How to repair this shower/bathroom wall for bathroom remodel.

bathroomremodelingrenovation

I have a nasty bathroom downstairs. It looks like the previous owners built it over a floor drain, not entirely sure if this is a good thing or not (not even sure if that's what they did but see attached photos for the washer height knobs).

Obvious water damage behind the shower area. Needs to be gutted and rebuilt.

I just don't exactly know where to start or what are the obvious noob mistake that will cost me later.

I'm comfortable with soldering, drywall, tiling,etc. I've never built a wall or frame before so I probably need the most guidance there.

Any help is appreciated. Good books or other references would be awesome.

Specific question: Are there any specific issues that might cause bigger problems later on (from first answer full stud replacement vs patch) when I repair/replace this wall?

Photos:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12318974/IMG_20130313_230047.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12318974/IMG_20130313_230054.jpg
Click for larger view

Best Answer

A floor drain is no problem in a bathroom, in fact that's a bonus! Just don't let it dry up.

As for where to start, here is a general guideline:

  1. Tear out all the drywall and to expose any rotten areas.
  2. Replace rotten studs, one at a time (full-length, don't patch). You don't won't to remove a whole wall at once, it may be load-bearing. Put in temporary studs for any iffy areas.
  3. Fix the plumbing.
  4. Choose your shower-surround (tile, fibreglass, etc...) and finish accordingly.

Also, whichever product you choose for waterproofing your shower will usually have their own specifications on how to waterproof on their websites. For example: Kerdi and Nobleseal. These two companies also have very helpful technical support departments and local sales reps.

An example of an "iffy area": If there are multiple studs all really rotten next to eachother and you are taking out one to replace it, the remaining load of the floor/roof over your head is now on all those rotten studs... That is an iffy situation, in my opinion.

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