Real estate investor · Alabaster, AL · Member since 2014 · 94 posts · 15 votes
Hi BP,
I recently purchased my first investment property and quote excited! The renovation is going well as far as I can tell. My present dilemma is the bathtub. It is has yellow stains which I thought would be an easy fix with strong detergents. Overall, the fiberglass tub is in fairly good condition but the stains. My question - Are there durable ways to fix the tub ( perhaps paint) or do I need to replace the tub. From my research there are bath fitters and painting over the tub options. I am not sure how effective this methods tend to be. I am afraid replacing the tub will cost me more than I am ready to spend on this one item. I would appreciate advise from investors/ flippers.
Also, I am in the Birmingham area. Any leads to professionals that can help with this job will be greatly appreciated. PS - I do not mind taking on this project myself as a DIY if its not that involving. How have people handled bathtub renos?
Investor · Los Altos, CA · Member since 2014 · 942 posts · 1k+ votes
11y
@Katherine T. I am going against the grain on this one. I have done 7 tubs over the past year and a half and I have had no problems with them. These are all rentals that I currently hold. But you have to do it right... There are kits that you can buy online and even at HD. The key to this like any paint job is the preparation. But make sure you use a REALLY GOOD respirator if you are going to go this route. If you go with a pro they will knock a tube out in no time, but your other trades won't be able to enter, or at least they should not, for at least a day.
I did a renovation on my first rental and the tub was in a bad way. We ended up getting a re spray that came with a guarantee. It cost about $250. With a new floor down and the shinny new bath tub it looks like the whole room has been done. Worth every penny. We did it in our second one as well.
Hey Nick,
Interesting. Do have the name of the spray? Did you have to hire someone to do the work?
I used a franchise company called "Mr Ugly" to refinish a cast iron/ porcelain tub last year. it was brown and they refinished it white. There are several do it yourself kits but its pretty nasty stuff to work with and I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. The tech wore a full body suite and respirator and it took 2-3 days for the fumes to dissipate when he was done. They also refinish fiberglass tubs and kitchen counters. You might want to look up the local franchise before you replace just to compare the cost. If its within a couple hundred $ I would just replace it.
Sounds like bath fitters is too expensive and Do It Yourself too Messy. Is there a Plastic surround to the tub or Tiled walls aepid that rub?
I knew someone that when he had a tile surround and had a tub problem he would have 2 rows of tile removed and then have the tub removed and replaced with a new tub and then replace the 3 rows of tile. The tub itself is in
Thanks Barbara, There's always a way around it... Still weighing my options .. I have fiberglass
I've done both resurfacing/reglazing & replacing a bath tub. The resurfacing started to peel up in my primary residence after a year or so. I just had that one resurfaced while moving out and preparing it as a rental. If I didn't get that done for free I probably would've just replaced the tub. Resurfacing costs around $300-$400 per tub and it can start peeling up if not done properly or if your tenants use cleaners like Comet on it. We use Mica Magic at work for this purpose and they do offer a 5 year warranty so at least there's that.
We just replaced a tub in our a new house and my husband was able to do it himself. Bath Fitter I believe has a lifetime warranty but it's incredibly pricey. Good luck with whichever method you choose!
Investor · Winchester, MA · Member since 2015 · 1 post · 0 votes
11y
We re-glazed a tub and it held up for 10 years until Comet started to be used. If you are very careful about instructing tenants on which products to use for cleaning, tub re-glazing is a great option!