Figs and tub refinishing

Thanks for all the compliments on the flip house!  Like I said, I would still do it if rehabber financing was still available.  There is one other part of the flip I wanted to mention that I had done that was pretty neat.  But first up, breakfast!  I had some of my figs from Trader Joes!  My first time eating fresh figs.  I had them on some oat bran.

I like the figs.  I was sort of expecting them to taste like a fig newton, but they didn’t really.  More fruity and a little juicier.  John didn’t like them and said they were mushy – pffft.

On the flip house, there was one other thing I had someone else do – and that was refinish the tub.  

I had ripped everything out of the bathroom except the tub.  There was wallpaper under the tub surround, too.  What the hell?  I pulled platoons of wallpaper out of this house.

See that rotted floor? That had to be fixed with some new wood pieces.  Anyway, the tub was cast iron covered in porcelain and had scratches and gouges in it.  Plus it was an icky kind of beige color.  Doing a Bath Fitter installation was not in my budget and the thought of taking it out was too frightening.  Plus trying to put a new tub in?  No thanks.  So, I decided to have the tub reglazed.  I used a company called the Tub Doctor. I think that is sort of a chain with independent contractors? Anway, the cost was $400 to do the tub.  I was told to get the bathroom all finished except no caulk around the tub.  So, I did the floor tiles, installed new sink and toilet (not hard, surprisingly), painted and put up the new surround.

Here is the difference between the old and new tub.  This tub was clean here. You can see how scuffed the porcelain is.

After:

Amazing!  They can do any color, too, but I chose good old white.

The only thing I had to do after that was to caulk the tub and the surround.  They also do tile (like wall or countertops).  We are going to have our tub refinished with the tile surround as well next year when we redo the bathroom.  Why get rid of a functional tub and have all that hassle?  Again, another thing worth having done by a pro.  So don’t overlook this possibility to have an affordable alternative when doing a bathroom remodel.

17 thoughts on “Figs and tub refinishing

  1. Lisa

    My bathroom is going to be remodeled soon. We have the paint and the new bath vanity. Thankfully the tub doesn’t have to come out but I am nervous that once we start pulling up the old floors we’ll find mold and have to tear EVERYTHING out…

  2. Tami @Nutmeg Notebook

    That is amazing, I had no idea a tub could be redone like that.Great idea to tuck in the back of my mind for the future should I ever need to do something like that.

    You are such a handy person – how did you learn how to do remodeling?

  3. deb

    Lori…..isn’t a new tub only a couple hundred dollars at Lowe’s?I’m trying to remember from when i worked there around $200 sounds right……..Unbelieveable everything you did yourself. Your just amazing!!!Hugs! deb

    1. Lori Post author

      Fiberglass tubs aren’t expensive, but the thought of breaking up and removing a cast iron tub was not something I even wanted to do. It really was more labor and time effective to refinish.

  4. debby

    That is amazing to see. I’ve heard about that, but never seen it done. I guess the cost is comparable to a new tub?

    And I hate to say it, but I kinda agree with John about the figs. I still eat them but I don’t like the texture that much. Vicky has stuffed them with cashew cream. Mmmm. basically like frosting. What’s not to like about that?

  5. Satu

    I’ve never tasted fresh figs (yet).

    My tub could use some reglazing. It looks (looked) like someone skated on it – I really don’t know what could’ve cause those marks.

  6. Andra

    Amazing job on the tub! We’d very much like to gut and re-do our first floor powder room before we list the house. I want to pull up the tile floor so bad, whoever thought a white tile floor in a high traffic area was a good idea needs a beat down.

    Love fresh figs, I love the luscious texture.

  7. Ali @ Peaches and Football

    Huh – what a good idea. I can’t imagine the hassle of ripping out a tub and putting a new one in there – and the reglazing makes it look brand new. Plus – think about all the landfill waste you saved there!

    I’m assuming that only works for porcelain tubs and not the fiberglass ones that seem more commonly found around where I live?

    1. Lori Post author

      Exactly – saving a perfectly good tub from the landfill! It is much easier to remove a fiberglass tub, so I don’t know if it would be worth it to resurface one, if it can even be done.

  8. Shelley B

    I’ve never eaten a fig that wasn’t in a Newton…I wondered, when you showed the picture a couple days ago, if you peeled them. I see you don’t – is it akin to an apple skin?

    1. Lori Post author

      The skin is more like a very ripe peach. I don’t think it would be possible to peel them. I might make the rest into a fig jam!

  9. Roz@weightingfor50

    Seems to me that fresh figs are either “love ’em or hate ’em” for alot of people. They are REALLY good with a bit of blue or goat cheese….or on pizza. OK..time to go fig shopping! 🙂 I am sooo impressed by that bathroom Lori. I’ll say it again, the folks who bought it are very lucky!!!

  10. Leah

    I’m sorry, but the figs did not look appetizing, though I do like fig newtons. hhmm…maybe I would have to be brave and just try ’em.

    The tub looks great! I didn’t know they could reglaze a tub..learn something new every day. 🙂

    Have a great weekend! (I’m catching up late Friday..)

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