Bathroom remodeling done by the person who inspects it

What a bathroom remodel actually involves

Bathrooms fail differently than any other room in the house, because water finds its way behind tile and under subfloors for years before anyone notices. That's the reason bathroom remodels have a reputation for blown budgets: a contractor tears out a tub surround expecting to find sound subfloor and finds soft, rotted plywood instead. Mike inspects homes for a living, so when he pulls tile in a 1980s Rochester Hills colonial, he already has a good read on whether the subfloor underneath is going to be a problem before the demo crew gets there, and he prices for it up front instead of hitting you with it as a change order.

A full remodel touches plumbing rough-in, electrical (GFCI circuits, exhaust fan venting, often new lighting), waterproofing, tile, and fixtures. The scope of work depends heavily on what you're starting with. Reglazing or refinishing an existing tub and swapping fixtures is a light job. Converting a tub to a curbless walk-in shower, moving the toilet or vanity, or combining two small bathrooms into one primary suite bath is a full renovation with real plumbing and sometimes structural work involved.

Ventilation is worth calling out specifically because it's the thing most DIY and budget remodels skip, and it's the reason bathrooms grow mold. Michigan code requires mechanical exhaust venting to the exterior, not just into the attic. We verify the vent run terminates outside on every job, because a fan that just dumps humid air into an attic cavity causes exactly the kind of moisture damage that shows up on a home inspection five years later.

Realistic cost ranges for 2026

A fixture and finish update (new vanity, toilet, fixtures, tile, keep the existing layout and tub or shower footprint) runs $20,000 to $35,000 for a typical secondary bathroom. A full remodel that reconfigures the layout, converts a tub to a shower, or upgrades a powder room to a full bath runs $35,000 to $65,000. A primary suite bathroom, especially one that expands the footprint, adds double vanities, a freestanding tub, and a large curbless shower, runs $65,000 to $95,000 in this market.

Tile and stone are usually the biggest single line item after labor, particularly for large-format porcelain or natural stone showers with a linear drain. Custom glass shower enclosures and heated floors are the two upgrades that most often push a bathroom to the top of its range without anyone quite meaning for it to happen, so we itemize them separately in every estimate so you can see exactly what they cost before committing.

Timeline

A fixture and finish update runs 2 to 3 weeks. A full remodel with the same footprint runs 4 to 6 weeks. A remodel that reconfigures the layout, moves plumbing, or expands the room runs 6 to 10 weeks, largely because tile work can't be rushed, waterproofing membranes need cure time, and custom vanities and glass enclosures carry their own lead times.

Permits in Macomb and Oakland counties

Any bathroom work that moves plumbing, adds electrical circuits, or changes the structure requires a permit from the city or township, and Michigan plumbing code requires a licensed plumber's permit for supply and drain line work specifically. A straightforward fixture swap in the same locations typically doesn't need one. We handle every permit application and inspection on jobs that require it, so it never lands on your desk.

What commonly goes wrong, and how it gets avoided

Rotted subfloor under an old tub, hidden mold behind tile that was never properly waterproofed, and undersized exhaust venting are the three problems that blow bathroom budgets and timelines. All three are things Mike is trained to spot as an inspector before a single tile comes off the wall. We also see a lot of bathrooms where a previous owner did DIY tile work directly over drywall instead of cement board or a proper waterproofing membrane, which looks fine for a year or two and then fails. We check for that at the estimate stage whenever we're working over an existing tub or shower pan.

The other common issue is ventilation fans vented into the attic instead of outside, which we mentioned above. It's an easy thing to miss if you're not looking for it, and it's the kind of detail that separates a contractor from someone who also does home inspections for a living.

What's included, what's not

Included: demo and haul-away, plumbing and electrical rough-in and finish, waterproofing membrane, tile installation, vanity and fixture installation, exhaust fan and venting, and final trim. Not included by default: freestanding tubs and designer fixtures beyond a standard allowance (we'll spec exactly what's covered in your estimate), and structural work if the layout expansion requires moving a wall that's load-bearing, which we'll flag during the walk-through if it applies.