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Floor Replacement, Start to Finish

Old floor out at the wall line. New floor sloped to drain.

The cut line is everything: we remove the failed floor while preserving sound wall tile above it, then rebuild the base properly — sloped bed, bonded waterproofing lapped up the walls, new tile with full coverage, epoxy grout, sealed transitions. Bristol's small shower floors make this a one-to-two-day job, and the wall-to-floor joint — where every old floor failed — gets rebuilt as a movement joint, not a grout prayer.

Bristol notes

Bristol tub walls are the textbook case: 50-year-old 4x4 tile, missing grout at the tub line, a cracked corner tile letting water behind. Shower floors in the capes are small enough to re-tile in a day. Most Bristol replacements run day-one rebuild, day-two tile and grout: Bristol's capes have the smallest shower floors in the footprint — a one-day re-tile that transforms the whole bath. Shower again 24 hours after grout — timed to the hour at walkthrough.

  • Surgical removal. Floor out to a clean wall line; sound walls and glass preserved.
  • Substrate rebuilt. Sloped bed verified or re-poured — ponding is never 'normal.'
  • Waterproofed assembly. Membrane lapped up walls and clamped at the drain.
  • Full-coverage setting. No spot-bonding, no hollow tiles — ever.
  • Epoxy grout standard. Stain-proof joints that stay clean under daily use.
  • Tested handoff. Flow test to drain + walkthrough before final payment.
Materials

The Bristol floor rebuild

What goes under Bristol feet: the shortlist we install and warranty.

2x2 porcelain mosaic

The workhorse — grippy, cheap, perfect.

Penny rounds

Vintage grip, endless joints.

Pebble sheets

Spa texture, expert grout.

Small-format rects

Modern lines that turn slope.

FAQ

Common questions

Why epoxy grout on floors?
Shampoo, body oils and hard water destroy cement grout on floors within years. Epoxy is stain-proof and waterproof — roughly $100–$200 more per floor, worth every cent.
Do you replace the drain too?
We inspect every drain; clamping drains get cleaned and re-sealed, tired drains get replaced ($200–$600) while the floor is open — never tiled around and hoped about.
Why two days for ten square feet?
Cure times rule: base, membrane, setting and grout each need their hours. Rush them and you buy the next leak. Day one rebuild, day two finish.
Can I keep my glass enclosure?
Almost always — it stays protected in place or comes down into padded storage and goes back up. Replacement only if it's already failing.