Advice about Bathroom Remodels

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  • Bathroom remodel tips

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    Feb 3, 2023

    We need to remodel a small primary bathroom due to significant aging of our century-old home. We have a contractor but are on a budget and would love any tips for online (and/or local) sources you love for buying a vanity, flooring, and other components. Have specific products you would love to recommend too? I am all ears! I'm not super design oriented so definitely would love all input and to learn from your tips! Thanks so much! 

    Feb 3, 2023

    Hi There! I am super interested in learning more about your contractor. I have a few smaller projects (including a bathroom) that I have been thinking on and am having a hard time knowing where to look for a contractor that will take on small jobs. If you have any advice here I am all ears! 

    As to your question on vanities - Probably not the most help here but the Pottery Barn Warehouse (in Alameda) is hit or miss but you may luck out and find something on sale. I have looked online a bit and West Elm, Houzz, Rejuevenation all have nice vanities and Wayfair is a good resouce as well. President's day is around the corner so there may be a few sales coming up! 

    Feb 8, 2023

    The advice I'd like to give you -- as part of a construction company -- is work with your contractor.  Make sure anything you buy fits the plans!  I've seen clients "save" money by purchasing items that need 5x (or more) labor to make them fit -- since they didn't match the plans.  You don't mention how far you are in -- but your contractor likely has more experience than parents who have been through one or two remodels.

    Feb 8, 2023

    Well we are going through the same project, helping my son and a friend. It is a process and a long list of items to get and so many options… vanity, toilet, faucet, extra storage, materials: tile, floors… I guess if you go the least expensive way, you go to Home Depot, lows, and then Granite Expo, Sincere and Ikea

    i would say Ikea has the best designs for smaller spaces, but you have to built the cabinets and then install them, usually the contractors don’t want yo do that .. vanities, storage.. and they say is low quality… well, it all the depends on your budget. 
    do a mix and match. Get a vanity special at say Granite expo and find storage unit at ikea.

    also for tiles and floors, Floor and decor is nice, mostly if go to their website you can choose a tile or floor and visualize it in your space with their app. It is fun and it does give you an idea of a look.

    Go to IKEA , at least for ideas. Make it fun, don’t get a divorced because of a bathroom renovation. I’m sure it is going to turn out great!

    Feb 8, 2023

  • Bathroom facelift: need a contractor

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    Sep 16, 2022

    Hi friends. I am considering a bathroom remodel and searching for:

    1. Recommendations for contractors.
    2. Rough ballpark idea of what I might need to budget.

    For context, I think the room is probably about 6ft by 10ft and we are talking about replacing tub, tile, vanity, etc. but not doing structural work or changing the layout of the bathroom.

    Anyone done this kind of work recently and have advice?

    Thanks in advance!

    Sep 16, 2022

    Hello, 

    We just finished a major remodel of our small bathroom and I’m incredibly happy.  We did change the layout and essentially gutted the room so our project was in larger scope, and our contractor did a great job.  
     

    I’d definitely recommend them - LY Green Construction. The project manager was highly communicative and helpful, crew was tidy and efficient and they did beautiful work.  

    As for  budget, we moved plumbing, took floor down to the subfloor, moved the door frame etc, so I’m assuming our cost would be higher than yours. 
     

    Happy to give you more details and send pics if you want to message me. 

    Sep 21, 2022

    we did this same thing last december - kept same floor plan but replaced: vanity, toilet, all tiles, lighting and fan and removed the original tub and replaced it with a shower. i designed and sourced all of my own materials which probably saved a lot, too. i knew exactly what i wanted (thanks, pintrest!) so the sourcing was actually quite simple. but ultimately you still need an architect to draw the elevations so the contractor can follow. inclusive of the architect (~$5k), materials and contractor/tile person, we spent about $35k. i was told by many people that is low. original quotes from others we're closer to $60k+.

    we love our contractor and would highly recommend for this type of project. his name is noe and his cell is 510.779.7641

    i have photos of the bathroom before and after but this message system won't let me attach images. if you'd like the images please message me - we think it came out amazingly well!

    Sep 21, 2022

    Hi,

    We recently remodeled our bathroom with BuildMark and they did an amazing job! Emanuel has a lot of experience working on homes and helped us with the makeover. This is his info: 510-484 5765. emanuel [at] buildmarkinc.com 

    I would recommend ordering the finish materials in advance because the lead time on some items can be up to 6 months. The cost of the remodel is dependent on the finish materials that you go with it, but I would budget around 35k.

    Hope this helps! Good luck with the remodel!

    Sep 21, 2022

    Hi Matt!

    We did this a few years ago to get a deeper tub. Elmer Barrios and his son Gerber and their team did ours and they did a great job. I think the fixtures you put in play a big part in the cost. If you choose high-end fixtures, it obviously costs more. We did a nice-ish tub and replaced some but not all of the shower tile (it goes all the way to the high ceilings) and removed an installed, tracked door that was over the tile and had damaged some of it. Elmer and his team fixed the damaged tiles so that you can't even tell there was a door there. I think our total cost was something like $6-7k but we didn't do the vanity or floor, just installed a new mirror cabinet above the existing vanity. I'm sure Elmer or Gerber would give you a very fair quote--they're really wonderful people.

    Good luck with everything!

    Elmer's number is 706-263-8808

    Sep 21, 2022

    Just chiming in to say I used Elmer Barrios as well and he did great work! And the price was right! I have some photos I can send you if you’d like to email me. We did a full over haul.

