A bathroom is the smallest room in the house and one of the most complicated to remodel. Plumbing, electrical, ventilation, waterproofing, tile, cabinetry and paint all happen in a space you can barely turn around in, and most of them have to happen in a particular order. Homeowners who know the order ahead of time have a much better time of it. Here is how a typical full remodel goes for us.
Before the work starts
Every selection should be made and on site before demo. Tile, vanity, faucet, toilet, shower valve, lighting, fan, mirror and accessories. A bathroom that is torn apart while someone waits three weeks for a backordered vanity is a bathroom nobody can use. We will walk through the list with you, flag anything with a long lead time, and confirm the layout, including what moves and what stays where it is. If a second bathroom is not available, we talk about how to keep a toilet working during the job.
Days 1 and 2: demolition and discovery
Dust barriers go up, the floor path through the house is protected, and the old bathroom comes out: fixtures, tile, vanity, often the drywall and subfloor. This is when we find out what is really there. In older homes in Putnam, Westchester and Fairfield counties that often means a rotted subfloor under the toilet, galvanized pipe, or wiring that needs to be brought up to code. We show you what we found, explain what it changes, and get your okay before going further.
Days 3 to 5: rough-in
Plumbing supply and drain lines are moved or replaced, the shower valve is set, and electrical is run for lighting, the fan, outlets and any heated floor. Framing is corrected, blocking goes in for grab bars and the vanity, and the exhaust fan is ducted outside. Where a licensed plumber or electrician is required, we coordinate one as part of the job. Inspections, where required, happen at this stage.
Days 5 to 8: closing the walls and waterproofing
Cement board or a foam tile backer goes in the wet areas, moisture-resistant drywall everywhere else. The shower gets a waterproofing membrane and a sloped, leak-tested pan. This is the step that determines whether the bathroom is still dry in fifteen years, and it is the step that gets skipped on the cheap jobs we are called in to fix.
Days 8 to 12: tile
Floor and shower tile goes in, then grout, then sealer. Large-format tile, patterned layouts and niches take longer than a simple grid. Tile needs cure time between setting and grouting and between grouting and use, so there are days in here where it looks like nothing is happening.
Days 12 to 15: fixtures and finish
Vanity, countertop, sink and faucet are installed. The toilet goes in. Shower door, trim, lighting, fan cover, mirror, accessories and paint finish the room. Caulk goes in at every seam, the room is cleaned, and we walk through it with you.
How long, really
A fixture-and-tile refresh where nothing moves takes about a week. A full remodel usually runs two to three weeks of work, plus any waiting on inspections or custom items. We tell you up front what the schedule looks like, and we tell you right away if something changes it.
Planning a bathroom in Putnam, Westchester, Dutchess, Fairfield or Litchfield county? See our bathroom remodeling page or request a free estimate, and we will go through the selections list with you before anyone picks up a hammer.