I have a rental coming up for renewal. It hasn't been updated since I bought this place and will need new floors, paint etc. The bathroom has also seen better days.

It has green and black trim tile around the whole bathroom and up to the ceiling and ceiling in the bath tub area. Years back I installed a tub liner around the walls for the tub covering up some of the tile. I don't recall the issue with the tiles in the tub area when I added the liner. The tub still has those 3 handle shower body and the tub itself has wear.

I've seen services that will come in an re-glaze the tub and tiles for like approx: $1200. I just don't know how long that lasts. My contractor wants $8k to take down all the tile, new steel tub, subway tile in tub area only, new vanity, toilet, install vent and gfci outlet, etc.

Is the reglazing a good solution? What are your experiences with it? Or should I just go full reno in the bath and get it over with? Thanks

You will likely have your house out of commission for an extended period of time with the full demolition and rebuild. The unforeseen issues that must be resolved are far more prevalent in the demolition and rebuild approach.

I've not had good luck with reglazing, as Kim said, it's temporary usually looks good for 3-5 years at most.

You say it's coming up for renewal... are the tenants staying or leaving? That is going to be a huge difference and a potential decision maker for you.

The tenants are moving out; buying a house. They have been up there for almost 10 years. I’ve seen the bathroom recently and took pictures. The contractor saw it too in person.

The subway tile would be new and only in bath area. The old square green and black tile would come out. Most people don’t tile around the whole bathroom like they used to. The tile in the tub area is currently covered by a liner that I put in.

you have to put pen to paper. what is the 8K upgrade going to get you-- in return. Can you recoup the 8K in 20 months?

Some pricing. the big question is can you do this yourself or with someone helping? watch a few you tube videos cause unless your in a wheel chair or have 3 left hands you can do this.

New tub (cast is about 300.00. 3 piece surround about 500.00. new toilet 200.00 new vanity 190.

When you put up the surround you don't need tile and its a clean look. spend time on your sheet rock where it meets the top of the surround. On the leading edge of the surround use a nice trim 1/2 wide and plastic. Maybe you can just change the handles on the shower controls and put in new shower head.

New lino on the floor--YES BEFORE YOU PUT IN THE NEW STUFF. Makes the lino look great when tub toilet and vanity are on top of lino. Lino remnant 60.00. Light fixture 60.00. After all is installed new 4' wide base molding.

My guy and I can do this in 8 hrs. Yes we've done many but the first one took2 days and no youtube.

I would normally say to have the tile PROFESSIONALLY refinished, as long as all of it is intact.

However, since you have put something over part of it, that may have made it more difficult. Is there now adhesive / fastener holes around the tub?

If that is the case, I would tear it out & start fresh.

It may not last indefinitely, but how many times can you have the bathroom re-glazed for the cost of a renovation?

I’ve had several reglazed with no issues yet. Just have it done professionally and it’ll last much longer.

The apartment is on the 2nd floor of a duplex that I live in. The apartment itself I would say is average. Not low end and not ultra modern. Functional and nice.

They make a cover plate that will covert 3 holes and convert it to one.

If it were mine, I would see if I could get the cost of the reno down by doing things like using a surround instead of tile. Then I would factor in how much additional rent I thought I could get with a new bathroom.

Here's an example:

$5000 reno, $100 per month extra rent means it would take 50 months or just over 4 years for a payback. Not very good.

$4000 reno, $200 per month extra rent means a 20 month return.

I uploaded some photos of the bath to my gallery: jim_NYLI

Some other updates the bathroom needs:

1) There is no outlet other than on the light fixture above the sink which isn't GFCI. So I need an outlet

2) I need an air vent as I don't have one either so the room won't get as humid or make the tenant open the windows in the winter

3) Vanity is decent for its age, although the sink has some wear in the basin

4) The medicine cab is old and I can tell the tenant doesn't really use it because of its age

5) Needs new light above sink

6) Toliet could be updated

7) Idealy would like to convert the 3 handles in the tub to a single handle. There has been a leak in the past behind the walls where the pipe from the tub drain broke off from the pipe going into the main. A plumber fixed it, but some other water was also getting behind the wall through the stopper/handles. Which is why there is way too much caulk on the handles.

8) Tub liner should be removed, I just don't recall condition of tiles behind it and why I covered up in the first place.

After looking at the pictures, I would remove the tub surround with the aim of cleaning the tile and re grouting. Also, cleaning the tub appears to be a possibly. If tub can’t be cleaned, get the tub resurfaced.

I would then paint the base cabinet and the tall cabinet. I would buy a stone countertop.

Basically restoring what you have vs demolishing it would be the better way.

There are multiple directions you can go and lots of good ideas on this thread. Be sure to post the after pictures when you are finished.

