A: Resurfacing fiberglass tubs is a lot like repainting a fiberglass boat. The good news is that there are marine gel-coat paint products that may be used for your type of tub. The bad news is that in my opinion, this is a job for professionals only.

I have never personally seen a do-it-yourself paint job on a bathtub that looked good. Just like fine wall plaster work, refinishing plumbing fixtures is an art form in my book. I would not attempt it myself -- and with that in mind, I cannot recommend it for your son.

The best advice I can give is to call in a professional to first see if the tub can be refinished, and then get an estimate for the complete job in writing. This is not an emergency and there is no reason the tub cannot be used while your son saves up for the project.

And who knows? Once you see the price, the color may not look that bad anymore!