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I am looking into a contractor to remodel my master bath. I'm curious to learn what materials those of you who have undergone a recent remodel used and the pros and cons regarding your choices. I am looking into flooring, countertops and shower floor and walls. TIA

For floors we mostly use tile of some sort, from mosaic to 18x18 porcelain or marble. One really luxurious thing to do is install a heat system under the tile. Counters are almost always solid surface. For the tub or shower surround we use a lot of subway pattern in marble, granite or porcelain.

My personal preference is to keep the colours neutral. Have you chosen a vanity finish yet?

Have you decided on a design (i.e., cottage, modern, the ever-over-used "spa like", etc.? Is budget a factor? I know with us, it would be. A $100.00 faucet would be doable, not a $1,000.00 YKWIM?

So far we've only done minor updates in our current home and would love to do the master bath, but one item I can offer, is the floor tile that looks like wood. I love it and I'm trying to talk DH into doing the half bath.

Just to add, I agree with Susan in keeping things neutral.

Editing again LOL. Do you have a separate tub and shower? I'm not a big fan of the plastic shower surrounds either and corian (for sinks) tends to stain.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: WWanda,

We did a quick redo of both the main bath and the master. We replaced floor, vanity, counters and toliet, all very neutral.

I went to Lowes and picked out instock vanities with matching mirrors, granite counter with sinks, faucets and toliets. The floors I went to a local flooring store and had sheet vinyl put in and I'm very happy with the choices and how it came out.

Thanks for all input. I currently have a jacuzzi that is the elephant in this modest 11x8' space. It will be gone. I saw a similar bathroom in a neighbor's house. they split the double sink into separate vanities, the tub was gone, the shower enlarged and turned and a water closet with pocket door added. Initially I feared not having a tub purely for resale concerns which may become a factor within the next five years.

I thought of a heated tile floor but one designer estimated it would cost about 2k which is prohibitive. As for the budget, that is up in the air as I have not made vanity or tile or any other selection and have yet to receive a labor estimate. What can I expect to pay (ballpark factoring in what limited info I have) to budget for this project? BTW, my two single vanities will be white and countertop and tile work white and beige. I know it is vital to keep builtins neutral.

Thanks again and I am still open to other advice, experiences or expertise.

I know what you mean about the tub. We may move in a few years too. I would love to have a large shower with a seat and glass doors, but DH wants a jet tub and I can't convince him to do both bathrooms. I guess as long you have one tub in the house, especially in the hall bath, it would be okay.

I believe you can get the heated floor for much less. We had one in our last house, but DH installed it, so maybe your quote is mostly for labor costs? Does that include tiling the floor?

BTW, I love the idea of two separate vanities. I saw one at Lowes that was white with a marble top and had a shiny chrome faucet, it was very pretty, not what I usually choose.

good luck and keep us posted and SHOW US PICTURES

WW, I had my eye on a freestanding white cast iron bubble tub that had
Graceful, elegant lines to the tune of 5k. Due to my limited space and enlarging the shower, I don't think the tub would fit. The current jacuzzi is centered under a skylight and wall window and the new tub would look odd in a different layout. oh well...perhaps in the next house.

I hope to post "after" pics... if I can remember how.

A CBD/CKD I met about my upcoming master bath remodel said that a basic bath remodel with a ceramic tile floor, pre-formed shower stall, big-box store vanities, modest plumbing fixtures, and a nothing-fancy tub (no upgraded materials) with no footprint changes (i.e. no move of plumbing pipes) will generally shake out around $14-$16k. Of course, labor is the big bill in that total. And, factor in that labor prices vary on geographic region.

Our master bath remodel will be a gut job. We're wanting to have a travertine floor, tile shower with a bench and frameless glass surround, recessed lights, new jetted tub with granite decking, a new window, mid-range plumbing and lighting fixtures, a wall-mounted electric towel warmer, new toilet, new custom vanities with granite tops, crown mouldings, new entry and closet door, and custom closet organizers. It'll run around $32-$34k. Eeeek!

EEEEEK is right, Jewel, but hey...if you plan on staying there a while and it won't break the bank, go for it. BTW, I won't be doing box store materials tho I won't be doing lux either..somewhere in between. Remember too, though gutting is a must, I most likely won't have a tub and the plumbing footprint will remain in tact. I will need more electrical and there's that water closet addition. I really appreciate the monetary feedback tho. Thanks for replying. Your redone bath sounds like it's going to be super.

I'll check back later for more feedback from others. This is helpful. Thanks again.

Froo Froo, how exciting! Bathroom remodels can be costly, especially if rearranging the current plumbing, which it sounds like you may do. In floor heating is much less expensive than it once was. My suggestion is to meet with your contractor and plumber to go over your ideas and get estimates for the redesign of your space. Then you can look at surfaces, where you will have more control of the costs. When you enlarge your shower, you may want to include a built in seat and have wheelchair access. It is not something one like to think about, but it is important.