That retro tile in your pictures is beautiful. I would keep it, if possible. If the tile behind the tub surround is damaged, you may be able to match the tile exactly with tile from an ebay seller, even if it is not listed for sale. I got matching tile for a 1950s bathroom by messaging a seller of retro tiles, and sending a picture with measurements. They sent a picture back of what they had in stock and it was an exact match. They specialized in reproduction tile (new tile, not salvaged tile). The cost for a small amount of replacement tile was reasonable, and much less than redoing the bathroom. (For grins, assuming $100 to $300 for your project to buy matching replacement tile for some damaged areas of the wall under the tub liner)

Google says a bathtub liner should last 3-5 years, the same as reglazing. Yours is well beyond that. Since the tub is covered by the liner, giving feedback based off of the pictures is hard. If the tub cannot be cleaned, maybe consider repairing the tile under the surround and replacing the tub liner only, but not the surround. (For grins, assuming an expensive $100 to clean the tub sparkling vs ??? to install a liner.)

There seems to be a trend in new builds and flips towards tiling bathroom walls again. You may be seeing different trends in your area. Tiled bathroom walls are usually only wiped down between tenants, so I consider that a big plus.

Your floor looks like it is the original tile floor and has lasted the last 50 to 100 years with barely a blemish. I would keep that over putting down linoleum which has no hope of lasting that long. Someone on this board mentioned that they have their hired carpet cleaner clean their kitchen floor grout grout between tenants. Google images show grout cleaning companies having like new results on similar aged tiles for a quick and affordable price. (For grins, assuming $200 to clean and seal the grout on the floors, walls, and in the bathtub surround.)

New sparkly and shining fixtures to spruce things up to make both the boyfriend and girlfriend happy. If you simply clean the grout, just get a plate cover. If you have to also patch tile, and can get matching green tile or can get black tile or complementary tile and create a design around the shower fixture, you can forget about the plate.

If done right, keeping the old tile and floor can work well in a Class A home, not just a Class C home. For inspiration, think House Beautiful or a designer Airbnb, without spending House Beautiful prices. And stage it beautifully for showings and pictures.

Regarding your other updates

2) The air vent will need ducting if you put it in the ceiling. Get it properly permitted and inspected so that moisture is not vented into your walls or ceilings or be sucked back into the house in some fashion. If you plan to put it directly on the outside wall, there may be other issues with the venting depending upon the location. Others on this board can give better guidance, or your local permitting office.

3) The sink and vanity are acceptable for an average apartment, so you can stop there if it won't make a significant difference. If you are targeting Class A or picky HGTV design renters, they are not matching or complementary to the rest of the chic retro bathroom (once the rest is cleaned, repaired, and spit polished). If you change the sink top to a drop in white sink, tile the countertop with matching or complementary tile to reflect the period of the tile, "reface" the cabinets to a flat front as was commonly used in mid-Century or Art Deco periods. That is, the front of the cabinets should be neither Shaker nor beadboard. Simply put an insert over the beadboard and paint the cabinets (or just the inserts) white, and then reattach the handles. Polish up the cabinet handles, soap dish, and tp holder until they are sparkly shiny. I'm assuming Sisco was suggesting white paint for the cabinets. I'm trying to get a picture of what type/color of stone countertop Sisco is thinking of, but I can't think of one that would go with the period, either in an original or updated way.

4) I can't tell from the pictures what is wrong with the medicine cabinet. The choices seem either to 1) clean it thoroughly, remove rust, paint the metal, buy some glass shelves if needed, and resilver the mirror, if you can do it yourself or outsource it cost efficiently, or 2) buy a new white medicine cabinet, similar to some of the inspiration pictures below.

8) Regarding removing the tub liner and cleanini up the tub, one of the regular posters here mentioned a product that made things like new for her. If you engage a grout and tile cleaning company, they may be able to get the tub cleaner than you could. See this before and after picture from a NC grout cleaning company. www.sirgroutcharlotte.com/images/p/gallery/tileandgrout-showers/boston-4-color-seal-shower.jpg.

Epoxy paint for tubs and tiles has its uses in certain places, but does have a painted look since there is no difference between the grout and the tile. In my area, keeping certain original features brings more dollars at a future resale date.

