Preslope

[nelsonkoehn]

I went to look at another job today. Three showers, new construction, SOG with a recess for the showers.

And...

the plumber, that is a TX licensed master plumber of many years, had the preslope formed with loose all purpose sand.

Since when has that become a good idea?

[Kman]

$2.50 per bag





$5.39 per bag




Any questions?

[nelsonkoehn]

And... the Hardi is all covered with sheetrock texture.

And... the dam was a single 2x10 on edge.

And... no dam corners.

And... no stud relief for the liner to tuck back in.

And... shower ceilings all lowered to seven feet.

And... they are working with an interior decorator.



I was called in to look at the job because their main hack was busy elsewhere for a long time.

I didn't have the energy to engage in conversation on the proper way to construct a shower.

Sorry, go find another hack!

How do you ever work for builders!

[cx]

Not all builders are that kind of problem, Nelson, just as not all tile contractors are hacks, eh?

[Higher Standard Tile]

I'm just impressed that a plumber even attempted a preslope.

[Lazarus]

Yeah.....get them here in SE Texas alla time. "Preslope? I don't need do stekin' preslope.....been doin' it that way for 30 years!"

Yeah? How many showers have you gone back to look at in that time?

[dhagin]

You sure that weren't one of them that were pushed by that Houston guy?

[tilemanct]

Sorry to disagree with you CX but every job I have looked at for a builder over the last six months has critical flaws. The last recession didn't knock out the hacks, it took out the good guys. Great for me cause the extras to correct the mistakes put more money in my pocket.

[nelsonkoehn]

So how long will a shower floor last with sand under?

When will I get to redo them?

I don't reckon this is the first one he's done that way in the community!

[nelsonkoehn]

And that also brings up another question I've had. I see a lot of mud showers from the 50's, 60's that have a lowered ceiling. Seen one recently at 6' 4" interior height. What was the purpose?

And why would you construct a new shower that way today?

[Davy]

Nelson, that's a good question. A lot of things were built smaller then. Houses in general were smaller as well as the bathrooms and the showers. It was common to see 3x3 showers, these days most showers are larger than that. What I don't understand is the small driveways and garages from back then, yet the cars were larger than we see today.

[PetrH]

If you get sand wet, you can get 100% compaction pretty easy. So I guess it would work as a pre slope, as long as nobody steps on it before it's covered by your mud.

[PetrH]

The #1 complaint I get out of builders is: every f#(&ing tile guy wants something different! If only our own industry were more standardised, but when you have two dozen manufacturers competing with a variety of products and a mix of old and new school setters, things get messy.

The nice thing about builders is that the good ones stick with the trades they know, so once you are in, you get to educate them and get the prep that you need for many years to come.

[bulldog tile]

When I started in the tile trade in the 70's we mudded all the showers to the height of the shower door with no header. I was told that it was to keep steam from collecting above the height of the door and the main issue, I suppose, was because it saved money.

Today, we tile the shower ceilings as high as the bath ceiling. Most people put a fan in the shower so the steam is no issue and I suppose the decorator has more pull than the savings in a shorter ceiling.

[dhagin]

Donnie, I think your door header idea is a good one. Just redid an old shower with a header and dropped the ceiling for this very reason. Nowadays, they can be designed without headers and then no need for dropped ceiling.

Can't help Davy with the little drives and garages tho. Maybe they already knew garages were for storin all that other crap, and not for cars anyhow.