9 days is ridiculous...ridiculously short! Seriously, that remodel is going to take at least 3 weeks. I know on TV they make everything seem so quick and so easy but real remodels aren't that way.

In the long run you really want your contractor to take his/her time and do the job right. You are going to live with the quality of the job for a lonnnnnng lonnnng time, you hope. Give him the time to get the job done right.

one thing that adds to the length of a remodel is changes. things come up mid-remodel that have to be decided or couldn't have been anticipated that have to be dealt with.

By the way, are you taking the opportunity to put heated floors in your bathroom. I think you'll find that consistently folks on this thread find that is the one improvement that they are most glad they did.

I would allow 3-4 weeks for a bathroom remodel.

Wow, thanks for setting me (or my husband) straight on that. We'll have to make sure we have our plans pretty solid and not have make that many changes.

Andreadeg, I have thought about heated floors. Will have to see if budget will allow it.

Nine days is fine, perfectly appropriate. It could be done a few days faster. And it could be done several weeks slower.

Our gc estimated our full bath remodel would take 3 weeks. Of course he actually started 4 weeks late, and it actually took him almost 8 weeks (he had problems on other jobs etc). But we're not complaining...he does meticulous work and does not charge extra for every little thing.

You need to rethink your views on this entirely. Remodeling needs to be an open-ended philosophy. You do need to find out if your contractor will be doing multiple other jobs while he's doing yours, and that yours is not always the one pushed to the back. But if he's working hard and progressing on the intermediate steps you laid out, you need to step back and let him...work.

About 8 years ago we did a partial remodel in our master bath (partial wall removal, fan, toilet, floor, tiled shower). Good friends of ours recommended a contractor. He was in high demand because he was patient and made things as bullet-proof as possible. After several days into the job, I took the kids somewhere and he called me to say that he just had a bad feeling about the shower pan he was putting in. Despite whatever he tried, it just didn't feel right to him. But, he didn't want to put me back a further day or two. I said "no problem, take as long as it needs." He went out and bought a different pan that fit tightly.

If you are really pushy about deadlines, your contractor will ignore his gut feeling and just shove that pan in there with a "good enough." Is that really what you want?

We actually got a full gut bathroom remodel done in about 9 days or less, and only two days without a toilet.

However, we live in a condo situation, it is our only bathroom, and the contractor specializes in and built his reputation on doing full, high quality remodels in a short period of time for the one full bath market. It cost roughly twice as much as the contractor we used on a bathroom project we designed for a client that took several weeks.

It was a highly choreographed operation with more than one sub in and out in a day, with daily checks by him.

You can get things fast, you can get them good, and you can get them cheap, but never all three at the same time.

Our contractor started demo on January 3rd. As of today (Feb. 2nd) the tile is almost done, then the granite top for the vanity gets installed, sinks gets installed, tile guy comes back for backsplash, plumber comes back out to hook up sinks and GC returns to frame mirror and install the medicine cabinets. I'm guessing another week or 10 days.

I agree colorfast I do need to rethink my views (actually my husband does) on this project. I am ok with it taking a couple weeks from start to finish. There will of course be a delays, i.e. countertop fabricator measuring after cabinets installed and then a wait for them to come back to install. I think probably what we're really looking at is how long to be without a shower? I will have to have another conversation with my contractor and ask that specifically, instead of length of time for the entire remodel. Thanks all.

Unrealistic expectations is putting it mildly. Get in a hurry, and you'll live to regret it. Give the pro's their proper respect and enough time to do the job properly, and have him take a big chill pill. Don't forget to factor in the time waiting on the inspector to come and approve the rough plumbing, electrical, water tightness of the shower pan, and any other items he has to approve. That can add a week right there.

It might be better to wait on this remodel and plan on adding a shower to the other bath first so that you aren't so inconvenienced as to having to take a spit bath.

And the funny thing is, it's usually the least handiest of white collar guys that always get their knickers in a wad and seem to think that the job is so easy and should only take a couple of days and that they trades are all cheating them. If your husband thinks it could be done faster, tell him to go ahead and have right at it. Years later......you'll have eloped with the neighbor's husband where you've been taking showers at for two years, the bath will still be undone, and your husband will have become a hoarder who has only small routes through the trash and never bathes.

