A fresh clean start

Don’t like your bathroom? Without moving out or tearing up your old one, you can start over

By Gail Park

The Times, Jun 28, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

ALL DONE — Anna “DJ” Jarvis is “jazzed” about her bright and luxurious tub, bigger shower space and white marble-look wall surround.

Gail Park / Times Newspapers

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Ugly bathrooms are getting gussied up.

A surge in bathroom remodeling has brought about an increase in innovative products and ideas. It’s easier than ever for homeowners to switch out their ugly, dingy bath and shower areas with bright, new easy-care bathrooms.

Oregon Re-Bath presents an alternative to worn-out bathtubs, stained showers and moldy grouted tilework. Re-Bath, a nationwide franchise, surrounds its customers with marble- and tile-look walls, newly lined tub basins and sparkling clean shower stalls. The simulated stone and tile walls and systems are made of solid, non-porous DuraBath SSP, an acrylic substance warranteed for life by Ambath, the manufacturer.

“The material resists cracking, chipping, staining and rusting,” says Phil Rengel, owner of Re-Bath franchises for Washington, Clark and Multnomah counties. “The materials are a step above our competitors who use true acrylic. DuraBath SSP is an exclusive new development.”

Rengel, a Raleigh Hills resident and 15-year owner of Sorrento Construction, has been operating Oregon Re-Bath for 11 years. He believes the primary advantage of going with a Re-Bath over other products is the instantly attractive change. Installation takes only one day compared to a complete demolition.

For approximately a year, Anna Jarvis and her husband, Matt Pease, have been in the process of updating their salmon-pink and tan bathroom. Jarvis couldn’t stand their Royal Woodlands home’s ugly tan tile and dark wallpaper with birds and gold foil. The wallpaper was removed a long time ago, but for five years now they have put up with the outdated tub area.

Remodeling costs prohibited the couple from taking the steps to change the entire space. According to Jarvis, three weeks ago the bathroom went from hideous to sleek and luxurious. For approximately $4,000, the bath/shower has new pipes, a taller showerhead with a hand-held sprayer, updated faucet handles, new waterproof greenboard, a crescent rod to increase the shower space, marble-look walls and a shiny white tub.

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