DIYers - bathroom window question (1 Viewer)

[Beef Ravioli]

We bought our house five years ago, a foreclosure that was trashed. Got it for 60k and put about 22k into it. Did about 50% of the work myself or with friends, the rest contacted out. Planning on selling this spring. House appraised for 165k last week but we can potentially get more as our neighborhood is desirable (starter area in a good school district and we put a nicer kitchen in than most houses in our hood).

All that to say, I am not even sure this is worth it, as I have lived with it for five years but I have an issue in our shower. There’s a 2’x3’ish frosted window in the shower. It has a fake marble sill and it is tilted towards the window and collects water and eventually mildews the caulk and is just gross. It needs to be slightly angled towards the shower. 

Is it difficult to remove those sills without cracking the tile or removing the window? If I can remove the sill,  I can then build up under neath the sill and reinstall a sill. My wife doesn’t think it’s worth the hassle on our part. I have a wet saw to trim. The sill will be less than $50. I just don’t want to cause more work and $. 

Any thoughts or suggestions? 

 

[parasaurolophus]

We bought our house five years ago, a foreclosure that was trashed. Got it for 60k and put about 22k into it. Did about 50% of the work myself or with friends, the rest contacted out. Planning on selling this spring. House appraised for 165k last week but we can potentially get more as our neighborhood is desirable (starter area in a good school district and we put a nicer kitchen in than most houses in our hood).

All that to say, I am not even sure this is worth it, as I have lived with it for five years but I have an issue in our shower. There’s a 2’x3’ish frosted window in the shower. It has a fake marble sill and it is tilted towards the window and collects water and eventually mildews the caulk and is just gross. It needs to be slightly angled towards the shower. 

Is it difficult to remove those sills without cracking the tile or removing the window? If I can remove the sill,  I can then build up under neath the sill and reinstall a sill. My wife doesn’t think it’s worth the hassle on our part. I have a wet saw to trim. The sill will be less than $50. I just don’t want to cause more work and $. 

Any thoughts or suggestions? 

I would tile over the tile. I am assuming the window doesnt open.

 

[Beef Ravioli]

I would tile over the tile. I am assuming the window doesnt open.

It does open. Do you mean, tile over the sill? 

 

[SWC]

pay a handyman like 200 bucks to do this and avoid it being something on the inspection report that is my suggestion take that to the bank bromigo 

 

[Thunderlips]

Cut it out....then put in a larger window....like 6 feet by 4 feet....but, and here's the capper....make it one way mirror/glass. Obviously you'd put the mirror on the outside thus letting the person in the shower look out....but still, very erotic. 

 

[parasaurolophus]

It does open. Do you mean, tile over the sill? 

I misunderstood the setup. I thought it was a tile sill that butts against a frosted glass block kind of thing. 

 

[Beef Ravioli]

I misunderstood the setup. I thought it was a tile sill that butts against a frosted glass block kind of thing. 

No, but I am wondering if your suggestion of tiling over it might work? 

 

[Mile High]

We bought our house five years ago, a foreclosure that was trashed. Got it for 60k and put about 22k into it. Did about 50% of the work myself or with friends, the rest contacted out. Planning on selling this spring. House appraised for 165k last week but we can potentially get more as our neighborhood is desirable (starter area in a good school district and we put a nicer kitchen in than most houses in our hood).

All that to say, I am not even sure this is worth it, as I have lived with it for five years but I have an issue in our shower. There’s a 2’x3’ish frosted window in the shower. It has a fake marble sill and it is tilted towards the window and collects water and eventually mildews the caulk and is just gross. It needs to be slightly angled towards the shower. 

Is it difficult to remove those sills without cracking the tile or removing the window? If I can remove the sill,  I can then build up under neath the sill and reinstall a sill. My wife doesn’t think it’s worth the hassle on our part. I have a wet saw to trim. The sill will be less than $50. I just don’t want to cause more work and $. 

Any thoughts or suggestions? 

You shouldn't have to remove the window since windows are put in before any interior work is even started.  Is the sill over the tile or is the tile cut to fit around the sill?

 

[parasaurolophus]

No, but I am wondering if your suggestion of tiling over it might work? 

Is it a wood sill? How much space between sill and a moving part of the window?