We have used ceramic tile, slate and tumbled
marble for floor surfaces. In our MB we used a combination of ceramic tiles and tumbled marble for the shower and a solid surface marble for the vanity top.

Have fun with your remodel!

We're building a condo and selected 12" tiles for shower which has a wide frameless door which will make it easy if I should ever require a walker. Also opted for higher toilet. Counter tops are granite. We elected to not go with heated floor only because my list of upgrades had already exceeded my original planned budget. Also we made sure we had plenty of outlets around vanity areas.

Some of the items on my wish list were mentioned including extra outlets, shower seat and higher toilet. Add more lighting and a vent fan to that list, we probably can not have a wide enough shower entry to accommodate a wheel chair due to space restraints.

We have already met with a designer and contractor and are awaiting their plans. A second contractor is due tomorrow AM and he also builds houses.
As I stated, we've seen a neighbor's remodel and tho I initially nixed the idea of removing a tub all together, I am leaning in that direction for the sake of a water closet. That is not set in stone however and I may ask the man tomorrow for plans for both options.

BTW, this is on a second floor and it does not appear that plumbing will be relocated.

Please keep that material suggestions coming and your experiences with them. Marble will be out due to cost and upkeep. If I go with granite vanity tops, what are your thoughts about honed vs shinny. I already know that honed or leathered are more costly, but does it stain?


Thanks again for all who took the time to respond.

The only thing I can add about the granite tops is don't buy the in-stock ones at the big box stores. We got a 48 inch (sink included) and got some water stains on it. It lightened up, but we had to seal it and it feels "pitted." I wouldn't buy another one.

Always pick out and buy your granite from a stone yard! And make sure your fabricator has it sealed properly. I've had granite for 15+ years and have never had a problem with staining or pitting.

In addition to Mama's advice, make sure you're at the fabrication shop when they "template" the slab (lay out where the cut lines will be to form the counter tops). That way, you can choose where you want a particular feature in the stone to be on your counter (or figure out a way for it to be hidden or minimized).

Our friends didn't do this and what looked like a giant bleach stain on their slab of Uba Tuba (black) granite ended up front and center in a very visible spot on their kitchen counters. It was a natural characteristic of the stone, but it looked simply terrible.

Good point, Jewel. I recently saw a show where the template process was demonstrated. You can decide where seams are too tho two individual vanities won't most likely have this concern.

Hi Froo Froo,
i didn't think i had anything to add to your thread, but I do... i had put it in your corian wall thread, but i'll put it here to be more uniform..

One thing you should consider, is to avoid tub fillers with diverters built in. Since you're having plumbing changed, make sure they install a separate water diverter handle in the wall that diverts water from the shower head to the tub filler, etc. You will be happy you did!

Another thing to consider is ADA Approved hand holds in the shower and bath.
I always thought it was a good idea when bathing my baby for her to hold something while getting in or out. I believe they make hand holds and bars in decorative models and you will probably use them all the time, no matter your ability to get in or out of the shower/tub.

A small hand hold bar in the WC would be a good idea too, especially if you're replacing sheet rock there so the contractor can see where to install it securely or make sure there is support to install them.

Are you going to get a regular height toilet or taller perhaps? I'm not saying you're old or anything, but it's some things i'd thought about and did when remodeling the bathroom in my last house. I am tall, so i like the taller toilets and it makes it easier for my mom to use, too. And how many times have i wished i had a hand hold in the shower instead of the 9yo gripping the glass wall to get in or out.



WC = water closet (toilet)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wendek,

Wendek, to answer your questions,,, I suspect the plumbing won't be relocated. A taller toilet is a must...we're not spring chickens, we too are tall and DH has had a hip replaced. Also, it doesn't look like a tub will fit if we take out the jacuzzi and surround, enlarge the shower, turn it's entry and create a water closet. That being said, I am awaiting design plans from two decorators. Thanks for your input though.

Oh...and I do plan on having a shower seat with sliding handheld shower head accessible along with a cubbie or two, additional shower head and above light.

Froo,

Our two baths were completely redone (at the same time). What fun!

In the kids bath, we took out a regular-sized tub and then tiled in a shower. The other bath was extended 3 feet, toilet moved, shower plumbing moved, and a rain head installed. Shower was made another foot wider also. Plus both toilets were changed to higher seats.

The vanities were removed also and wall mount sinks installed. Our baths are small in size but function well for us.

Definitely go with the handicap toilet and may I suggest the elongated toilet instead of the round one. Not sure how to explain that one other than it just feels better. LOL We chose to put in a shower...just one of those whole shower deals and a 6 foot jetted tub. I have fibro so the tub was a must for me and it helps me so much. We usually shower but I use the tub when I'm in a lot of pain just to lay and soak in. We put chose tile for the floors and used the same floor tiles to put a surround above the tub. I love it. All the cabinetry was custom built by my bil. Oh and to add we put a linen closet in the bathroom and the space is so handy. I love it.