There are things that can be done/scheduled so that you can use the bathroom being remodeled. We have only 2 bathrooms in our house and frequent family guests. We asked our gc to minimize the time we would be without the 2nd toilet. He actually was able to insure that we had the use of this toilet for all but maybe 5 days during the 2 month remodel. He would take the old one out if needed and reinstall it (using temporary plywood supports) afterwards. He didn't put our new one in until the very end.

Also, we had him do the bathtub/shower first. We actually were able to use the shower after the first 4 weeks before the vanity went in or the floor was done.

I'm having a shower replaced with a swanstone floor and ceramic tiles. The guy said it will take 5 days. Though, I'm sure it's not full work days. example: day 1, demo old shower and install new plumbing. day 2, install shower floor and backer board. Day 3 tile. day 4 grout. Darn. I missed one. Maybe 2 days tiling.

One to two weeks. Don't believe those TV shows where a bath gets re-done in an hour.

Sounds reasonable to me. Things have to set up, dry out, and there is a sequence to doing things that controls the timing.

I just checked my remodel and it was about 10 days for the contractor. He was starting with a partial demolition I did to see what condition the wall was in. We replaced toilet and sinks, bathtub, installed grab bars for shower, shower head raised, alcove tiled, grouted and sealed. I painted later, much later.

There was quite a bit of drying time for the tile: the sealant on the backerboard, the tile adhesive, then the grout, then the grout sealant.

We had everything bought and on the premises before he started (tile, grout, tub, sinks, toilet and faucets), and I was available for the inevitable "look what we found, what should we do" consults.

A couple of weeks...that's if everything goes as planned and there are no "surprises"...which almost never happens in a remodel!

Tear the walls out and "surprise" a little water leak has damaged walls and floors. "Surprise", there's mold in the ceiling. Wonder why the previous plumber put that pipe there..."surprise". The fabricator calls to say your marble slab cracked..."big surprise". While you're in the process, might as well add more lighting here, more electrical there, heated floors would really be great, that nicer tile is only a few dollars more, EACH! Someone is probably going to be sick or hurt or hunting!

Anyone doing a remodel needs to chill, expect the unexpected, and know it will always cost more than you hoped it would.

In the end you will have a lovely space (hopefully) that you can enjoy for many years!

About 6 weeks here. Total remodel, and I am not adding on the 2 months added while trying to get a light fixture that first arrived damaged. Total gut, move plumbing, custom cabs, tiled shower.

Just deal with it...have another bathroom available for sure Stuff happens, and whatever the estimate is, add a month. ;-)

-Babka

Babka, this thread was three years old and Dream dug it up just stump for his blog.......

Sorry about that. So very many old posts are being resurrected since Houzz took over. I should've known better. Thanks!

-Babka

1 day demo n clean up

1 day do plumbing,electrical

1 day install bathtub or shower .sink

1 day install drywall or title if alot design on tile can take longer time

1 day prepare paint or clean up done 5 day total . I did thousand of restroom. I see alot of contractor too people off in 1000 contractor u maybe will find 1 good one becarefull n god blesd u all

Now u need waiting time for code inspector come check on plumbing n electrical that can delay project ..

One man job if more people involve faster .

This will be the best answer for u

If it only takes 9 days to 6 weeks, then why is my bathroom taking from June 2nd and still working on it as of Sept 21st and still not close to be completed. I hired these guys November last year they were to start and have the first half bath and doors done by Christmas then the second bath done by March, and they are still working on it. :-(((

Tim lu you are either insane or ignorant ...A full bathroom remodel is going to take roughly 4 to 6 weeks there are things that you must consider such as anyone giving you the estimateof one day to prep for tiling and then begin installing tile the next day is a hack and has no idea what they are doing or talking about hanging backer board is never one step ...before you ever get to that step there is the reinforcement Structurally speaking ,plumbing(as in squaring and leveling of framing ) then you can hang the backer board which once hung will have to be taped and missed them you are done for the day at least with that aspect while mused seams dry ...then following day you must water proof ...there are several different options for this but the most common using a paint on membrane such as red gaurd(or similar product(in the name of common sense this step should not be happening until your shower pan is in which depending on which method you use could take one to three days and involves plumbers ...you guys are setting yourselves up for dissapointment failure if you attempt to maintain that schedule...don’t take my world for it but I AM a 20 year remodel specialist

4-6 weeks?! Holy smokes! Maybe for a homeowner who has no clue. If I took 4 weeks to redo a bathroom of any size I would be loosing more then my shirt. I'm always giving 6-7 days total gut and redo.