    Sep 28, 2022

  • Tiny bathroom reno question

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    Aug 27, 2022

    Hi,

    I have a tiny bathroom with a tiny glass-doored shower that always leaks onto the wooden floor. I have a dream of tiling the entire floor and shower-level walls, and then having an open shower, with no door, no curb, optional curtain on a small tension rod. There’s another bathroom in the house so there wouldn’t be an issue of two people using the bathroom at once. Thoughts? Obvious problems with this concept? 
     

    Really appreciated btw this week’s posting with bathroom renovation recommendations, thanks to the poster for that! 

    Aug 27, 2022

    What you're considering is what's called a wet room--I'd do some research on that and see if it seems like a good fit for your space. It will be pricey but is very doable, though depending on your city it may be a little more a pain for permitting/inspections. Depending on your design, you may not need a curtain at all. Look for contractors who have done these types of bathrooms before if you go that route.

    Aug 29, 2022

    We just finished a bathroom remodel on a tiny bathroom and the contractors were really great. Beautiful work, attention to detail, great project manager.  They are LY Green construction. 
     

     We don’t have a wet room concept but we did a curbless shower enclosed in glass.  You’ll need an architectural plan with elevations and water tight materials throughout.  

    Please let them know I referred you if you use them! 

    Sep 3, 2022

    How small is small?

    We have an open shower with on glass panel separating the shower and toilette. The sink in across from them.

    The shower floor has to have a little inclination, that you can't really see, in order for the water to drain away from the rest of the bathroom.

    We love our bathroom, it may not be for everyone because it is open and less cosy....

    email me if you need our contractor, I'm not sure how busy he is, the fact that he is european was great since there are so many bathrooms like this one there...Also, I could send you some pictures.

    Sep 5, 2022

  • HELP Remodeling Bathrooms

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    Aug 16, 2022

    We have finally admitted we need to remodel our aging & deteriorating 2 small bathrooms. We have not done many interior construction projects and would greatly appreciate any advice from the experienced and knowledgeable BPNers.

    What is the number one thing to watch out for? Are nylon or porcelain tubs longer lasting and nicer? Are there high end brands that work beautifully and look nice too? Are there showrooms to visit to look at options for fixtures/tubs/toilets/cabinets?

    We are intimidated by what seems like an overwhelming project. Thank you so much!!!

    Aug 16, 2022

    I have gone through two bathroom renovations, one I did myself and one I had a contractor do. It can be a bit intimidating at first but you'll get through it! Here are some of my learnings, and suggested retailers:

    The bath is likely the most difficult piece, especially for a smaller size room. Older bathrooms might have a non-standard size and so a 60" won't necessarily fit in without wall modifications.

    Until the bath goes in, you can't really start any flooring, tiling or painting. We lost 8 weeks on our project from the wrong tub being delivered, the replacement tub being broken, and finally changing suppliers to just getting one that was in stock in the Bay Area. We ended up going with an Americh tub and have been very happy with it. Fiberglass tubs are very durable, not excessively priced, still look great, and are a lot easier to install than porcelain or cast iron (which can take 3 people to maneuver). For all the trim, we used Moran Plumbing Supply in Oakland. For the tub we used The Plumbery in Redwood City.

    There are plenty of showrooms in San Francisco, but (at least earlier this year) supply chain delays were still causing everything to be backordered. We had some success with build.com for various pieces like towel bars, and their customer service was actually quite good.

    For tiles, we love Italics in Berkeley. They have a great selection and are very helpful.

    Something I learned the hard way on both my own job, and the contractor job is to spend the extra time and care to really flatten the floor and walls that will be tiled. Even the tiniest bump or screw sticking up can cause the tiles to not lay flat. Make sure you can inspect the work before tile goes down to ensure it's level.

    Paint was the last item we worried about. It's easy to change down the road, vs. tiles which you are mostly stuck with.

    Lastly, have everything shipped and arrive _before_ you start any demolition! Verify everything for quality when you receive it as well. We had floor tiles arrived, but didn't check them all until they were being laid, only to find half of them were cracked and we had to scramble to find replacements. The overall work took maybe 3 weeks, but with shipping delays and replacements the job took 10 weeks of mostly waiting around and not having the bathroom available.

    Aug 22, 2022

    Here's my quick tip run-down having remodeled one bathroom and built another from scratch:

    • Toto toilets are my favorite - whatever you get, definitely go for the low-water-use eco-flush - it has saved us so much water (and might be required at this point, anyway)
    • On our contractor's recommendation, we paid a lot for a Hansgrohe shower fixture that has been a complete bust, literally - breaks regularly, and requires a $50 part to fix it each time, and the company couldn't care less. Maybe that's just my experience, but I would not shell out for that brand again. (Note that Grohe is a different company and seems to have better products. But in general I don't think faucets/shower parts are the place to splurge, in my experience.)
    • Last time around we got tile from Daltile in San Leandro, which has a nice showroom to browse. Art Tile on Broadway has beautiful but more expensive options.
    • Don't skimp on your tile installer - our low-cost installer did such a poor job that we had to pay someone else to take it out and reinstall it, but I'm so glad we did - you will see the tile and finishes every day so you want them to be something you love
    • HeavyLux did a good job with shower glass and has great customer service - they even came out years later to check on something at no cost. They have a showroom in San Leandro, I think.
    • Make sure you have plenty of light, either natural or electric, including around the sink and over the shower.
    • Install a good (and quiet!) exhaust fan.
    • Whenever possible, go with timeless choices (or at least things you love) over trends - bathroom trends change so much over time, but neutral colors and natural materials will go a long way (when in doubt, we thought back to hotel bathrooms we had liked - which might be a little bland, but my theory is you go for simple bones and then you can always add in artwork and bathmats and towels to change it up, like adding throw pillows on a basic sofa)

    Hope that brain-dump is useful! Good luck with the remodel!

