Situation in the bathroom!

[Ivan Burley]

I recently acquired my first rental investment and after doing some repairs and rehab I am near ready to rent. I added a shower to an existing tub and now the problem is the walls. There are no shower panels and on top of that there is a window in the shower area. I recently read here to remove all windows in the shower. I am already over budget but I want to avoid future problems.

Any suggestions? My contractor says he can remove and close up the window for $400. That will leave me with plywood on the outside of the home, at least initially. I planned on be ready to rent for the first but I think that is out of the question now.

[Rob K.]

Windows in the shower are common in my area and a bad idea, IMO. I always have them removed and replaced with a glass block window. In my area, they meet code if they have the small vent opening. The glass blocks are waterproof, look good, let light in, you can't see through them, and they cost $175-$225 for materials and labor.