Bathroom
Remodeling a bathroom can be an exciting task! Our clients often spend hours looking at photos on Pinterest and Houzz, walking the isles of the big box stores and tile distributor showrooms locally for days, making notes and dreaming about the day they can get rid of their pink bathtub and matching toilet and replace that floral wallpaper from the 90s.
But before making any big decisions or large purchases on materials, here are some less exciting things to consider so your project turns out the way you are dreaming about it and so it will be functional for years to come. Here is our Pre-Bathroom Remodel Checklist to ensure your project stays on track, on budget and on time.
Budget
How much do you want to spend on your bathroom renovation? This is one of the first questions you need to consider before doing any “window shopping”. Setting a budget will help guide you as you make decisions about what to include or exclude in the remodel. Once you have figured out your total spend budget you can get a clearer sense of what type of tile, fixtures, and extras (like radiant floor heat) you can afford. View your chosen contractor as your personal guide to getting exactly what you want. With a clear budget in mind your contractor should be able to show you all your options.
Planning & Time
Far too often people assume that if they are remodeling a small bathroom it will only take a few days, or that there will be a significant time reduction between a small bathroom and a large master bathroom. This is not the case. Whether you are remodeling a large or small bathroom all the same steps are needed to complete the process. The extra 25-50 square feet savings is miniscule and in our experience the smaller the space does not equal lesser time. With a small space comes unique challenges, like the obvious cramped work environment, often forcing the contractor to keep tools in a separate room, etc.
Planning for time also needs to include not just the duration of the actual labor but also the design phase, choosing, purchasing and ordering tiles, fixtures, custom-built vanity or cabinets, etc.
Sequence of work
When it comes to renovating a bathroom there is a proper procedure and sequence of tasks that needs to be adhered to. Far too often we see people demolish their old bathroom without ever calling a contractor to schedule the finish work, shopping for tile or even planning their budget, this typically leads to a non-functional bathroom for months and in some cases more than a year. So before you pick up the hammer STOP and make sure you have thought it through. When it comes to the actual work, once all materials are on site and accounted for, we also recommend a certain sequence of work. Start from the top down when it comes to demolishing as well as remodeling. Working this way you are protecting your new components as well as saving time doing unnecessary cleanup or repairs.
What's inside the walls?
Don’t be fooled by a contractor who says you can simply update what you see without examining what is unseen. There are companies out there who’s claim to fame is remodeling your shower in a day or your whole bathroom in a couple days. Well there's a saying that applies to this type of contractor, what they are offering is often like “Putting lipstick on a Pig.” Yes when they leave, your bathroom (or “pig”) might look a lot better but ultimately it’s still the same bathroom that still has underlying issues (still a pig). If your shower or tub surround is unsightly due to mildew for instance, that's a visible sign of an underlying issue. If the proposed solution is to just cover over the ugly, how long do you really expect it to last before you start to see that pig again? When remodeling a bathroom most contractors agree and recommend opening up the walls around plumbing and electrical to ensure they are up to code, updated and functioning properly.
Design style and functionality
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the choices? There are many factors to consider like paint color, tile choices, tubs, faucets, cabinets and vanities, etc. We recommend starting with a theme, or an overall “look and feel” description before ever looking at the above mentioned finishes. You may want to work with a designer, or at the very least shop locally and take advantage of the designers working in the local tile, paint or plumbing warehouses. Design needs to work hand in hand with functionality so consider who will be using the bathroom – kids, adults, an elderly parent. Take note of the things in your current bathroom that are functional as well as the things you do not want to repeat in your new bathroom.
Recent Bathroom Projects
Rating
I can't say enough about the great job Rob at Conroe Bath Pro did for our bathroom! The tile work is beautiful, and his attention to detail is refreshing! He was professional and courteous throughout the whole process! We would definitely use Conroe Bath Pro again for our home!
Bathroom is a 9/10 and the results where above my expectations. Definitely love the heated floor. Robert pays attention to detail. Great worker.