    Aug 22, 2022

    A lot depends on how "handy" you are and whether you want to do the work yourself or hire a contractor or plumber (as I did).  Most of the decisions are aesthetic, but I suggest making low maintenance and easy to clean priorities.  Safety: you will need GFCI outlets in wet areas; non-slip floors, single lever temperature controls so you can't scald yourself in the shower.  I suggest Paul Heiser at Ashby Lumber for the showroom and advise. 

    Aug 22, 2022

    Just have a small thing to add: it may be obvious to everyone else but we made some mistakes with towel bar placement. Be sure to consider the following: How long are your towels and where will they fall? On the toilet, esp the flush lever? Covering the light switch? Also, if you have kids and expect them to take care of their own towels, make sure the towel bars are low enough for kids to use them! LFMF! 

    I also second the comment about choosing your tile installer carefully. Tile placement is super important, and requires an artistic/aesthetic eye. Be sure to pick someone who is not only experienced, but whose previous work you like. 

    Good luck with your project! 

    Aug 23, 2022

    Just a few additional thoughts based on our experience. 
    If one of the bathrooms will be used primarily by adults, consider having the sink placed a little higher than standard. That may require a custom vanity (or raising an off-the-shelf one), but will be way more comfortable to use.  (Notice how much you're probably bending over every time you wash your hands and face or brush your teeth). 
    I definitely recommend a hand-held shower head with an adjustable height mount. We used a higher end brand for the hose, mount, and (required) anti-siphon valve, but have been very happy with an inexpensive adjustable Waterpik shower head, which we got at Target. 
    Good lighting!!  Lights on each side of the mirror - rather than above it - will give you much more even light on your face (if anyone uses the mirror for makeup, etc.). 
    In the tub with shower, we mounted the on-off lever slightly off center - easier to reach from outside the tub without getting wet.

    I definitely recommend a lever-type shower control you can use with one hand rather than separate hot/cold handles. Decide how important it is to you to adjust shower temperature separate from water volume. A lot of single-handle shower controls give you only two flow settings -  off or on (though you can sometimes adjust flow on the shower head). We chose (and are happy with) one with the ability to adjust flow and temperature separately, with the same easy-to-move lever. (Note that the one we have in our other bathroom adjusts flow but pushing a knob in or pulling it out, and it's horrible; difficult to fine-tune the flow, and constantly coming off altogether). 
    Since we mostly shower rather than use the tub for baths (especially with the drought), we opted for a shorter, cheaper tub. (Also easier to step into).   But if you're a bath family, sit inside and see how high the water can get.

    Install grab bars in the tub/shower!!!  Really. Even if you're young and steady. It's much safer for everyone, and you might find yourself in a temporary situation where you'll really appreciate them. 

    Aug 27, 2022

    A few more thoughts.
    Consider what items you want to store in the bathrooms (at least extra TP, tooth care things, and menstrual care products) and plan for that. We keep medicines (as recommended) and towels elsewhere, but there's still things like shaver, hairbrushes, deodorant, cleaning supplies, etc. to consider. Also outlets. What do you want to keep plugged in at all times (a nightlight) or longer periods (recharge electric toothbrush, shaver, etc), and what just when you use it (hair dryer?). Have enough, and in the right places. 

    Aug 27, 2022

    One feature your might consider while undertaking your remodel. Install an electrical outlet low and behind the toilets. You may know there are very nice bidet seats now available which can be easily installed in of place of a regular toilet seat and plugged in to an outlet. Some people find them very convenient and useful.

    Sep 5, 2022

  • Berkeley bathroom remodeling

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    Mar 30, 2022

     I am looking for someone who can help me with a bathroom remodeling .The project will include removing the tub and convert  to a walk in shower, new plumbing , partial electric,  painting , installation custom cabinet and  new fan. Any recommendations ? Thank you so much.

    Mar 30, 2022

    Hi Danielle! Elmer Barrios did our bathroom here in Oakland and did a great job. He took our the tub and replaced with a larger, jetted, heated tub. He moved the bath faucet to reflect the taller tub. He replaced the vanity and mirror. And they were able to retain some of the existing tile and match it to save us a little money. Would highly recommend! His English is so-so but he figures out how to communicate (or if you speak Spanish, even better!). His phone number is 706-263-8808

    Apr 6, 2022

    Hi I have a great person who has done various projects at my house and is currently building me a bathroom addition. He has a lot of experience, very skilled, reliable, communicative. Not licensed. Let me know if you want his info!

    Apr 6, 2022

    I HIGHLY recommend the unlicensed contractor/ handyman who just remodeled our BR- Pedro Gomez: 510-575-6392, he and his team did waterproofing, custom shelving/bench, tub/shower, fixture installation, fixed incorrect waterproofing, tiling, painting. I believe he can do partial electric too. Though he is unlicensed, he has strong knowledge of current code and made sure everything that was previously poorly done in our sloppy-flip bathroom was up to requirement (He knows from lots of experience working under licensed professionals). Had many good professional references.

    Apr 6, 2022

    We just did a similar project with Re-Bath in Concord. It was more expensive than working with contractors that we spoke to,  but we appreciated how quickly they were able to complete the work, their longevity in the business,  and the warranty. We were looking to impact our own time and space as little as possible and I feel that is what we got in addition to a beautiful upgrade.  We joke that our shower is the nicest room in our house. The staff that we interacted with were all wonderful and seemed to genuinely like the company. 

    Apr 6, 2022

  • Tile installation and grout repair.

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    Sep 1, 2021

     We have a 1935s home and are interested to re-tiling the wall around my bathtub in master bathroom. And second bathroom need some grout repair. Any recommendations ? Thank you .

