections and loosen the remaining section of the drain, from inside the access panel. Any glue-on drains will have to be cut out, using a sawzall. Drill four 1/4-inch holes around the shower drain. Drill right through the shower pan floor. Use the sawzall and cut out a hole. Then lift off the acrylic or fiberglass that you just cut out. Now, you can cut off the glued-on shower drain. Leave a stub, so you can install a new slide-on drain later. ', image: '', flash: '' }, google_image_size : '300x250' });

Remove the shower trim from inside the shower, using a screwdriver. The shower head is usually outside of the shower surround, so you won't need to do anything with it.

Drill some more holes, all the way around the perimeter of the acrylic or fiberglass shower surround. Cut out the surround with the sawzall and remove the pieces. The shower pan should be a separate piece, so it will be removed later. Finish pulling out any leftover pieces of the wall surround, using a crowbar and claw hammer. If any drywall breaks apart, don't worry. You will repair it later.

Remove the shower pan by pulling it away from the wall, using the crowbar. The nails holding it in place will pop out. Or, use the cordless drill and screw bit to remove any screw holding the pan in place.

Repair the broken drywall behind the old shower by cutting a clean line across the drywall, using a drywall knife. Your new tub and shower will be a stud-to-stud install and won't require any drywall behind the tub or wall.

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Hire a plumber to relocate the drain. This is not something that can usually be done without getting professional help. Have the plumber also run a new line from the old shower head down to where your new tub spout will be.

Install the new tub unit by setting it in place. Hook up the new drain that the plumber relocated. Install the top half of the drain in the inside of the tub, using a tub drain wrench.

Attach the new tub to the wall, using drywall screws. Align the drain up and the tub spout up as you install the tub, using a helper. Screw them through the tile flange and directly into the wall studs. Level the tub as you go. Adjust up or down as necessary and use shims if needed.

Mark where your shower control is and mark the wall panel. Use a rotosaw to cut out the opening for the shower valve. Insert the walls up against the studs. They interlock with one another and sit right over the tile flange on the tub. Screw them into the studs, just like you did for the tub.

Reinstall the shower trim. Screw on a new tub spout to the pipe that the plumber installed previously. Turn on the water and check for any leaks. Do any painting or drywall work needed.

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