Rob did a wonderful job in my bathroom shower, making it like brand new by giving it a much needed refresh! I had been using the guest bathrrom shower instead of my own until Rob made it enjoyable to use again. I highly recommend him for your handyman projects. I will certainly continue to request his services for our future home projects. C. Smith
They are amazing. Fixed our problem in 20 minutes at an incredibly fair price after having plumbers come out and say they couldn’t fix it. Call them first and get treated the right way.
Have you ever had someone that truly cares for your needs and ensures the job gets done right? Look no further. Rob ensures that all your needs are met. He truly puts care into the work he does. You will not be disappointed when you have him turn your project into a work of art.
Rob did a great job for us. His work was top notch and he was very personable. I recommend Conroe Bath Pro.
Rob went above and beyond for our shower remodel. His work was excellent and the cost of the project was VERY reasonable. He does amazing work and has the best attitude and suggestions. An all around great person who does great work. We would recommend him to anyone!
Professional and did a wonderful job after I was taken advantage of by another contractor. Thank you for making it right and making me love my bathroom as me and my late husband envisioned it.
Rob is very detailed oriented and has an incredible work ethic. He thought of things I didn’t think of and accommodated our wants and needs. My secondary bathroom renovation came out great. I’m very pleased with the results.
Rob Black, owner of Conor Bath Pro, is a professional, personable, talented craftsman. He took our master shower from totally unusable for a disabled person to a dream come true. He raised the shower floor 6 inches to be level with the bathroom floor, provided a new drain and installed a stone flooring that blended perfectly with the shower and adjoining tub surround tile. The addition of two handicap support bars provided an additional safety element to our renewed master shower stall. Share your dreams & needs with Rob and he will make them a reality at a very reasonable cost.
Highly recommend!! Rob did an amazing job on the renovation of our master shower after we had a water leak. The water leak required several tiles to be removed by a water restoration company. Rob found a great match and made our shower look brand new.
We hired Conroe Bath Pro for several reasons: 1) veteran owned, 2) only one person coming to the house every day and a non-smoker at that, 3) Experience and knowledge, and 4) He said I could help as much as I wanted! Rob is very responsive to phone calls, texts, and emails, and he came out a couple of times to help while the countertops were being installed. Rob arrived on time every day, worked hard all day, and made friends with my dog. He expertly remodeled our kitchen and master bathroom. We asked him to lower the kitchen bar to counter level, and it turned out terrific. He also installed appliances that we love. I highly recommend the Fisher & Paykel drawer style dishwasher, by the way. Rob did an outstanding job on the kitchen backsplash, as you can see in the photos below. Once we got that done, it was on to gutting the bathroom and getting rid of that horrible bacteria factory also known as a jacuzzi tub. My wife would not use it. Rob is a master at shower renovations, and this is where my DIY knowledge ended. He installed the Schluter system making the shower water tight! He modified the plumbing, and even rerouted the bathtub drain in the concrete. Nothing seemed hard for Rob. I finally got to help by “buttering” the backs of the tiles as we tiled the new shower and later the bathroom floor. Rob installed a fold down teak seat in the shower and together we installed a beautiful new shower door weighing around 175 pounds. The bathroom floor turned out to be one of our favorite things, and as you can see our bathroom has surpassed the builder-grade level by leaps and bounds. We are so impressed with Rob’s expertise and workmanship. We have another bathroom project planned and we will be calling Rob to do it. Side note: The quartz countertops in kitchen and bathroom and bathtub were supplied and installed by a local stone supplier and will be reviewed separately.
He was very responsive! Very helpful and understanding! A good man to work with and very explanatory! Will book him for future renovations/projects!
Robert’s work is professional, beautiful, and timely. He repaired and remodeled our shower, and we couldn’t be happier. He used the right products for a difficult job, made great suggestions and finished when he said he would. I fully trust and highly recommend him.
Robert is a skilled, efficient, knowledgeable general handyman. A Colorado school of mines graduate, he will recommend the best and most efficient materials for the job, how to to do the job based on your requirements and will complete the job in a timely manner. We are truly fortunate to have Robert working in our area
Excellent quality of work. Rob is also great about giving helpful suggestions on things you may not have considered.
Rob was very professional did the work in a timely fashion cleaned up every day I will use him on all my projects