Here are some links to inspiration pictures that are of similar nature to the bathroom. The aspects in some of the inspiration pictures that seemed to apply to your bathroom were the tiled countertops, white or silvered mirrors, and complementary tile, if needed. Inspiration pictures can also be useful to any virtual staging company that you use.

www.pinterest.com/pin/152911349835900437/

www.pinterest.com/pin/79727855878375767/

www.houzz.com/photos/vintage-bathroom-traditional-bathroom-phvw-vp~48050

www.pinterest.com/pin/306807793376228147/

www.houzz.com/photos/helena-1-victorian-bathroom-los-angeles-phvw-vp~458486

retrorenovation.com/2009/06/09/tile-countertops-for-midcentury-bathrooms/

www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/nadina-street-traditional-bathroom-san-francisco-phvw-vp~14226427

www.houzz.com/photos/blue-and-yellow-bathroom-traditional-bathroom-boston-phvw-vp~35074210

www.houzz.com/photos/1920-s-spanish-restoration-traditional-bathroom-orange-county-phvw-vp~84992758

www.granadatile.com/media/GalleryImage/Minis-Droplet-teal-white-CostaRica2-Granada-Cement-Tile-opt.jpg

After looking at the photo's I wouldn't gut it, but I would fire the guy that did the caulk job though.

That vintage look is pretty popular with the younger crowd. It just needs to be cleaned up and polished. I have a friend that is remodeling an old farm house and his wife picked out that same 4x4 blue with black trim tile for their new bath.

Pull down the surround and see if you can save the tile behind it. Looks like it's up there with construction adhesive so you may pull a few tiles off getting it down and scraping it off is going to take some elbow grease. Those look like standard 4"x4" baby blue tiles from the 1950-60's, very common tile so you should be able to find replacements. In fact they still make a variety of colors in the 4x4 tiles. Check your habitat stores or on-line, I bet you find something that is or almost is a perfect match.

Is there a sheetrock wall on the back side of the shower that you can cut open to get access to the valve assembly to replace? If so, that will minimize the tile damage. If not, just order a few more tiles and replace the valve from the tile side. Even if you have to put in a 2 x 3 sqft section of black around the valve down to the tub it will look ok and may give you a few extra tiles to replace elsewhere.

Get a vibrating saw with a grout removal blade and take out the grout and regrout it. Cean, shiny, and new grout will make that tile pop!

Pull the sink counter-top, medicine cabinet, light, and faucet and replace. A white framed mirror on the front of the medicine cabinet is more popular now than an unframed mirror. Repaint all the wood work and cabinets. If you can take the toothbrush holder and soap holder down without damaging tiles, I would do that also. Those just gross out most people these days.

Scrub that bath tub down to get all the grime out of it and then use a good auto wax with a couple fo coats to polish it up. If there is sheetrock behind the wet wall on the tub that you can cut open in a pinch (or access from below) then I would have the plumber replace the drain assembly and overflow cover to make them look nice. I say IF because there is a good chance he will shear off the drain assembly trying to get the old one out and will have to get access below to replace it if that happens.

The outlet should not be a problem. I'm sure the electrician can fish power down from the light. The vent shouldn't be a problem either if you have access to an attic above or an exterior wall on one of the bath walls. A good electrician will not have a problem with those requests.

Great bathroom!

Buy a good quality respirator for cleaning and painting. I use Kaboom! spray cleaner on my own tub and tile, cleans up nice, but the fumes! Oi! ( I have sensitive lungs anyway.)

It looks like the front piece by the shower handles) of the three piece surround may have been replaced once already. If the other two panels are solid, and clean up nicely, maybe just replace the front panel, new shower handles for now. And, as DJ mentioned, there are cover plates that can convert from three hole to two hole. But, your holes look a little larger, so replacing the whole front panel might be best for now. Looks like the person who installed that surround had trouble determining where to mark the holes, so had to cover with all that caulk.

When you take the front panel down, you can determine how many tiles you'll need to replace. Also, I suggest you take one of those tiles off to store in the glove box of your vehicle. Then, when you see tiles at the local ReStore, ( or online) you can compare. Be sure to take the ReStore tile and your tile to an area with good natural light when comparing. ReStores are usually located in old buildings with not the greatest lighting. So, eventually, you'll have the tile acquired to redo the shower surround back to tile. Then it will look great for another 70 years.

I've painted a similar medicine cabinet with Rustoleum paint in the rattle can. Looks like new! I had a glass store cut the two missing shelves. The silver on mine was in pretty good shape, but otherwise, the glass store could probably take care of that. When I compare a new medicine cabinet against those old ones, I'd keep the old ones going with new paint/ silver/ shelves anyday.

Experienced HVAC tech to do the bathroom vent fan, then have the electrician wire it to go on with the lights. And have electrician put in the GFCI, replace the lights.

And get that shower curtain rod out of there pronto! I've gone to supplying a single layer fabric shower curtain, on plastic shower rings, and explaining to tenant how easy they are to clean. Just slide the rings off the bar, toss in the washer, rings and all, wash on gentle cycle. Hang back up to dry. The single layer fabric curtains don't hold all of that humidity in the shower area, so much less mildew. Tenants like the pretty/ fun/fancy ones, but those always need the vinyl liner that traps moisture. Some of my tenants still switched to the fancy curtain with vinyl liner, but the ones that stuck with the single layer fabric curtain are happy with less cleaning.