Do you have practical building skills, but cannot imagine installing tile? Cut the labor cost of your bathroom remodel project in HALF by performing a straight forward scope of work outlined below.
You will effectively eliminate the need for a general contractor if you can do these steps. This will save you the 20% general contractor mark up as well as greatly reducing the cost of labor for the project. And you will not have to worry about doing any tile work yourself.
Measure the length and width of your existing shower walls. Write down the dimensions of each wall.
Purchase 1/2" thick Durcock Cement Board, 1-1/2" hot dipped galvanized nails, Durock fiberglass seam tape, 6 mil plastic sheeting, mortar and grout. Double check your measurements against the size of the boards to see how much you will need. Typically, it takes two (2) 3' x 5' boards for each shower wall.
Lay a large sheet of plastic in the tub that flows over the sides of the tub and onto the floor. Then add a layer of cardboard to the bottom of the tub directly on top of the plastic.
TURN OFF THE WATER MAIN to prevent a flood in the event you accidentally hit a pipe during demolition.
Wrap some plastic around the shower control lever and shower head. If you plan to replace the shower valve and head with a new trim, bring in a plumber for half a day and have him install the new valve and shower head stub out before you go any further. Demo the walls clean of both the tile and the drywall behind it. Check the insulation and if it is damp or spotted black with mold, remove it.
If you are planning to replace the floor tile, toilet and sink then go ahead and turn off the water supply valves to the toilet and sink. Separate the water supply lines from the fixtures and then remove the fixtures. Now demo the floor tile.
If you removed the insulation. Replace it with R19 unfaced fiberglass batts. This will help keep the bathroom warm and reduce noise from pipes and running water.
Cut the 4-6 mil poly plastic sheeting to size and use the staple gun to fasten to the wood studs. This is a waterproofing barrier and an industry best practice.
Install backer board. Referencing your wall dimensions, layout your cuts on the backer board using the 48" level. Then cut with the skilsaw. Backer board is tough on blades, so be sure to have a couple of extras. Screw to studs every 8" on center using the 1-1/2" hot dipped galvanized nails.
Apply fiberglass tape to the seams between the boards and seal over fiberglass with thinset mortar. Be sure to fill the seam, cover the fiberglass tape completely and smooth it out flat with your trowel. You can leave this step to the tile subcontractor if you choose.
Check the condition of the subfloor. If it is squishy, flaking, wet or rotten, you need to remove and replace it. Use the skillsaw to cut a hole between the floor joists and use that as your starting point to pull the subfloor out. Replace subfloor with 3/4" T&G exterior plywood. Glue and screw the plywood into place with 1-1/2" galvanized or stainless steel screws. You do not want this plywood poorly fastened as the tile floor will crack at some point down the line if this is not done properly.
At this point you have gone far enough to capture some serious savings and have prepared everything for a professional tile subcontractor using industry best practices. Once the tile work is complete, call up your plumber and he will have the new toilet, sink and shower trim installed in four hours.
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USG SHEETROCK Mold Tough Gypsum Panels were recently featured on the television program Designing Spaces. 
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