CONTRACTOR SELECTION

The bathroom remodeling contractor you select should be trustworthy, competent and licensed to perform their craft.  References are very important, but so isn't your impression of the prospective contractor.  Is he thorough in his analysis of your needs?  Does he provide you with a professional proposal? (After all bathroom remodeling projects are one of the most expensive, per square foot, home improvement projects you will undertake, the contractor should take the time to write-up a detailed proposal.)  Is he sub-contacting all the work to contractors that come and go or does he have a stable team of experienced craftsman?  Does he do any of the work?  Will he be at the job, everyday?

Be very weary of any contractor that pushes you to NOT have a building permit for the job.  Without a permit, unlicensed/illegal plumbers, electricians and builders can work on your project.  Without inspections from the building department, you have no guarantee that the work performed on your project complies with the law.  In today’s environment of vigorous inspections, when you sell your home, a remodeling job done without a permit could cost you down the road.

Construction/reconstruction in a wet area such as a bathroom requires special materials and techniques to ensure that the water ends up down the drain and that the tiles do not crack or fall off the wall. Many bathrooms that I rebuild are not done because the homeowner wants a new look; but unfortunately because they have leaks, the floor tiles have cracked or the wall tiles have started falling off. The causes are usually incorrect materials and/or inferior craftsmanship. Homeowners often tell me that their carpenter said they "could install tile" or the plumber "knew a tile man".

A few examples of what should be done/used in a bathroom update are:

• Thin-set mortar should be used to adhere the tiles to the cement board;
• Plywood sub-floors should be screwed into the joists;
• Cement board on the floor should be glued and fastened to the sub-floor;
• Studs above the bathtub should be “furred-out” ¼” to allow the cement board be hung below the water protecting flange on the tub (this sits behind the wall).  Many remodelers start the cement board on top of the flange and cover the flange with plaster or some other material (which does not hold up over time); and
• All corner and perimeter area that have been tiled should be CAULKED not grouted, to allow the tile to expand and contract without cracking.
• Six-millimeter thick plastic should be stapled to the studs in the shower to ensure that any moisture that might seep through will not rot the structure of your walls

Since these types of procedures take a lot of extra time to perform, low priced contractors will usually omit some or all of them.