    Sep 1, 2021

    I have used The Grout Doctor for many years to repair as well as regrout whole bathrooms in my rental properties. His crew always does an excellent job and the renters are universally pleased. Charles can be reached at 510-530-3104.

    Sep 9, 2021

  • Seeking ideas for a small bathroom

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    Apr 14, 2021

    We're planning a full remodel of a small bathroom (6' x 6') that has a toilet, sink, and shower.  Due to water damage in the exterior wall and other issues, we pretty much need to gut the space and start over.

    We're still in the idea-gathering phase, and looking for wise counsel from others.  Specifically, dear BPN readers, if you have a small bathroom, what are the features and aspects of the bathroom that you most like, or dislike? If you've remodeled a bathroom, is there anything you are very glad you did, or conversely wish you had done differently?

    Thanks!

    Apr 14, 2021

    A 6x6 bathroom sounds LARGE to me!  We recently added a 2'4''x4'6'' bathroom - yes small.  A few things we were happy that we did:

    1- Wall-mounted toilet -> saved a ton of space and we really like it

    2-Installed an outlet and water spout for possible bidet

    3-Custom vanity -> Used a wood builder out of Oakland/San Leandro (jeremiah [at] jeremiahcollection.com (jeremiah[at]jeremiahcollection[dot]com)) and we were super happy with his work.  We could also make a vanity that fit our bathroom layout rather than one that had set dimensions.  We ordered a sink and did have to get that cut.  Still reasonably priced and works so well with our space.

    4- Used light colors (white tile with light blue/gray paint and light blue tile on bottom of shower)

    5-Higher end bathroom fixtures (we went with Graff)- in addition we installed a wand +  rain shower

    6- floating shelves over toilet for extra storage

    7- Went with the largest size mirror/medicine cabinet

    8- installed small shower window

    Overall, while small our bathroom doesn't feel that small.  We have plenty of storage and it's also a relaxing and comfortable place to be.  Good luck!

    Apr 21, 2021

    We're in a very similar place in the process for a small bathroom as well. We're taking out a claw foot tub + considering whether or not we really need a built in tub + shower or just go for a floor length nice looking shower with glass. In our current small bathroom I find that curtains on the shower/bath make it look smaller + that open shelving does, too. We're looking for clean lines. I'm booking a consultation soon. Happy to share ideas. Good luck!

    Apr 21, 2021

    I love my bathroom. Is not too big, is like 6 x 10

    On the 6 ' side there is a shower next to the toilet and across a double sink on floating cabinet.

    The shower is like european style, open concept. All the bathroom has the same stone floor, there is a glass separating the shower from the toilet and no door to shower  (it has space in case someone in the future wants to enclose it. the double sink is wonderful with two mirror-medicine cabinets from ikea, very big and deep and creates lots of storage. The bathroom is one of the favorite spaces of my house with heating mat underneath the floor, you can use the thermostat so it is nice and warm at a specific hour. Also the towel rack is electrical and you can plug and your towel will be nice and warm at a specific time....also we got a nice shower system ( those could be pretty expensive). I have no idea about the cost but I would have love to have a steam shower, since staying under the hot shower is so expensive here,,,, Enjoy the process, mix and match your costs, Ikea, Home Depot and fancy stores, there are thinks like the mirrors that were so much more money that Ikea ones, usually you pay for quality but not always..

    Apr 21, 2021

    1. Wall mounted toilet saves a ton of space. We also highly recommend a washlet with it.

    2. A “floating” vanity that hangs on the wall and leaves the floor clear.

    3. A walk in shower with NO curb.

    This will allow for a continuous unbroken floor for the whole room which really opens up the space. It’s also super functional and easy to clean. Happy remodeling!

    Apr 26, 2021

    Medicine cabinets are not stylish right now. But they are very useful to store stuff, especially in a small bathroom. I also recommend a cabinet over the toilet for the same reason. I really like my corian. The sink, counter and backspash is all integrated and therefore very easy to clean. I also really like the marmoleum floor. Looks good, holds up well, and better for the environment than some other choices. 

    Apr 28, 2021

  • Bathroom remodel - acrylic shower?

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    Jun 26, 2019

    We own a condo in TIburon and are looking to remodel two bathrooms.  We have had two bids and are being really pushed to do the acrylic showers.  Should be cheaper but we are being quoted ~90K for both baths, no tile only acrylic.  Acrylic should be cheaper but I think 90K is a bit much for an otherwise simple remodel.  One of the companies was Re-bath.  

    Two questions:

    if anyone has done acrylic showers, please let me know pros and cons other than what one can read about

    Re-bath- any one done business with them?  

    Jun 26, 2019

    The acrylic shower may be cheap and easy to install. But the surface gets damaged easily. You are not supposed to use any kind of abrasive cleaner. How you gonna keep it clean? I like Corian. Easy to clean. No grout (which always gets moldy). 

    Jul 3, 2019

    I have remodeled several bathrooms over the past few years and none has cost as much as you were coated by Re-Bath. The fact that they advertise on TV should give you some idea of their price and, if you want reviews of the company and their work, log on to yelp.com and put their name in the search bar. You can then read the experiences of people who have hired them recently and you can then make up your own mind as to whether or not you want to hire the company to work for you.

    Jul 3, 2019

    Acrylic look great for a while and then will start looking terrible.  Over the years we remolded 4 bathrooms.  The tile done as good today as it did 10 years ago.  Other issue I have seem with some acrylic is after 5 year or so it starts curling and pulling away from the wall.  Real question is how long will you be in the house?  Less than 5 years acrylic   More than 5, I would go with tile or stone.  Or do the acrylic now and again in another 5 years or so.

    Jul 3, 2019

    Seems expensive but it depends on what you are asking for. 

