Vacation Rental Condo on Maui -- Hall Bath

10 years ago

We need to update a small shower bathroom in a condo built in 1990. We use it 2 - 3 months a year and rent it the rest of the time -- three star resort; $200/night rental. I'm going for 'nice', not 'my own private home nice'. Will you help me think this through?

Once we demo existing 2" ivory glossy tile in the shower and on the floor, we will have an overall shower space of 36" X 36" -- beside a 32" wide toilet space. Ceiling is 8'. We gain space by relocating plumbing from a wall between shower and toilet to a back wall. Current interior of shower is miniscule 31" X 29".

Opposite the shower and toilet is a an ivory CM-top vanity 68" X 22" w/mirrored wall surround (top to ceiling). This CM top is in perfect condition -- as is the vanity top in our master bath here. We added CM tub surround in the master bath -- wearing perfectly.

All the CM here has subtle 'swirl', and I don't mind that at all -- after all, real marble has 'swirl'. (KItchen has solid cream Corian with big/little integral sinks -- love the integrals!)

I'd like to have a no-curb shower, since we're replacing the floor anyway. It would also help the shower seem larger. Is this a big deal to create? This is a ground floor unit.

So far every contractor has suggested tiling two shower walls and using an angled glass surround on a shower base. I would prefer a rectangular glass surround for more 'elbow' room. The existing entry door is 22" wide and opens against a wall -- no problem entering through that.

So...what are your thoughts on shower shape; no-curb entry; what to use for flooring and surround. Keep CM vanity top? Try to match CM for shower surround (or go with same-tone no-swirl)?

Drop-in sink is no biggie, but it matches bisque toilet -- more of a biggie to replace that.

Comments (5)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
No curb entry is nice, but is usually associated with accessibility and your 22" inch entry is putting the kabosh to that. A walker is 30" and you need clearance on each side too. If you can't get a walker or wheelchair in anyway, what's the point of curb-less?
chisue
Original Author
10 years ago
I know the *usual* purpose of no curb showers. I just want to maximize the interior of the shower and make the room to look bigger than the postage stamp size it is. (It's way too small for any handicapped use.) Am I talking about a huge amount of money? Won't the drain have to move anyway if we go from such a small interior to 36 X 36 -- or don't you *have* to center a drain?

I just thought that since we are ripping our the shower AND the floor, this could work.
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raehelen
10 years ago
Personally, I would be leery of curbless in a rental. Not sure how your management team handles repairs, but since I gather you live far away, having to deal with leaks could be a hassle. I totally understand trying to maximize the space, but I think you're opening yourself up to more potential problems than it's worth.

I would keep your counter if you like it, either match the shower surround or go with a coordinating solid. If solid is cheaper, you may as well. Since counter and surround will be so neutral you could do anything you want on floor. What is on the floor leading into the BR? I agree that with a shower that size, rectangular or in your case square walls are far roomier than angled.
dekeoboe
10 years ago
No, the drain does not have to be centered.
chisue
Original Author
10 years ago
Ah, thanks! If the drain doesn't have to move, that should save some money. We already have to move the supply.

Raehelen -- What am I missing about curbless being a flood hazard? A flood will result from any drain clog, curb or not. Maybe someone would run the shower with the door open??? I'd have to have a frameless glass door??? (Virtually all problems out here are caused by a cleaner, not the guests!)

The entire condo has 'red dirt' color, slightly textured, 13" tile, set on the diagonal. Bamboo flooring would be pretty, but I'm afraid that *would* be trouble! Maybe there are curbs smaller than the bulky ones I've seen -- tiled, mostly.

Two contractors have pooh-poohed CM, saying tile is much cheaper -- probably because Home Depot ships in vast quantities of tile, and shipping cost is a biggie on an island.

Yes, we live outside Chicago, and the condo is in South Maui.