Replacing a shower stall with shelving
February 21, 2020 10:02 AM   Subscribe

We are interested in replacing a never used shower with shelving/a closet. What should we consider and who does the work?

Our downstairs bathroom has a shower stall, one of those one-piece plastic inserts with a curtain instead of a door. We’ve literally never used it. The previous owners had used the basement as an additional bedroom, which they weren’t supposed to be doing for the size of the septic tank, so had built the bathroom out. We’re using the bathroom mainly as laundry/storage, and intend to keep the toilet and sink.

What do we need to consider/know about taking out a shower and putting in shelves? I’m basically envisioning a large closet with wide shelves and probably no door. We are planning to live here for decades so we are aware it could impact resale value but are not taking that into consideration. Are there any issues or things to worry about with permanently sealing off the pipes and drains?

Secondly, who do we get to do this? Do we need a plumber to remove and cap off the shower, and then a contractor or carpenter to put in new drywall and install shelves? A company that does remodels? It’s not a big job, though there are other smallish things we want done that we could combine into one job (putting in a door to block off a hallway, removing a pellet stove and patching up the wall where its vent was). Any thoughts or things to consider are appreciated. Thanks!
posted by skycrashesdown to Home & Garden (2 answers total)
 
I would look for a general contractor who is recommended by your neighbors. You want the handyman type who can take on all sorts of things. It’s best to make the job as big as you can handle to get a good guy who is motivated to make some money. Your job does not sound very complicated but each one of those tasks has a lot of parts to it so be sure to ask if there’s anything they are not comfortable taking on (like drywall or siding) and how they will handle it.
posted by amanda at 10:07 AM on February 21, 2020


Are you in an area where frozen pipes are a concern? If you are, I'd want to make sure supply lines were not just capped, but removed completely, or dealt with in some way so as to keep a busted pipe in the wall from becoming an issue.
posted by jquinby at 1:33 PM on February 21, 2020


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