I don't know how a bathroom can be gutted and redone in six days.

After demo, there generally needs to be new framing and walls repaired and/or installed.

Showers have to pass flood tests.

Waterproofing needs to cure between applications.

Rough plumbing needs to be installed with possible complications depending on how old the original stuff is.

There are inspections required at various points - work has to stop - the inspector has to come and approve before the job can be approved.

There are various trades with various skills - the counter is fabricated and installed by someone with that skill and is done after the vanity is installed.

I would imagine the only kind of bathroom that could be remodeled in a week is with one of those companies that put in a prefab bathtub and nothing is custom and there is no tile work. I would imagine their work is either mediocre (limited choices) because speed rather than result/functionality/aesthetics is driving all decisions and expensive - or expensive in terms of what one is getting for the money.

Yeah all the above can be accomplished. The more help you have the quicker it goes. You arnt pulling permit's unless you are changing the structure of the home. This is funny. 2 guys can take out old surround and tub and put a prefab unit back in within one day.

@Mr. Memes - I don't know what backwater you operate in but in most jurisdictions you absolutely need to pull permits for a bathroom remodel - and have the work inspected at various points including a final inspection.

Judging by the caliber of work you are espousing I wouldn't hire you or a GC who recommended this course of action. Replacing one prefab unit with another prefab unit isn't what most people contemplate in terms of a bathroom gut remodel. Why would I replace one crappy fixture with another crappy fixture?

It doesn't matter how many workmen are doing the work because there is a sequence that needs to be followed and I am picturing a Night at the Opera scenario in the bathroom? How is a plumber working at the same time as the tile installers or how can the vanity be installed at the same time as floors are done or the tile work on the walls is done?

@Helen. Unfortunately you need to actually have to do the work to understand how everything works. You can read up on how bathrooms are redone untill the cows come home...... But unfortunately that does not make you qualified to dictate how it all works together.

Someone doing a 3 day D level 5K all plastic bath, can't do 12 week A level complex tile work upscale bath. Or work with fellow trades that operate at that level either. If they could, they would be putting their name on that, with legit pictures, and be getting those 75K baths. Instead of making their hobby internet poop flinging. Credibility is zero.

Deny this 6 day level work.

Considering this thread is 7 years old, I hope the bathroom is done by now.

@ Greendesigns. Same goes for you as I said to Helen. Example bath Planet accomplishes bath redo in one day with 2 techs. Unless something goes wrong or a part doesn't fit. People like these options. You only need a permit if you are changing out plumbing in My area of NY. Don't argue with what you don't know......is my advice

Unlicensed and uninsured people like Floornerd who did the carp work above cant apply for permits. And they obviously don't know enough to pass a contractor's exam to get that license. So don't be expect them to know anything about what can or can't be done to code. Because they don't know. They operate outside inspections and code.

All they can do is take under the table second rate jobs. With predictable poor quality results. But they can't get jobs with legit contractors, because they won't work well with others. No one will hire them. It's a vicious cycle.

"Pro level" work. And F-D level work freely posted. Pseudonym adopted to not have to own it.

https://www.houzz.com/pro/floornerd/floornerd

Mine has taken 1 year exactly.... hopefully will be completely done next week.... but it’s been functional for 6 months.... toilet was only out for few days during tiling ......I have an outdoor shower that’s lovely on warm days here in Southern California where I can watch the birds take their bath too! It’s all turning out lovely!

Actually bathplanet could do complete shower renovations in 1 day with 1 licensed and insured contractor. How do i know? i was that one guy in Nashville Tennesse that could. My name is still on lots of positive reviews on the their website. however for every successful amd happy customer of mine there was a dozen other displeased and lied to clients. While i tried to take time to insure proper installion with quality matariels and workmanship was at the higgest regard. Bathplanet did not necessarily agree or appreciate my level of quality and professionalism. Companies like bathplanet, bath fitters, and McDonalds use undertrained or nontrained greenhorn idiots that have no idea what there doing! More often then not your so called installer is merely a warm body who spends more time on the phone calling the boss for help or getting high out back then a highly trained professional who cares about your satisfaction and longevity of your overpriced peice of printed acrylic. if you want a quailty product from end to finish dont expect a day transformation. While it maybe possiable i guarantee the odds are not in your favor. its been several years since moving on from McBathPlanet 🛀 and even longer since thread was created.. just had vent… End rant!!

Rome was not built in a day and neither should your bathroom.