I'm about to embark on getting estimates to have some bathroom wall
tile
repaired around the tub. The tiles are intact, but the grout isn't,
and
from what I see, I'm pretty certain there's damage to a wall behind
the
tile.

Can anyone give me any kind of ballpark on what tile and drywall
repair
people charge? I know it's impossible to make accurate guesstimates
without
seeing the job, knowing the area, etc., but I have no idea whether I
might
be looking at a thousand dollars or ten thousand dollars.

The tub is in a corner with a half-wall built on the third (faucet)
side.
My guess is that the bottom course of tile will need to be regrouted
on
two sides, and that most of the tile will have to come off the third
side
(the bottom course is all but falling off now) and the wall be
extensively
repaired (it's just a drywall "box" of a wall). Of course, the tub
will
have to be recaulked after that (not like that touch will be the
dealbreaker!)

So -- how scared should I be about how the estimates are likely to
look?
Bad, take out a second mortgage scared, or just bummed, there goes my
tax
return scared?


*I'm in NJ and have met and talked to several tile guys that I have met on
jobs. Some of the prices that they have quoted were ridiculously low and I
questioned how they can make any money. The response has always been that
there is a lot of competition, especially foreign competition who undercut
contractors. So your labor costs may not be so bad. However you should be
concerned about the quality of the job. You need to educate yourself about
what the problems are and what the possible remedies are. Talk to
contractors, suppliers, your neighbors, relatives, your hair stylist and
anyone else who has some knowledge and experience with a bathroom remodel.
My guess is that you should be tax return scared unless this is a very old
house.