15K for Bathroom Remodel or Easy Fix?

SG250

Hi everyone, my apartment is fitted with a concealed shower which is behind a tiled wall.

The only exposed part is the valve to turn on/change temp and the shower head above and tap below which flows into a tub.

The thermostatic valve in the shower is broken now and the manufacturer said they don't provide the specific part needed for a simple fix.

I was thinking that I could get a tiler+plumber to remove the tiles from that wall, put in a new exposed shower and then retile, is this possible?

Bathroom renovators/fitters claim this isnt possible and keep trying to sell me a 15K complete bathroom remodel, is this true? Can you not remove bathroom tiles for one wall without removing them from the entire bathroom?

Any advice would be appreciated as I already have a 20k "fire levy" bill from the building management company that I have to pay also.

mickdw

You can do this as cheap as you like.

If funds don't allow, you could even try to take a few tiles off that area without breaking with the hope of putting them back again and re grouting.

It would be worth giving a handy man a days wages to try to open up the area without breaking tiles and leave it exposed for plumber or do this yourself.

Alternative would be to redo the shower enclosure area.

Check also if the opposite side of the wall would give any access.

15k - that's just nuts.

kirving

You could even have them removed the shower, breaking tiles in the process, and then just replace those tiles with something colourful and make a feature out of it.

€15k is insane, when the basic issue could be fixed for a day or two's labour.

Outkast_IRE

Whats the shower and model and where are you located ?

twowheelsonly

Whoever quoted you 15k and says that a complete refit / remodel is your only option is absolutely taking the proverbial.

As already suggested, get a handyman to rip out the area and have a look at it before deciding what to do next. You may need to get a plumber and/or electrician in for the refit but that shouldn't be too major an expense if it's all ready to go for them.

As an aside.... WTF is a 'Fire Levy' ???

mickdw

Fire levy....... I figure its one of the joys of living in an apartment block where some refit is needed for fire safety.

SG250

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118298167#Comment_118298167

That's good news If I can find someone, pay an hourly rate for to rip tiles off, remove and refit new shower and then retile that would be great. But I keep getting told if you peel off one tile the next will come off and thus better off doing the entire bathroom for 15k. Then again I have only been talking to bathroom remodellers and not actual plumber/tilers.

SG250

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118298246#Comment_118298246

Pallazani & Dublin 2

SG250

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118298346#Comment_118298346

Yep developers took shortcuts during the boom so each owner is left with a 20k charge and two weeks disruption within their apartments to meet fire safety standards.

Outkast_IRE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299051#Comment_118299051

Pallazani is the manufacturer . Do you have any indication of the model and part number you are after ?

SG250

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299821#Comment_118299821

Have no serial number part number but the plumber who came over told me the above is what is broken. The thermostatic cartridge. The below is what the unit looks like. Not sure why its sideways in the pic.

Email pallazani with a pic of the part and ask them can they sell direct to you and if not, who holds/can order their stock in Ireland.

https://www.palazzani.eu/en/product-showcase/original-spare-parts/

Is that a stamped number near the top part of the pic? Turn it the other way round.

Outkast_IRE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300223#Comment_118300223

I would have a serious look on here to see if you can find a match

https://www.showerdoc.com/shower-accessories/cartridges

I would also spend some time here identifying the shower as you may get a datasheet with dimensions

https://www.palazzani.eu/en/product-showcase/out-of-production/

Outkast_IRE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300781#Comment_118300781

Actually This is your one is it

https://www.palazzani.eu/en/product-detail/751020/

dathi

do you have access from other side of wall? i have just replaced a concealed shower similar to yours but was able to go in through the hot press by removing a piece of plasterboard and working from that side

SG250

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300290#Comment_118300290

I have gone back and forth with them several times and was informed that the part im looking for is out of production and even if they had it they wouldn't sell to a private person, only to businesses.

I also contacted shower spare parts stockists who said they didn't have the exact one :( I will keep searching though in the meantime while I contact plumbers.

SG250

behind the wall is the next apartment as far as I know

We took out the bath in our house and replaced it with a walk in shower. Originally had a shower mixer tap that was attached to the bath taps. We wanted a power shower in there instead. There were no tiles where the bath was taken out so we planned to just tile that part and up the wall where shower would be. The wall needing chasing for water and electric.

My OH used an angle grinder to carefully cut the tiles we were replacing from the ones we were keeping (along grout line) He then chased walls, the plumber came in and ran the pipes, OH then fitted new tiles then plumber fitted the shower.

Granted my OH is handy at that stuff but I’ve just mentioned it here to show it’s not a 15k refit job if you don’t want it to be. If shower obsolete now then probably best to replace it.

Edit- and I have a barely used Triton shower mixer that I could sell at a very reasonable price if you wanted 😃

jimmycrackcorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299049#Comment_118299049

People have been replacing broken tiles for as long as tiles have been available. Bizare to be told that a broken tile or one that needs to be replace means the whole lot has to be redone.

These type of videos must be fake so...

MOD NOTE: Could you please put a short explanation to the link. Otherwise it's just click bait.