    We did not use RE-bath but did do remodel of several bathrooms in a whole home in Tiburon.

    Jul 15, 2019

  • Strategizing about a simple kitchen/bath remodel

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    Nov 6, 2018

    We are thinking of doing a simple remodel to our kitchen and bathrooms. We would not be changing the layout of the spaces, but just replacing countertops, appliances, sinks, maybe painting cabinets and potentially floors just to make the spaces a bit more modern/to our taste. We are challenged when it comes to design and also don't have the time to coordinate everything ourselves. I'm trying to determine who the right person is to hire for this kind of project - someone to give us design ideas and then coordinate the actual implementation. I would love any suggestions from folks who have done something similar.

    Nov 6, 2018

    If you need design ideas, Pinterest is the place. Put together a board that you both use to pin ideas. After you have made your decisions, you can hire a contractor. 

    Nov 7, 2018

  • Kitchen and bathroom remodel costs

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    Apr 1, 2018

    Question regarding house remodeling: We recently bought a house in the East Bay and would like to update the kitchen and bathrooms before moving in. We wouldn't be moving walls or changing wiring/plumbing but require significant updates. We reached out to an architect that a family member used in SF who gave us estimates that were $75000 for the kitchen and $20000/each for the two bathrooms. Meanwhile, our realtor mentioned that he knows some good contractors that can get all of this work done for less than $50,000. There seems to be such a big difference between these two estimates that we are not sure what the average rates in the Bay Area are. We would like to have some modern updates done but do not have too big of a budget and so I have two questions for the group:

    - What is the cost of an average kitchen or bathroom remodel in the Bay Area?
    - Does anyone have an architect that they can recommend?

    Thanks so much for your help in this regard

    Apr 1, 2018

    You can try Houzz to see if they have statistics on average costs.  The bigger issue is finding people to do the work - most of my contractors have stopped answering the phone for new inquiries, they are just too slammed.  

    As for bathrooms, we recently completed one bathroom remodel and are working on bathroom number two.  Your cost will completely depend on (1) whether you are comfortable serving as the general contractor for the job (usually requires being present on a daily basis, knowing who to hire, and lining them up so there aren't any horrific gaps in the timing), (2) what is actually behind your walls, and (3) how fancy your finishes are.  Do you want radiant floor heating?  Do you want a name brand toilet?  Do you want a rain shower head and a hand held shower?  Do you want the exposed plumbing look? 

    Our recent master bath remodel cost around $25k.  I lined up the contractors myself (plumber, electric, tile, shower glass, wallpaper) and sourced all the materials myself (usually at contractor discounts).  Our tile was fancy-ish, our sink/shower fixtures were middle of the road, and the medicine cabinet and lights were on the cheaper end.  We did remove a tub to create a walk-in shower.  But the big unknown expense was 2 days of subfloor and framing repair since the previous owners decided not to use a waterproof backer in the shower.  You never know what you're going to find once you start demo...

    For our second bath, we're using same contractors and keeping the sink and tub.  We are getting a new tile shower surround, tile floor, toilet, and sconce.  We also needed to replace some old galvanized pipe with copper.  All-in will be about $10-12k.

    Also, I wouldn't assume that you can avoid plumbing and/or electrical work.  Unless you are keeping the sink, toilet, tub/shower, and all lights exactly the same, plumbing and electrical are almost always needed on some level.  It is also worth it to correct any code issues while you have the walls open.

    I did a very superficial kitchen remodel a few years ago for about $20k.  New wood floors, new sink, resurfaced and painted existing cabinets, new quartz countertops from Home Depot, new can lights and pendants, and new range and fridge from Sears.  Backsplash was wainscoting (tile would have added another $3-4k).  My understanding is that the code has changed to the point where it is basically impossible to avoid new electrical updates on a kitchen remodel.   If you can avoid new cabinet work, then you will be able to keep the budget low-ish.

    I'm not sure if an architect is required if you are not moving walls?  Perhaps you mean a kitchen designer?  Either way, you're probably looking at $3-5k for that person, easy.

    Apr 4, 2018

    Hi - we remodeled two bathrooms and our kitchen before we moved in two years ago for roughly 50k total. We did a very minimal kitchen update though - painted cabinets and kept everything in the same place but swapped all the tiles, appliances and countertops. We removed a wall as well.

    Bathrooms were more extensive remodels, though we kept everything mostly in the same place, which kept the cost down. I also purchased a lot of the supplies myself (tiles, countertops) to save on upcharges.  

    Good luck!

    Apr 4, 2018

    Hello. I don't have recommendations for the area, but I would recommend reading this book first, or something similar:

    Remodel Without Going Bonkers or Broke
    By Jim Molinelli

    I am planning a remodel in the next year and feel so much more confident about what to expect, and from who (architect vs contractor vs design build companies) after reading it. It's quick.

    Good luck

    Apr 4, 2018

    In general, it's hard to get good estimates for these types of work. You'll get different numbers from different people. I would use $300 per square foot as a starting point, which means using builder grade cabinets, tiles, and accessories. Using an architect will add to that cost, using a general contractor to oversee the project will also add to the cost. If your house is an older house, you might find unexpected things once you open up the walls, like old electrical wires or things that are not up to code, that you probably want to update, again, adding to your construction cost. Are you keeping the current kitchen appliances or getting new ones? Those alone can cost anywhere from $5k to $50k if you are looking at top of the line. Do you want tiles for the back-splash? You can get $3 per square foot tiles or $150 per square foot tiles. I think it's more important to set a budget up front and design your renovation based on those numbers than knowing what the average cost is because everyone has different tastes and budgets. 

    I am in the middle of doing an addition and the architect I used was Gary Meyer at http://waynemeyerworks.com (415) 860-6223. He's easy to work with, good communicator and very knowledgeable with Oakland permit process. 

