In this job I took out all the old tiles ( floor and wall around tub ) took out plaster walls, down to the studs, and all fixtures in the bathroom. The tile concrete floor was 1 inch thick, had steel mesh in it, along with pink and black tiles to match the shower walls.
As with all bathroom upgrades, I re-anchored old floorboards, installed 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch plywood to the floor, glued and screwed. I installed the new tub, strapped the walls, installed tile board to prepare for porcelain tile installation. In the photo you will see the orange schluter membrane. This is put in to waterproof the joints and corners of the shower.
I find porcelain tile to be the best for all bathrooms and kitchens. I tiled the bathroom floor and half way around the vanity and toilet then the entire tub area. I finish the bathroom off with new toilet, vanity, window trim, and paint. At the end of the day you can’t beat it.