Any way you can post a pic?

 

[Beef Ravioli]

You shouldn't have to remove the window since windows are put in before any interior work is even started.  Is the sill over the tile or is the tile cut to fit around the sill?

Tile is cut to fit around the sill.

 

[Beef Ravioli]

Is it a wood sill? How much space between sill and a moving part of the window?

Any way you can post a pic?

It’s a fake marble looking sill

Not sure how to post a pic

 

[Mile High]

Tile is cut to fit around the sill.

Then there should be a grout line around the sill. Remove the grout to free it up from the tile. Even then there is the possibility you might break a piece of tile.

 

[ChiefD]

If it's a one piece marble sill, remove the caulk all around it. Then use a wide putty knife and gently go underneath that sill, applying pressure evenly as you slide down the sill. Just take your time and you shouldn't break the sill.

Then just pry up and reset. If you happen to break the sill, no biggie. Just look locally for vanity top companies and call them. They can make you a replacement sill out of their scrap. Might cost you $100 or so, but shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[Black Box]

If it's a one piece marble sill, remove the caulk all around it. Then use a wide putty knife and gently go underneath that sill, applying pressure evenly as you slide down the sill. Just take your time and you shouldn't break the sill.

Then just pry up and reset. If you happen to break the sill, no biggie. Just look locally for vanity top companies and call them. They can make you a replacement sill out of their scrap. Might cost you $100 or so, but shouldn't be a big deal.

"Shouldn't be a big deal" is how I get myself into all kinds of DIY trouble  

 

[Mile High]

If it's a one piece marble sill, remove the caulk all around it. Then use a wide putty knife and gently go underneath that sill, applying pressure evenly as you slide down the sill. Just take your time and you shouldn't break the sill.

Then just pry up and reset. If you happen to break the sill, no biggie. Just look locally for vanity top companies and call them. They can make you a replacement sill out of their scrap. Might cost you $100 or so, but shouldn't be a big deal.

Yeah just like he says. Remove all caulking and grout around the sill and then you should be able to then remove the sill. Then just take your time prying it off.

 

[ChiefD]

Yeah just like he says. Remove all caulking and grout around the sill and then you should be able to then remove the sill. Then just take your time plying it .

Right. Basically you wanna run your putty knife under the sill the whole length before you start to pry. You'll gently loosen up the thinset under there and the sill should just pop off.

 

[The Commish]

Right. Basically you wanna run your putty knife under the sill the whole length before you start to pry. You'll gently loosen up the thinset under there and the sill should just pop off.

I JUST did this in one of my bathrooms.  It should be simple and straight forward.  You MIGHT have to make minor adjustments to the time that goes around the sill, but that will be covered by caulk when you reseal.  I pooped off the sill and put a couple cabinet shims in to create the slope I wanted.  You could also do it with the thinset itself if you're good enough, but I wanted a guide to go by.

 

[Mr. Ected]

For covering the window, I have seen this on HGTV shows, where they put wood and shingles on the outside, then just covered it over with drywall and the window was gone. You would have to do something similar, although you'd have to put something waterproof (moisture barrier) and then tiles or whatever you wanted to cover the walls with.

 

[Brony]

This is getting silly

 

[Beef Ravioli]

For covering the window, I have seen this on HGTV shows, where they put wood and shingles on the outside, then just covered it over with drywall and the window was gone. You would have to do something similar, although you'd have to put something waterproof (moisture barrier) and then tiles or whatever you wanted to cover the walls with.

Yeah, not wanting to venture into that. I have stucco exterior plus the window is nice to have but I would prefer a glass block window. 

 

[offdee]

I pooped off the sill  

Interesting approach.  Could just try Thinset next time. 

 

[belljr]

I JUST did this in one of my bathrooms.  It should be simple and straight forward.  You MIGHT have to make minor adjustments to the time that goes around the sill, but that will be covered by caulk when you reseal.  I pooped off the sill and put a couple cabinet shims in to create the slope I wanted.  You could also do it with the thinset itself if you're good enough, but I wanted a guide to go by.

thats one way to go I guess

ETA: DAMN IT - didnt see offdees reply

 

[Joe Summer]

Get an angled piece of tile (something like this) and caulk it to the top of the old tile.

 

[The Commish]