    Apr 4, 2018

    The difference in cost often comes down to finishes and how skilled the contractor is, in my experience. $75K for a kitchen and $20K per bath sounds about right (possibly even a little low for the baths, but depends on how much you are doing--the less you move and the more you stay within the footprint of the existing space, the cheaper it is). We did our small, modest kitchen seven years ago during the recession and DIYed much of it and still spent $35K when all was said and done; we didn't get any quotes from general contractors for less than $60K and one was $100K (!!!) I can't imagine you can do a kitchen for $50K in today's market unless you are not moving anything and believe most of your systems are already to code or close to it so it's mostly cosmetic. (You need to bring the whole kitchen up to current code when you renovate, so sometimes that triggers electrical or HVAC work that you had not planned to do.) That said, it can't hurt to call your realtor's contractors and see what they have to offer. Good luck!

    Apr 4, 2018

    The architect is right, the realtor is wrong. I have remodeled 2 houses extensively over the last 16 years, and just finished a few months ago. In today’s market in the Bay Area, 75k for a kitchen and 20k for a bathroom is actually on the lower end for good quality work with a good contractor.  Kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms to remodel. 50k for all of the work you described will, in my opinion, get you a bad contractor and sub-quality work. It will cost you close to 50k just for all the appliances, new cabinets, countertop and flooring in the kitchen plus the flooring/tile/toilets/etc in the two bathrooms. 

    Apr 4, 2018

    Really appreciate all your feedback and comments. This has been super helpful.

    Apr 15, 2018

  • Adding a Powder Room

    –
    Sep 25, 2017

    We own a 1-bathroom home in El Cerrito and are finally ready to add a half-bath/powder room. We plan to do this by carving out space from our laundry room. 

    I would love to hear from anyone who has done this about how much this project cost you. We're not planning on anything fancy... just a nice little room with a toilet and a sink will be a heavenly addition to our home.

    Also, can anyone recommend a contractor for this job?

    Thanks!

    Sep 25, 2017

    We used Crow at Crow Works tor our bathroom project. He has a great eye for design and is great with small spaces. Plus he's a delight to work with. We'd use him again in a heartbeat.

    Crowworksdesign [at] gmail.com.

    Sep 28, 2017

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Contractor for kitchen and bathroom remodel

July 2013

We are looking for good, and well priced contractor to do a bathroom and kitchen remodel and some minimum work in bedrooms. For bathroom, we would like to remove a wall add some space from the bedroom closet to creat a niche for a two sink counter, add new light fixtures, sinks, faucets, cabinets and backsplash. Then the bedroom needs to be modified to add an IKEA closet. For the kitchen, we want to reface the cabinet, add new counter top with new sink and faucet and new light fixture. A microwave needs to be moved inside a cabinet too, so some mill work as well. For our other two bedrooms, we want to change our existing wood sliding doors to mirrors, and creat bigger opening for a hinged door closet to add mirror sliding doors for that room as well. This is the scope of our work, I am a designer, so the drawings are ready, I need somebody to build it!

Just at the end of a major bathroom renovation (and new deck construction) with Tom Parenteau from Carr Custom Builders. It's been a great experience (excellent quality of work, good organization, really nice and trustworthy workers). Happy to pass on a recommendation -- carrcustombuilders [at] gmail.com. Elizabeth

For kitchen and bathroom remodels I senthusiastically recommend Robert Brown. 510-427-4722. He remodeled our bathroom and reconfigured an awkward part of the house between the main and addition, which included two doorways. He is talented and experienced, reasonably priced, and he is very pleasant to work with. I'm happy to provide a more detailed recommendation for him. Heidi

Due to excellent previous reviews on BPN, we hired Berkeley Construction in Feb. of 2013 for our bathroom remodel and kitchen painting, and it is still not finished, 5 months later. The project is currently running 3 months behind. Many mistakes were made. The ordering of supplies and fixtures were ''forgotten'' numerous times. Excuses have piled upon excuses. Communication between us and the owner has been non existent to very poor. He prefers to relay info through his workers who give nonspecific answers to our questions. Some of his subs, especially the granite fabricator and the second painter, were unprofessional. We actually repainted the trim work in the bathroom ourselves last weekend just to get it done. The painter went back and forth between sanding and painting, and got sanding dust in the paint, yet used it anyway. I regret that I did not get more current info on this contractor. still in limbo

Constantin from CGBuilders did the remodeling in my house. My conditions among other things where a 'good and well priced contractor' same as you are looking for. I was very pleased to work with him. He is a good contractor and for my project was a well priced contractor. You can contact him a 5103055680, info [at] cgbuilders.info. Don't forget to visit his website www.cgbuilders.info diana

We would highly recommend Emanuel with Bay Area Pacific Construction. We hired them for a kitchen remodel, 2 bathroom remodels and electrical work; excellent work to code, good communication, very clean/neat, respectful of our home, meticulous work indicative of craftsman-like passion and old world pride, plus they finished the job over 2 weeks ahead of schedule. We cannot recommend this company enough and are more than happy to give references. You can reach Emanuel at 510 484 5765 or online at www.bayareapacificconstruction.com Greg & Celeste

Bathroom ventilation

Aug 2011

We need to install a ventilation fan in our bathroom. (Condensation is causing paint to peel and moisure to build up on the walls and ceiling.) This will require cutting through a wall or the ceiling in addition to installing the fan itself. The house is old (1908). I'm not sure whether I need an electrician, an HVAC specialist, a handyman or someone else. Who is the right person for this kind of job and do you have any recommendations? Thank you for your advice. Sarah

Try a general contractor such as Eric Sterken. He's licensed and insured and has done jobs like the one you are describing. He's the nicest guy, prompt, detail-oriented, and a most amazing contractor. You can reach him at 510-710-1985. Rosie

Because a bathroom fan uses electricity, we STRONGLY recommend that you ONLY employ knowledgeable and licensed electricians. We live in the EastBay and we own income property, where, of course, it is absolutely necessary to follow all housing codes and all building codes ! When we need electrical work done, we employ Fighting Amish Electric. Fighting Amish Electric: Daan and Inder = 510.847.5577 Other than the very odd name for their company ('Fighting Amish' is meant to be a joke, because the Amish do not fight), these two brothers are really knowledgeable of codes and regulations, they know and work with good local distributors, and they're really careful. Please, NEVER employ anyone but a licensed electrician to do work that includes electricity !

