Have your carpenter friend do some selective demolition. You and everyone else bidding will be able to see exactly the extent of the damage and it's got to be done anyway.

I agree: you've got to cut into the walls and floors to see the extent of the work that needs to be done. Since your DD seems to be so good at demo, perhaps she can start? :-)

Do you have another bathroom in the house? If so, you could always shut the door, use the other one, and wait until your kitchen is done and your funds and energy are replenished sufficiently to tackle this bathroom.

If this is your only bathroom, then it'll be tougher. But first priority is to not cause any further damage. Don't flush the toilet if it's leaking. Don't use the shower and just take baths if the walls are wet/damaged/moldy.

I'm not sure that a wax ring "starting to fail" automatically means new flooring. Or do you mean that it's been leaking long enough (and are you sure it's from the wax ring, not the drain pipe?) that the subfloor is damaged?

You've got good access/view from the basement below. Go look and see what the subfloor and plumbing look like. Take some photos and post them here and we might be able to further advise you.

It may not be too bad. You probably need someone to address the tub area. If you're not opposed to the look a new tub with surround is easy to install, easy to maintain, affordable, and needs much less prep/work to do than tiling that area. We just put in a new tub and surround about 3 years ago that looks like it has framed tile panels in the walls, they come in many styles now.

The flooring may be as easy as replacing the subfloor near the toilet and putting in a new floor. If you have any DIY ability at all, vinyl planks are pretty easy and look great. You can also have sheet vinyl put in pretty inexpensively.

Walls are easy. I'm assuming it's just the lower half of the walls? That would be just a couple of sheets of drywall to replace, and a project you could easily DIY if needed (or shouldn't be too expensive to hire out). Much easier to paint or wallpaper (either of which you can DIY) than tile.

Adding a vent needs some consideration, but as long as you can vent to the outside easily it should not be complicated for someone that knows how to do it right. You can get nice models with a light, nightlight, and fan combined for under $100, and even install a timer switch for the fan if you want.

If you explore a bit and post some pics someone can probably offer more specific advice.

As always you guys are so helpful. We do have another bathroom in my husbands master bath (he goes to bed at 8 and snores - life is easier with my own bed and bath) so we could get by. I joke to the adult "boys" that at least they can pee off the deck. We will have to figure out how to deal with this since my husband does not care for disturbance in his routine. Too bad for him! We'll figure it out.

Yes I do have room in the attic to vent a fan. I also have no aversion to get a tub and surround. Don't know if anyone knows the answer to this, but are there soaking tubs with the surround. I don't mean a fancy smancy one, but the inside depth of our tub now is a paltry 9 inches. Here I don't care if it is more money. BTW, everyone touts Kohler, is American Standard reliable? Starting to do my homework.

I am going to start tearing stuff down - no electric or plumbing yet. I think this will entice my daughter to do more. Yea! I will wait until tomorrow and bring out my husbands bright "construction lights" - don't know what else to call them. Then I will be able to get better pics.

This must be fixed no matter what. I do have money I can use but this was not in the plans yet. Oh well, life doesn't always go as planned. Kitchen will not be done for close to a year. It is a three room project, top to bottom. Right now, I can deal with only one project at a time.

Everyone has gotten me out of temporary crisis mode so thanks for that. I really would love to see if the insurance co would pay for anything but... I used to be in the industry 20 years ago and I know things have changed but some things have not. I've read my homeowners policy top to bottom, and what may get me is that the homeowner is responsible to report any damage when it occurs and to protect it from getting worse. Don't know if heavy plastic and duct tape, up for 6 months qualifies. Will send pics tomorrow! Thanks to all of you.

" Kitchen will not be done for close to a year."

???

I have a Sterling system, and it looks like their tubs are around 14-16 inches deep (didn't check them all though). It's significantly higher than what it replaced, I felt like I was climbing over a wall for a bit and stubbed a few toes. No problems now, my muscles are retrained for the height :-)

Trebruchet. we moved for the school district knowing the house was too small. Architect suggested a two story 24'X18' 3 room addition - living room and 2 BR's. We subbed out some stuff like foundation, roof shingles etc. but my husband has vast knowledge in carpentry, electricity, plumbing etc. and 3 adult children at home so we did a great amount of DYI.

Phase 2 was to take 3 rooms in the existing house and reduce them to 2, thus expanding the kitchen, adding a pantry, and reconfiguring the formal dining room. Plans go back 6 yrs. Husband got tired of the work after the addition. He works hard (not physical but mental labor) I'll give him that.His routine is he comes home from work, exercises, sits in his recliner, watches tv and plays online poker so I am stuck. I am making decisions in areas that I know nothing about. I wish I could set aside 100K and just hire everyone but I need to do some stuff myself (with much help from the kids obviously). So far they have been great but there are times I don't even know what to tell them to do.

That is where you all have been such a relief. I have trolled many of the subjects in Garden Web and learned so much. I hired someone to move a load bearing wall as per GWs advise and I had son #1 remove the old yucky rug and scrape up the chippy underlayment, big help from Flooring there. Need to replace the subfloor as it is bouncy everywhere - gonna sub that out to a carpenter I trust. Sadly my 23 yo daughter had a major brain injury last summer - fractured skull, brain clots, blood in her spinal fluid etc. etc. Many days in Neurosurgical ICU. Her five months of recovery ended last month so I am back on track.

I have no answer as to why he will not do anything. He goes weeks without talking with me or the boys. I send him emails re the remodel but he will not respond, just sits in the friggin' recliner every single day. I've seen an attorney so I can protect myself financially - luckily I handle all the money. I was astonished to find that I am in a large group of spouses that live together physically, but apart emotionally, both sexes included. I know this is so OT and for that I apologize, but this is why the 6 month timeline on the kitchen - I am making decisions on areas of which I have no expertise. Now it will be longer because of the bathroom. I can't express enough how you guys have been so helpful and full of encouragement .
Lynn

P.S. While still under the surgeons care, she was finally allowed to return to work and college. We may never know why she fell, or why the amnesia but all we can do its hope and pray it will not happen again.

Meanwhile she has begged me not to watch anymore episodes of "Wives with Knives" on the ID channel!