Rule #96: Never remodel alone.

In the last week of December and first week of January we remodeled our upstairs bathroom tub. If you've ever wondered, it's really not so bad, just follow these 58 easy steps...
Step 1: Remove corroded faucet, handle and showerheads, discard.

Step 2: Remove old tile using chisel, hammer and brute force.

Step 3: Enlist brother-in-law to help you remove tile and discover that the tile can be removed in sheets one wall at a one (Thanks Mark!)
Step 4: Carry sheets of tile outside for later disposal/yard decoration.

 Step 5: Cut hole in ceiling below tub for easy access.

Step 6: Turn off water and remove old plumbing from underneath tub.

Step 6-A: Cut hole in floor to facilitate removal of old plumbing.

Step 7: Remove baseboards and cut out pieces of wall to assist in tub removal.

 Step 8: Enlist another brother-in-law, friend and home teacher to help remove old tub. (Thanks to Kevin, Devin and Jake!)
Step 9: Use car jacks, creative thinking and brute force to get 3 ton cast iron tub onto piano dolly.
Step 10: Carefully wheel tub outside and place in gutter.

Step 11: Load tub into truck and haul to the dump.
Step 12: Figure out what else you need and visit store to buy more new plumbing parts.

 Step 13: Add valves to water pipes for localized shut-off.
Step 13-A: Contemplate the value of hole in the floor going from the upstairs bathroom to downstairs living room for easy transport of goods.

 Step 14: Play in the construction dust.

 Step 15: Bring home new tub, play in that too.

Step 16: Remove door-frame parts to make space for new tub.
Step 17: Place new tub in it's final resting place.
Step 18: Install new plumbing.
Step 19: Visit store for electrical supplies.
Step 20: Install new breaker in laundry room.

 Step 21: Run new wiring from underneath tub and into the bowels of the house.
Step 21-A: Cut off excess lathe and wood until you can dislocate your neck and shoulder to fit into the bowels of the house and pull wiring into furnace room.

Step 21-B: Run wiring along ceiling into laundry room and into newly installed breaker.
Step 22: Install new plug in bathroom to power Jacuzzi tub on other end of new wiring.
Step 23: Visit store for tiling supplies, several if possible.
Step 24: Clean walls in preparation for new backer board.
Step 25: Cut and install new backer board.
STEP 26-45: TILE.

Step 46: Install new fixtures.
Step 47: Grout.

Step 48: Clean off excess grout, let it dry, then scrape off the rest.
Step 49: Seal grout.
Step 50: Seal grout again.

Step 51: Repair walls.
Step 52: Replace baseboards and install new ones as needed.
Step 53: Repair hole in the ceiling.
Step 54: Paint walls and ceiling.
Step 55: Visit paint store for more 'just barely not white' paint for downstairs ceiling.
Step 56: Paint ceiling again.
Step 57: Fill in edges with silicone.
Step 58: Mwa ha!  There is no step 58... because you're already done!

 Before

 After

We're very excited about our new bathroom, and we're especially grateful to Dave my father-in-law for all his help, he was there every day and it wouldn't have been an option without him.  Thanks also to April, Emilie, Doug, Susan, Annie, and Stephanie for lending husbands and/or watching children. We're so lucky to have such wonderful support from family and friends!