We installed a fan 1 year ago. What we did was get a contractor. When we replaced our roof, we'd learned that owner of Collins Roofing had a brother who's a contractor. Anyways, he had someone come in to cut the hole and install, we ordered the fan online ourselves, and then he had an electrician come in and wire it for us. The handyman person came back to patch the ceiling up a bit. anon

Contractor for bathroom remodel?

Aug 2011

We live in Walnut Creek and are looking for a reliable and efficient contractor to remodel our two bathrooms in our ranch house. The bathrooms are in their original 1960s (with 1980s touches) state and we're planning a simple & clean update for both, as they're not huge rooms. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thank you!

Mark Shure of Shure Design@ construction is quite frankly one of the best kitchen and bathroom contractor specialists in the Bay area. He is located in the Berkeley area. He designs for his clients kitchen cabinets (among other things) and builds them himself in his shop, which is located next door to Truitt& white lumber also located in Berkley. His shop like his work is spotless, I know because I have been there and noticed all the quality tools, even his vacuum system in his shop are top of the line. Take it from me he is the best cabinet maker and finish carpenter I have been in contact with, it was a real pleasure working with him. You may reach him at (510) 540-1952 William

Difficult to add bathroom to detached studio?

June 2010

We are looking at houses in Berkeley (currently live in SF) and finding some with detached studios. I've heard that it may be difficult to get permits to add a bathroom to them because it might be considered a rental. If it is doable, what are the approximate costs? Thanks! Confused

You can add a Half-Bath to a detached studio. Showers, Bathtubs, and Stoves are the no-no's. These are seen as indications of rentals. The difficulty in adding a Half-Bath is not in procuring the permits, but in running new plumbing - both water lines and sewage to new plumbing units, often quite a distance. Good Luck - hope you find a house you like.

Bathroom Remodel - Who do I need?

Nov 2009

We need to fix and remodel our relatively small 1980's master bathroom (need to repair persistent leaks that have damaged the subfloor; windows need replacing, etc.) I want to get a separate bath and shower out of this. There's not a lot of space (or money) to work with, but I have devised a simple plan based on my own research. Do I need a bathroom designer? A design-build contractor? A contractor? Advice and recommendations welcome. Anon

If you have a contractor who specializes in bathrooms, I don't think you need a bathroom designer. In fact, I used one when I redid my master bath and I can honestly say, my contractor and I came up with a much more workable and cost-efficient plan. The contractor I highly recommend is Scott Montgomery. His phone number is 925- 382-4112 and if you prefer to correspond through e-mail his address is michael.montgomery4 [at] yahoo.com. Please contact him - I know you will be thrilled.

I think you can get by with a good contractor who specializes in bathrooms. I highly recommend Jim Zwaal (google him on Berkeley Parents for contact info). We started our bathroom remodel project looking to work with a designer and it just seemed to add a lot of unnecessary expense. Jim has a good eye and had a lot of great aesthetic suggestions. He's very practical and good w/ a budget. We were very happy. Sharon

A design-build contractor would be good, but if money is really tight the way to go is to make your simple plan readable and co-ordinate the subcontractors yourself. You can even submit your own drawings for a permit. There are classes you can take at the Building Education Center to help with such a process. If you would like a consultation during the process, fell free to call me (510-601-1150).

I have remodeled several homes over the years, and used a few different contractors, but Greg Watson, in El Sobrante, is the best I've ever worked with. He does excellent bathroom and kitchen remodels, and what I like is that he's licensed and insured. He just did a bathroom and family room/office for us, and he had lots of cost saving ideas. You'll be lucky to get him to do the work if he isn't too busy. His office is 510-223-1541, and cell phone is 510-453-5638. MJBD

If the bathroom is relatively small all you need is a contractor with a bit of imagination. And since you have a plan too that is a recipe to save some money. I am sure that the contractor that I know can help you with your bathroom. I am very happy with the work he did for me. You can call him at 510.305.5680 or email at info [at] cgbhome.com. His name is Constantin and is a trustworthy contractor. diana

I had my bathroom remodeled by a great contractor who worked together with my designer. But if you have a limited budget and a lot of imagination I think you can skip the designer. Contractor's name is Sorin Feraru and you can reach him at 510 228 7366 or go on line to see some of his work at www.feraru.us. He helped me a lot with my bathroom remodel, not to mention I saved money and time due to his experience and great ideas. The project turned out wonderful, on time and it was worth all the money. Also, he provides a great customer service.I won't be hiring anyone else but him, for my future remodeling projects.

Where to start on complete bathroom remodel?

