A: Jack, you are a smart person. I stress in my book over and over that when you are not sure of a project, stop before you get into trouble and get some good information. Hopefully, I can give you some good and useful information right now.

The type of shower pan you are trying to install is commonly called a "mud" base shower stall. It usually consists of a liner that is made with prefabricated copper or a rubber membrane. The shower drain will usually attach with a special type of compression flange that will meet your local codes. The drain strainer is also adjustable to match the mortar level of your shower base; the thickness of the mortar is usually in the 3- to 4-inch range. The advantage of a mud base shower is that you can have a tile floor since the water is contained by the copper or rubber membrane liner, not the tile and grout itself. The disadvantage to a mud base is that this is a job best left to the pros because it is very involved and requires a lot of skill to do the job right.

Another alternative for you to try is a fiberglass shower stall base that can be installed in place of a mud shower pan. A prefabricated resin base can be purchased at your local supply house or home center and basically it's ready to go out of the box! Most will use a standard PVC shower flange drain that is pretty easy to install. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions. With a pre-made fiberglass or resin based bottom for your shower, you will still be able to have a tiled shower surround for the walls and ceiling.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea to make a complicated shower problem wash itself away!