Shower Remodel

[Alex_and_Tee]

We have been full timing in our 2022 Allegro Open Road since mid September. We are permanently parked for the time being in Palm Creek in Casa Grande, AZ. One thing we are disappointed with is the shower is a one piece fiberglass with a molded in seat and a three piece sliding glass door. The molded seat takes up valuable standing room so I was wondering if anyone has replaced it by cutting it out and replacing it with a tile shower and fold away seat that the higher end coaches have. I would also replace the sliding door with a swing open door.

I think it would be worth the cost and add resale value. Thoughts?

[Alex_and_Tee]

I’m not sure what I’m willing to spend. Maybe $5,000 and doing a good bit of the work myself. Perhaps tile isn’t the answer and I’d be happy with staying with fiberglass. Maybe using a sabre saw and cutting out the molded seat and putting in a second sheet of fiberglass wall to cover the hole would be the least expensive route if I could make it look decent.

Doug - If I had $300K plus to buy a Phaeton I would have. Some of us have to work within the budget we have.

[Lwiddis]

Tile weighs a bunch. I’d determine how much for your project before buying anything. Not only do i believe it won’t add to resale value, I’d be suspicious it wasn’t done properly thus lowering the RV’s resale value.

[dougrainer]

Unlike a house there is NO STRUCTURE on 2 of the 3 walls to install tile. You would have to cut out the existing fiberglas and then build wall frames and install either cement board or mold free plywood to adhere the tiles to. Then you would have to build a watertight floor and connect to the existing drain plumbing. Based on what I paid for my house, the glass doors would be $1000 to $1500. Can you post what you were expecting to pay? I would estimate the total cost 10k to 15k. Based on my 42 years as an RV tech and especially 42 years as a Tiffin dealer RV tech. In all those years, I have never heard or seen what you want to do. To take a brand new RV and attempt to do what you want usually costs way too much. What you have experienced is, buying a RV floorplan and find a major part(to you) that does not meet your needs and the usual recourse is to sell and find the floorplan that fits your needs. IT WILL NEVER ADD TO YOUR RESALE VALUE OR RECOUP YOUR COSTS. This is not like a residential remodel. One thing about RV's and Motorhomes, the travel and flexing does not work well when you have ceramic tiles and such installed like a Home. You will experience cracking grout and probable tiles coming loose. Doug

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

🙂 Hi, what's under that shower seat? Mine has a wheel well under it.

[Alex_and_Tee]

Thanks MountainAir05, I will check it out.

The wife is the one that hates it more than I and yes, resale is a consideration be it a minor one as it doesn’t look like we will be staying in it very long. That said, probably not worth the hassle if we sell it in the next year or so.

[MountainAir05]

We did a custom one from shower. The one in the RV got a crack and the issue was they were too big or too small and they were cheaper made that we we took out.

It was made to fit the space and work out great. We ordered it and when we had all the stuff in including a new faucet, rip out the old and put in the new one with new pex pluming and everything. We like it so much order one for the home and did the same. Been 6 years and not one issue. It will be somewhat heaver than what you take out. The walls are 1/2 inch and the pan is heavy but made well. Don't think that you will see a Resale valve. Just out of pocket cost.

[jdc1]

You have a brand new MH and are thinking about resale already? Hmmmm..... Worth the cost? Ask your wife, the one that should be the deciding factor.....not a resale price. Does she think it's worth it?