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Bathroom Remodeling – How Long Does It Take? [Greater Boston Area 2023]
Are you happy with your bathroom– or do you have to ignore the outdated tile, small vanity, and other inconveniences that have kept you from loving your bathroom? Over the years, bathroom technology has advanced to provide you with any comforts, or conveniences you can imagine. Dreading the moment your warm feet touch the cold tiled floor? Heated tiling may be a perfect solution for you. Hate sharing counter space with your spouse and their endless supply of products? A double-vanity can solve that problem.
As one of the most trafficked rooms in your house, you deserve a bathroom that you love to use and are excited to show off to your guests. Spending the time and money to upgrade your bathroom to your liking is well worth it.
Before you get started, you’re probably wondering about the amount of time it’ll take to remodel your bathroom. Let’s face it, nobody wants contractors in their home for months on end trying to wrap up a bathroom remodel – it’s inconvenient for everybody. If you’re considering a bathroom remodel, you’re probably asking yourself:
- How long does a bathroom remodel take?
- What are the different stages of a bathroom remodel?
- Will supply chain issues affect my bathroom remodel timeline?
- When is the best time to remodel your bathroom?
We’ll address all of these questions in this article and provide you with the answers that you’re looking for!
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
Tom Curren Companies is a Design-Build contractor, which means that we’ll work with you to design the bathroom of your dreams, then manage the complete build-out according to those designs and plans. On average, it takes 4-8 weeks to remodel a bathroom once construction has started. That said, there are a lot of decisions to be made and prep work to be done, before construction can start. In order to help you achieve your dream bathroom, our project consultants will meet with you multiple times to flush out design ideas and make decisions on product choices.
As a design-build contractor we are responsible for ordering all of your project’s materials, so there is no pressure on you as the homeowner to coordinate with vendors for lead times and product specifications. Unlike other contractors, we won’t begin doing any work until all of your materials are delivered to our warehouse, to avoid starting and stopping your project to wait for delayed materials. Depending on the items you chose for your remodel and how long their lead times are, you might be waiting a few months for your project to actually begin.
What are the different stages of a bathroom remodel?
Tom Curren Companies is a Design-Build company– so to first understand our process, let’s break down your bathroom remodel timeline into two stages: Design and Build.
Design – Our talented project coordinators are here to help you navigate the many decisions you’ll face during the planning and design phase. From the type of vanity you want, down to the color of the grout between your tiles, there are hundreds of little decisions that have to be made – and each come with a different price tag or lead time. As you work with your project consultant during the design stage, you’ll discuss the scope of work, the features you require and/or desire, and the budget for your project. Your project consultant will be able to address any of your concerns– be that the timeline, the design of your bathroom, or the price of materials you choose. Once all of the fun decisions are made, it’s time to build!
Build – The build stage is broken down into many little parts, but almost always begins with a demolition of the old space. – out with the old and in with the new!
Demolition – During demolition, our team will remove any walls, flooring, or fixtures that are being updated, and leave what we plan to preserve. Demolition might be as minor as removing a vanity, or as involved as completely gutting the room down to the studs. A full-gut demolition can take time, especially if you run into unforeseen setbacks like finding wood rot and mildew. If we uncover something we weren’t expecting during any phase of your bathroom remodel, we will stop to address the work with you, and determine how to proceed. Unfortunately, this can be the biggest delay in a bathroom remodeling project – especially in some of the older Newton bathroom remodels.
Framing & Rough-Ins – Once your bathroom has been demoed, it’s time to re-frame any new walls, windows or doors. While your bathroom is down to the studs and we frame out the new walls, we’ll also bring out our electrical and plumbing trade partners to relocate any wires or pipes as needed. If you aren’t opening up walls or making major changes to the location of your plumbing or electrical, this may not be a time-consuming step for you – but for larger remodeling projects that want to change the layout, this step can extend the timeline of a remodeling project.
Rough Inspections – When plumbers and electricians are needed for work on a remodel, the work has to be inspected by the town once they’re done. Scheduling inspections can be tricky, because they’re dependent on the availability of the town inspectors. So, while the actual inspections don’t take longer than an hour or so, it’s waiting to get on their schedule that might take a few days, or weeks.
After the rough inspections are complete, we’ll get to work insulating and plastering any open walls, and prepare to tile the floors or walls. At this point, if you ordered a new bathtub it will be installed, with the exception of a claw foot tub.
Tiling – The time it takes for the tile installation will vary, depending on the intricacy of the tile or the installation pattern. It also depends on the surface area – if you’re having the floor, shower, and walls it’ll take longer than if it’s just the floors. Tile serves as a great accent piece that can transform the look of your bathroom, coupling design and functionality together. Consider the shape of the tile, the intricacy of the design, and the area of space that needs to be covered when you’re planning your bathroom remodel– if you want to avoid extra time, find an easy, uniform, pattern tile for your bathroom.
Fixture Installation – Once the tiling is complete, we’ll install the vanity, toilet, lighting fixtures, medicine cabinet, and any other fixtures that you have chosen for your remodel. To cut down on costs, consider keeping some of your existing bathroom fixtures that are still in good shape. If you have a bathroom vanity that’s still in great shape, consider painting the cabinets versus replacing them.
Inspections – After everything has been fully installed, our plumbing trade partners will come back to connect the sink, toilet, and shower fixtures to the rough plumbing that they previously installed. Likewise, the electrician will finish up the lighting and install any other electrical features you’ve added to your bathroom. After they’ve completed their work, the work has to pass a final inspection by the town (yes, again!). Pending that approval, we can move forward with the finishing touches of your bathroom remodel.
Painting – Painting for a typical bathroom remodel will probably only take a day or two, but depending on the scope of the project and the size of the room, it may take longer. This step can be the most gratifying, not only because it signifies nearing the end of your remodel, but also because the color of the walls pulls all the design elements together. The right color of paint can drastically alter the appearance of a room!
Finishing Touches – Once the room has been painted, we’ll install the finishing touches – robe hooks, towel bars, or any other kind of accessories that you choose. At this point, it won’t be long until you can finally use your new bathroom!
Will supply chain issues affect my bathroom remodel timeline?
Supply chain issues are almost guaranteed to affect your bathroom remodeling project timeline. Currently, the country is facing longer lead times than ever before as a result of shutdowns during the pandemic. Manufacturers still struggle to keep up with the rising demand so some cabinets, tiles, or faucets that would typically be in stock are now unavailable for months. Many of the upscale, trendy items that are in demand for bathroom remodels can take weeks longer than usual, but there are still many great stock options to consider.
As a design-build contractor we have relationships with manufacturers that give us access to a variety of in-stock options with much shorter lead times. These options will offer you less customizability, but will be available much sooner, making them perfect for the timeline-oriented homeowner. Most stock options look just as nice as the custom options, and you can still find something to fit your preferences! Our project consultants can assist you in making design decisions that look upscale, while keeping your timeline short.
When is the best time to remodel your bathroom?
Don’t put off your Newton bathroom remodel for another minute! Work with Boston’s best bathroom remodeling company to design and build the bathroom of your dreams. Contact Tom Curren Companies today to discuss your Massachusetts bathroom remodeling project.
Tom Curren Companies has 36 years of experience remodeling bathrooms in Newton, MA. Contact us today, and start discussing your upcoming newton bathroom remodeling project with one of our talented project consultants at 617-969-4900.
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