April 2007

Hi all We need to do a complete bathroom remodel. Can anyone give advise on how to start? Would it be best to hire a designer first and then a contractor? Or has anyone had success with a design/build contractor? If so does anyone have any recent recommendations for a contractor, designer or both? Archives are a couple of years old. Thanks. julie

We had our master bathroom remodeled in 2006 and Jason White did a great job! It was a part of a larger project but he made some design recommendations in the bathroom that really changed it from good to great! For example, he recommended putting in radiant heating. It's on timer so that when I walk in in the morning, the tiles are toasty warm and so is the entire bathroom! I was still pumping for my baby then (6am, before the baby was up) and nothing relaxed me more (could almost get 8-10oz!) than pumping in a warm bathroom. He's currently designing a master bathroom and doing the work too. He's really excellent, listens to you, makes recommendations and understands your budget. He knows where to get good deals and is probably one of the best tilers I've seen. Call him at 510- 866-5516 and let him know that Susan recommended you. Love my new bathroom!

We recently did a re-model of our bathroom. We had a good contractor who was decent and got the job done ''on time on budget''. Our house is kinda old, so making the best of it was basically as good as we could do it with new flooring, toilet and cabinets.

What made a really big difference was adding a few decorative bathroom furniture pieces we got from an online furniture store.

The biggest thing was adding a new vanity sink and mirror set that replaced the old school one we had in there. Here is a link to the one we bought: http://www.everythingfurniture.com/md-vanity-set-3.html It is a metal and marble one; the existing plumbing attached easily and was hidden once we put a few things on the bottom shelves like extra TP and some accessories.

The cool glass sink gives off a custom decorator touch, but without the custom price tag.Overall keep an eye on your contractor, keep them honest and look all around, especially on the web for checking out ideas and contractors as well.Check this link to check out a contractor you are thinking about using before signing anything. http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/CSLB_LIBRARY/license+request.asp Many times after you sell your house prior work will need to be validated that it was done by licensed / insured contractors, so be careful what you do and who you use. It's worth paying a little extra t get it done by the right contractor. Scott

2003 & Earlier

2001

I recommend Jim Zwaal for bathroom remodeling. Jim is in the middle of remodeling my bathroom, and so far, he has been very meticulous and a provider of great/practical design ideas. I got Jim's name from this list and I have not been disappointed. Jim can be reached at 510-652-8258. Cathy

I second the recommendation for Jim Zwaal for bathroom remodeling. Jim did our bathroom from the ground up last spring/early summer, and was a godsend. He's meticulous, skilled, personable, creative, and reasonably priced. The bathroom is unrecognizable as the mildewy hole it used to be, and we remain very satisfied. Wendy

1999

I can recommend a contractor named Jim Zwaal, who has done a lot of work for my parents in berkeley and can do big and small jobs. He is scrupulously honest, does excellent work (and takes pride in his work) and is very reasonable. He works on his own. His home number is 652-8258. Karen

For the person asking about bathroom remodeling - Bob Bernal is a great person to call. He's in El Cerrito. Donna

I've used Springwood Builders for work on our house. The owner, Karam Khalsa, is a wonderful person who stays open and honest with you, which is highly valued in the contractor world. Toby

David A. Thompson is a Licensed General Contractor who has been doing residential remodelling in this area for 18 years and can provide numerous glowing references. He is dependable and a pleasure to work with, and can help with design. The one drawback is that he is often booked ahead though so it's best to contact him a while before you need the work done. He can be reached at (510) 843-5100.

Ronald Rivers, ph 510-2906036, is a general contractor who renovated my home and is now working on renovating a friend's 4-plex, unit by unit. He is reasonably priced and lives in Berkeley.

March 1999

I love our remodeled bathroom which is quite small, but turned out quite lovely. We had wonderful help on both our kitchen and our bathroom from an architect: Ann Marie Celona 420-1128 She is brilliant and easy to work with, unlike several others we consulted. Our contractor for the bathroom was Jesse Young 527-8143 who I also recommend very highly. Very high quality work. I have seen several other jobs he has done and they are superb. I am happy to let anyone look at the work. Sherry

For bathroom remodeling, I recommend Alameda Structural (in the phone book in Alameda.) We just moved and had two bathrooms redone including structural, tiles and floors and we were very happy with their work. Randy

A friend of mine had her bathroom remodeled by Steve Schliff of On the Beamcontracting company in El Cerriro (Tel: (510) 832-0144) last summer, and is very happy with the job. Though I don't know if Steve is accepting new jobs at the moment, it is worth talking to him for an estimate. Marie-Josie

I've known Steve for the past two years, in his capacity of coach for my daughter's softball team. Seeing how well organized, on top of his job, and in control of the team he is, I would trust him with any contractor job!

Sept 1998

We have a lot of confidence in Mark Manske and Steve Tiffin, who have recently formed a contractor partnership after working for over 15 years each for other contractors. They've done a variety of work for us, very competantly and VERY reasonably (they significantly underbid the major contractors). We used to rent Steve's house, which had a beautiful kitchen that Steve and mark did together. They do all the work themselves which eliminates dealing with multiple sub-contractors. Mark's particular specialty is tile work. They are both very pleasant, timely and honest. They rely on word of mouth for their business, so they will make sure you are happy and satisfied with their work. They will also work with you on how to reduce costs if that's an issue. You can reach Mark at 526-4428 and Steve at 655-1591. Good luck! --Raissa + Denis

About the bathroom contractor. We just had an addition of a new bedroom and were very happy with our contractor. His name is Joe Jensen and his phone number is 524-4665. Unlike many other contractors we interviewed he only takes one job at a time and only has one, very nice, employee. Kirk. He was fair honest and very reliable. He specializes in cabinetry as well. Good luck! Elizabeth

Regarding your request for a contractor for your bathroom, we highly recommend John McCrane Construction. He was the general contractor, recommended by our architect for a kitchen remodel. He worked on several other smaller jobs for our house too and was terrific. He is bright, has high standards, is ethical, and conscientious. Denise