Cheapest but most impractical- You could try adding a sprayer, curtain rod, and tile surround to the existing set up, but then you'd just end up with a bunch of water on the tub deck which would then flow off on to the bathroom floor.

Bad carpets, cracked floor and counter tile, some popcorn ceilings, dated fixtures, etc. 

But, on flooring people say that tiling is really good, so why not just tile the countertops in the kitchen? 

Currently there is carpet which i plan to change to tile and the bid came in at 3k.

Use tile finishes in kitchen backsplashes and bathrooms2.

I have a lot of experience in the construction fields, I was a tile setter for 2 yrs and have exp. with sheetrock and painting.

I provide in "special provisions of my lease" that anything under $100 is tenant responsibility.I also clarify a list of common repair examples that I expect tenant to repair, and a list of common repairs I would rather make myself.Tenant: smoke detector batteries, filters, small plumbing leaks under sinks, clogged drain, loose handles, loose screws, pests (toilet handle is a little odd but I would likely take care of it.)Landlord: Major leaks, sewer smells, roof leaks, water heater, hvac, cracked tile, broken faucets, broken toilets."

If your protection is “limited” as the tile implies with LLC, and CA is horrible state for litigation and taxes, and judges give very little respect to elaborate asset protection schemes to protect debtors (you), what option do you have?

In NYC, the best person to do repairs in a co-op building is the live-in super especially for things like tile, grout repair, fixtures installations and paint. 

Work includes:- Obtain necessary permits- Remove concrete where needed for excavation- Excavate along the basement foundation wall and haul away soil- Remove the existing drain tile line and downspout line- Once the foundation wall has been exposed, cement parging will be used on any areas of foundation where the block isexposed.