Adding a shower???

I did a search but couldn't find any direct info on this topic. We just purchased an 95 XL-45 Entertainer coach with 12 bunks. We want to add a shower to the floorplan, and from what I can tell is we will need to remove one of the triple bunks to gain floorspace needed (directly behind the current bathroom and in front of the central heater unit (curb side wall)). Does anyone know of anyone doing anything like this? Where and what kind of shower did you use? I would like to make a wall with a door to access the "shower room" so as the person taking the shower isn't going to bother anyone still sleeping in the remaining bunks or needing to use the hallway to go to the rear lounge. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.:confused:

Doing serious remodels to a converted coach, such as you are contemplating is often difficult. However a big difference between an entertainer coach and a motorhome is the entertainer coach is built to be more easily modified. An entertainer leasing it for a year or two may need a certain number of bunks, but the next one leasing it may require fewer bunks, but more seating.

I can only generalize and suggest if you are contemplating adding a shower in lieu of 3 bunks take a hard look at the area you will install the shower and see how the bunks are installed. I suspect they will be readily removable. If you choose to do the work yourself then you just have to learn how it is put together now and then work around that with the new layout.

If you choose to let someone else modify it then go to companies that are familiar with these coaches, such as who ever converted your coach or one of our sponsors such as Russell coach. I am not recommending him at the exclusion of other great sponsors, but I believe he has more expertise in building and modifying entertainer coaches. He is often modifying one of his coaches to lease to a new entertainer and I have seen how they are modular, lending themselves to changes.

One thing I can say for sure....don't be afraid to tackle anything on these coaches. Just dive in because they may be intimidating at first, but with a little time and effort you will see they are built using considerable logic.

I've sent an email to the company that you suggested Jon, I'm sure that it can be done, may have to get some help on this however. If anyone out there has done this, I would still like to hear how you did it. Thanks again Jon.

Rob Russell doesn't do emails real well. He cannot even get on our forum without help from his wife.

If he doesn't respond its because he hasn't been checking his emails so don't hesitate to call.

Since the coach is new to you and you have your use of the coach ahead of you I would recommend you do two things. First, take advantage of every opportunity to get to see other coaches. Stealing ideas is a virtue. Seeing other coaches, including other entertainer coaches when you get a chance will give you ideas. But then you need to prioritize your ideas.

The second thing I recommend is use it before you go ahead with plans to modify it. Right now you can imagine what you want and need. After you have used it for a while you will know for sure how you want it changed and what is important to you.

BTW, I forgot to mention, I have seen coaches with commercially available shower stalls such as you might get from Home Depot, but the vast majority of our coaches have showers custom made to fit the space exactly, usually of marble or Corian or tile. By custom building things for the coach they fit exactly where you want them to go, and more importantly they make perfect use of space which is at a premium in our coaches.

Showers even in a home have its special requirements. A couple of important items;
a. Drain, typically a 1 1/2 to 2" drain with P trap. Not too far from the holding tank with 1/4" fall if it can be accomplished.
b. Shower pan; waterproof membrain formed and put in place prior to floating and tiling the floor.
c. water proof paper or vapor barier prior to placing the field tile
d. Hot and cold plumbing with shower mix valve and shower head.

weight is another issue so i would consult with convertors to shave off any weight without sacriicing the integrity of the shower.
also, there is a lot of flex and movement in a Coach so you must use the correct materials and adhesives for the purpose.

Partitions can be made out of similar materials already in the Coach but you should have a tempered glass enclosure for the shower.





A fan and a light are also importantfor the shower stall.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg

Rob Russell doesn't do emails real well. He cannot even get on our forum without help from his wife.

If he doesn't respond its because he hasn't been checking his emails so don't hesitate to call.

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Jon is right! ha ha Rob does check his emails but only once a day! So, if you email directly to him at info@russellcoach.com chances are he will not answer until the very end of the day. If you need immediate attention feel free to email me (Wendy) at leasing@russellcoach.com. I check emails all day long as I am typically at my desk all day! I can always get Rob to dictate a response to me and I will type his email response to you! Of course, like Jon says....feel free to call! Rob is always willing to take your call - never hesitate - feel free to call! As for posting on POG - it is me; but with Rob's help! He always tells me what to post because Jon is right - he is a little challenged with the computer! ha ha Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2011!!

Wendy is the real boss. Rob is just another pretty face.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg

Wendy is the real boss. Rob is just another pretty face.

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Oh, Jon - if only that were true! I only lease buses for our lease division....Rob is the "real" boss who oversees EVERYTHING! He makes sure I do my job properly and is 100% hands on with the conversion and remodels in the shop! :-) Happy New Year to all from all of us at Russell Coach!!