Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Problem with unlevel bathtub & drywall

We have just hired a guy to replace the bathtub & bathroom floor in our house (not on a slab). At this point we have 2 problems.

1. The old one-piece unit was replaced with a steel tub and drywall. The replacement drywall (I think what you call "greenboard") has rather large gaps between the new panels and the existing drywall in places -- maybe 1/2", maybe a little more in a couple of places. Can gaps this big be filled before taping or something (we've never tried drywall before....)?

2. The tub is level lengthwise. But from right to left, it appears to be unlevel by about 5/8". We haven't talked to the guy who put it in yet, but that seems like an awful lot to me. While the tub drains adequately, appears to be solid, and generally seems to work okay, I'm concerned about (a) the long-term effects of this unlevel installation, and (b) how are we going to deal with this problem when installing the ceramic tile? We'll have to have tiles that are 5/8" shorter on one side than the other & don't know how that will look.

Any words of advice are appreciated.

Don't try to fix the problems yourself until you've called the contractor back to fix them. If you go ahead and start the repairs yourself, he'll be off the hook.

Ted

Just had another thought after I hit the "Submit" button. Take pictures of the problem areas for your protection. If you can't get him to fix the problem and have to take legal action, proof will be required.

Make sure you document when you call the contractor and when the repairs were made. I learned this the hard way when a dispute came up with a lawyer I used a few years ago.

Keep good notes and have the contractor see you write stuff down. This will make him pay closer attention to what he's doing.

Ted

Before you get too much into lawyers and etc, that is good advice by the way, maybe try this.

Just have a chat with the contractor and have him explain from his point of view what the problem is.

Maybe the house is horribly out of level, plumb and just about every other direction.

I have worked in houses like that and have been in situations like you describe. I put it in level and it looks crooked.

Your comment about draining properly leads me to suspect something along this line may be a possible explanation.

Have a good chat with your contractor, maybe he can drop by and explain.

Lawyers can totally blow things out of proportion, but yes, be prepared if it is really his fault. Maybe get a second opinion from someone local who is skilled in home repair.

Not everything is automatically the contactors fault and not every installation may look like those pictures in the fine home magazines. Can't make the silk purse out of the sow's ear.

Best of luck to both of you

Thanks for your responses.

We're definitely not interested in any kind of legal action -- there isn't enough money at stake to make it interesting.

My primary question is, "Is this a problem?". We're concerned about the ceramic tile looking strange, because we're going to have a 1/2" or 5/8" difference from the left side of the the tub to the right -- an area that will have to be filled with a sliver of tile.

But fundamentally, does it do any harm? The tub drains fine (although water has a slight tendency to pool on the right) -- it totally empties.

We'd like to have the contractor do our other bathroom, but if this is screwed up beyond repair, we obviously have to use someone else.

Perhaps we really don't have a problem here...we're just trying to find out.

Thanks if you can provide any more info...

Here is a tip for you on how to fix that tile problem so it looks better.

Say you are using a 4" square tile. Using the lowest point on the tub. (the low end).

Measure up about 3.25" on the wall. Using a level strike a line all the way across the wall.

Cut a strip of wood (3/4" x 3/4"), tack this strip of wood with the top of strip even with your line. Use this strip as a guide to set the first row of tiles. Do this on all three side of the tub. (or how many there are). Check the strip with the level to ensure it is installed exactly level.

This will allow you to get a good straight level course to start setting the rest of the walls. After the set tiles dry over night
remove the strip. You can actually set the tile on the strip for a perfect start row.

The first row of tiles directly over the tub will now to open, ready to set once the strip is removed and the other tiles are frozen in place.

You can readily determine the amount and angle to cut from each tile to get an exact nice looking tile in relation to the tub. Yes, you probably have to cut each tile but in the end it is worth it.

This eliminates trying to set little slivers which never work out. Plus allows for a nice even grout line where the tub and tile meet.

It is best to use a tub saw, but a scoring wheel will work. The grout and caulk around the tub hide most of the noticeable cut.

This is much faster, the walls get set straight and true and the problem first row looks about as good as it can.

I used a 3.25", check your situation and make sure the longest point in that sloping first row doesn't exceed the length of one full tile. I've had similiar problems due to the house being badly crooked and they looked pretty good being set by that method.
That less than one cut inch isn't that noticeable like a half tile is and it's at a angle so your eye doesn't pick it up that well.

Consider the low point in all three walls to select your low point. This will automatically line the first full row set by the guide strip line up perfect.

Yes, maybe he didn't get the tub in exactly right, pretty standard job, good help can be difficult to find.

Good luck


[This message has been edited by Rambler (edited May 26, 2000).]