Bathroom Remodeling · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to bathroom remodeling
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any bathroom remodeler in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- Grout and caulk failing at the tub or shower base no matter how often it is redone
- A soft or springy floor near the toilet or the shower
- Tile that sounds hollow, or a shower pan you suspect is leaking
- A mirror that fogs and stays fogged, which is an extract fan problem
- A vanity too small for the room, or a layout with nowhere to put anything
- Wanting a walk-in shower in place of a tub nobody uses
Your options
More than one right answer.
A bathroom remodeler who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Refresh in place
New vanity, fixtures, mirror, lighting and paint with the tile left alone. Fast, and often enough.
Tub-to-shower conversion
The most requested change in Middle Tennessee, and straightforward when the drain does not move far.
Full gut, same layout
Everything out to the studs, waterproofing done properly, layout unchanged. The best value in a real remodel.
Full gut, new layout
Relocated fixtures and sometimes a wall. Permitted and inspected, and worth the plan it deserves.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote bathroom remodeling over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Whether the layout moves
Keeping the toilet, tub and vanity where they are keeps the plumbing simple. Moving a drain, especially on a slab, is the line between a refresh and a rebuild.
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Tile area and detail
Tile is priced by area and by difficulty. A niche, a curbless entry, a herringbone floor and a mitered corner are each hand work.
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What is behind the tile
Old bathrooms frequently hide water damage in the subfloor and studs. A fair quote names what happens if we find it rather than pretending we will not.
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Fixture grade
Valves, trim, glass and vanities span a wide range. The valve behind the wall is worth spending on because replacing it means opening the wall again.
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Ventilation and electrical
Bathrooms need proper exhaust and GFCI protection. Older houses often have neither, and both are permitted work.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Design and selections
Two to three weeks. Tile, fixtures and glass all have lead times, and glass is measured after tile is set.
Demolition and rough-in
Around a week. Plumbing and electrical rough gets inspected before anything is closed up.
Waterproofing and tile
The longest phase, and the one that decides whether the bathroom lasts. Waterproofing is inspected before tile goes on.
Finish and glass
Fixtures, vanity, trim, then shower glass templated after tile and typically fitted a week or two later.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Tiling over a failed pan
New tile on an old liner buys a year or two and then the ceiling below tells you about it.
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Skipping proper waterproofing
Cement board is not waterproof. A membrane or a bonded system behind the tile is the whole point.
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No exhaust, or exhaust into the attic
Venting a bathroom fan into an attic instead of outside is how a roof deck gets mold.
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Choosing glass before tile is set
Shower glass is templated to what was actually built, not to the drawing.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any bathroom remodeler.
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for bathroom remodeling and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a bathroom remodeler in Nashville
How do I choose a bathroom remodeler in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for bathroom remodeling?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on bathroom remodeling the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest bathroom remodeling quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for bathroom remodeling in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book bathroom remodeling?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
Free estimate
Need a bathroom remodeler in Nashville today?
Tell us what is going on and we will get you a free estimate from a local bathroom remodeler. No obligation, no pressure.