If you’re considering a bathroom remodel, chances are one of the primary questions you’re asking is “just how long is this going to take?” After all, even if you have more than one bathroom in your home, a complete bathroom renovation can put your bathroom out of commission for weeks, which seriously impacts your lifestyle and usage of your home.
The tricky thing about a total bathroom remodel is that while the area itself might be small (or at least relatively so compared to the rest of your home), the plumbing and electric components may make it one of the more complexes remodels you can do in your home.
The answer to the question of how long your bathroom remodel will take is, unfortunately “it depends.” A complete renovation could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to 3 months (on average, custom bathroom remodeling varies hugely and your project could very well be out of this range). The variables that impact the length of your project include but are not limited to the condition of your bathroom, the changes needed (type and number), the size of your project, and of course, what bathroom remodeling company or bathroom remodeling contractors you use.
- Planning – this can very well be the stage that takes the longest. You’ll want to have your floor plan/layout decided on, an idea of cost and materials needed, and a goal for the overall look you’re going for.
- Demolition – while this stage can be fun, it also requires careful preparation. Please make sure that your water and electricity supplies are disconnected during this stage. This shouldn’t take much more than a couple of days.
- Plumbing and electricity adjustments – this phase could be one of the longer ones. You’ll want to hire bathroom remodeling experts to do this part (for obvious safety and quality reasons).
- Wall and floor – if your renovation deals with the walls, there will be insulation and drywall work that needs to be done. Grouting and installing tile can take around a week, with another week added for the walls (at least!).
- Paint and trim – the painting phase is where things really start to come together! The first day (or a couple of days) will be spent sanding and priming, then the first coat of paint will be applied. Next, the vanity, doors, and other large fixtures will be taken care of, before the rest of the painting is taken care of. This may take several days (again – it all depends on your project and your bathroom contractors).
- Fixtures – assuming you’ve got all of your fixtures picked out and ready, this phase should be quick. This is where you get to install that new tub, beautiful chandelier, extra shelving, or any other exciting fixtures you’re adding. In less than a week your fixtures should be installed and ready to go.
- Accessories – this part can be known as the finishing touches. All you have to do is add those minute details that pull together your space and finish your project. Special cabinet knobs? Toilet paper holder? This is the time. This part probably shouldn’t take more than a day or two.
Delays
And now, for the concept of Murphy’s law; “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” While we’re strong believers that by hiring the best bathroom contractors you can find in your area, and making sure they work for a reputable bathroom remodeling company or have stellar reviews you can greatly mitigate the risk of proving Murphy’s law right, there is still a high chance SOMETHING in your bathroom remodel will cause delays.
Common delays include things like permitting issues (permit requirements vary by project and by city and can be time-consuming to procure – another reason to go with a licensed contractor, as they’ll know what the job requires), items on backorder, electrical or plumbing issues that surface during the demolition and installation process, discovering mold/mildew, or difficulties with contractor schedules.
Delays such as these can greatly impact your bathroom remodeling timeline and drive your cost – and time invested – up far beyond what you expected. Therefore, when asking how long a bathroom remodeling project will take, your best course of action is to contact a bathroom remodeling company and obtain a quote and an estimated timeframe. Most reputable companies can give you this for free, we sure do. We offer a free consultation in order to give you the best possible estimate of what your unique project will require.
