Stage one is compete. The old cracked tiles have been removed and the shower has been gutted.
We added insulation for sound dampening to the shower walls and the plumber comes this afternoon to install the new 'guts' - shower diverter, etc. 
The plumbing fixtures have been the biggest challenge. This home isn't old. 1992 seems like a new house to me compared to my previous Norfolk home, built in 1912. But sure enough, the 'guts' of the shower and the tub are so old that no new fixtures, even ones of the same brand, do not fit. Anyway, after numerous online attempts and trips to home stores in the area, I finally understood that all new plumbing was required.
John from JELTile (a tile store in Stafford VA) is here today to start laying the floor and next week they will finish up the shower walls, tub surround and the vanity goes back in.
Fixing shower and tub plumbing has always been a nightmare, There's never easy access and as you said, many brands don't maintain consistent repair policies. Kohler is pretty good about making their cartridges for faucets and showers fit in older units, but most other vendors have never seemed concerned with the plight of the remodeler of the future. Good luck with your project.
Looking good I have been meaning to post before and after photos of our remodeling projects but once we finish them I dont want to relive them haha.