Bathroom remodel

[theelfqueen]

HAve you done a bathroom remodel? What work did you have done? How did you find your contractors?

[PrincessMommy]

My master bath is currently gutted after 2 days of demo.

I'm having a linen closet removed to enlarge the MB.  Changing a standard 1970s tub with a deeper soaking tub.  Redoing all the tile and floors.  The closet will have minor work done and then we're adding a 2nd closet to an existing wall (we have serious storage issues here).

I found them via my BIL because he's an electrician and works with a lot of renovation jobs.  I really like them and feel comfortable with them (husband and wife team).  I double checked them online just to be sure.  My one issue is that they are very, very slow for response.  I started this process in mid -Nov. and she couldn't even see me until late Dec.  Then it took over a month just to get an estimate from her.  So far, that is my only issue.  She'll often say "I'll email you this or that tonight." and 3-4days later I'll send a reminder email that she never sent it. 

One of the things I do like is they are cost conscience.  When I told her I was considering Formica for part of my kitchen counters she didn't bat an eye and said, "They have lots of nice choices now."   She gave me a cost estimate for materials and when we went over she suggested other places to look that were much cheaper.  

It's not done and we've just started. They're estimating 6 weeks to finish.  I'm expecting hiccups because this house was previously done by a DIYer who made a lot of mistakes.  

[wintermom]

We just had 2 bathroom renos done. We did the demolition, painting and shopping for most materials ourselves, which made it faster and cheaper. In the ensuite new tub and surround was installed (and old tub removed), new cabinet and counter installed, new medicine cabinet installed (space had to be re-sized), new baseboards installed, and new window installed. In both bathrooms we had new flooring, new lighting, new towel racks and toilet paper holder, new venting fans installed and toilets re-installed. ETA: He also installed shut-off valves in both toilets and sinks.

It took 2 weeks to finish everything, and that was over the Easter long-weekend. Our contractor is a friend. He did our kitchen reno as well. He's amazing! The flooring we chose was vinyl planking, which was really quick to install. We got rid of all the tiling on the floor and around the tub. I'm thrilled with the results! 

[Annie G]

We took our master bath down to the studs (1880 house so it needed it) and replaced everything, including replacing the tub with a walk in tiled shower. We asked friends and found a local guy who did it all except the plumbing work, which he coordinated with our plumber. It took just under two weeks but it should have taken longer- he worked like a madman to get it finished because the day after he started dh had a heart attack and we needed it finished by the time he came home from bypass surgery. 

I love using  independent contractors because they have been very flexible with our needs.  Like Debbi said, being cost conscious and letting us buy materials ourselves was important. Having a contractor who listens to what we want makes a project way less stressful.  We live in an area that still has a lot of independent talent. 

I’m so grateful for friends who share their good and not so good stories of contractors. 

 

[Sherry in OH]

10 hours ago, wintermom said:

We just had 2 bathroom renos done. We did the demolition, painting and shopping for most materials ourselves, which made it faster and cheaper. In the ensuite new tub and surround was installed (and old tub removed), new cabinet and counter installed, new medicine cabinet installed (space had to be re-sized), new baseboards installed, and new window installed. In both bathrooms we had new flooring, new lighting, new towel racks and toilet paper holder, new venting fans installed and toilets re-installed.

It took 2 weeks to finish everything, and that was over the Easter long-weekend. Our contractor is a friend. He did our kitchen reno as well. He's amazing! The flooring we chose was vinyl planking, which was really quick to install. We got rid of all the tiling on the floor and around the tub. I'm thrilled with the results! 

 

Do vinyl planking and regular floor soakings go well together?  We plan to redo our bathrooms within the next couple of years.  I told dh I wanted sheet vinyl, but planking might be easier to install.

[wintermom]

1 minute ago, Sherry in OH said:

 

Do vinyl planking and regular floor soakings go well together?  We plan to redo our bathrooms within the next couple of years.  I told dh I wanted sheet vinyl, but planking might be easier to install.

There are different types of vinyl planking. The one we chose was specifically waterproof (not just water resistant). There is no wood in the product.

When you say "regular floor soaking," are you referring to some water that might splash onto the floor from the shower or tub, or an over-flowed, plugged toilet? Or where there is no special flooring in the shower, and the drain was within the same flooring as the rest of the bathroom? We use the vinyl planking for the first situation. 

[Sherry in OH]

1 hour ago, wintermom said:

There are different types of vinyl planking. The one we chose was specifically waterproof (not just water resistant). There is no wood in the product.

When you say "regular floor soaking," are you referring to some water that might splash onto the floor from the shower or tub, or an over-flowed, plugged toilet? Or where there is no special flooring in the shower, and the drain was within the same flooring as the rest of the bathroom? We use the vinyl planking for the first situation. 

 

Tidal waves from the tub.  Certain members of my family are unable to shower, bathe, or even wash hands without slopping water.

[wintermom]

1 hour ago, Sherry in OH said:

 

Tidal waves from the tub.  Certain members of my family are unable to shower, bathe, or even wash hands without slopping water.

You may want to go with the second situation, where there's a drain in the floor and you won't have so many worries about water damage. 

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

We are currently remodeling a bathroom. It’s gutted at the moment.  We are turning two small, inconvenient bathrooms into on functional bathroom. There is another bathroom elsewhere in the house. So we are going from 3 to 2 bathrooms.

As much as possible we are using original placements areas so we don’t have to move too much plumbing or electrical.  New tub, shower, vanity, sinks. 

[happypamama]

We did whatever is a step beyond gutted a couple of years ago. That’s not at all an exaggeration.  There are walls and studs and windows and subfloor and a ton more that never even existed.  Every bit is new.  It was only possible because DH did it himself.  (Full disclosure: he’s a trained carpenter and works for a construction company, so although he mostly runs a computer at work, he does have mad skillz for DIY.  Yes I am bragging for a minute.)

We went with tile for the floor, with a heated mat under it.  It wasn’t too expensive because it’s not that huge a space.  We love it!

 

We also went with a large vanity with a single sink.  With a large family, we needed counter and drawer space more than a double sink.  Haven’t regretted that choice at all.