How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take, and Do You Need a Permit in Baltimore?

When someone calls me about a bathroom, the first question is usually price. The second comes right after: "How long will I be without it?" In a house with one bathroom, that is not a small question. You have a family to get out the door in the morning.

So here is the straight answer, and then the order the work happens in, and the permit question, which trips up a lot of people.

The short answer on timing

A full bathroom gut takes two to three weeks once work begins. A limited refresh, meaning a vanity, a toilet and paint with no tile work, takes three to five days. Those are the numbers on our bathroom remodeling page, and I stand behind them.

Notice the words "once work begins." The clock does not start the day you call me. Design choices, ordering materials and, when it is needed, a permit all come before the first day of demolition. I explain that schedule to you in writing before we start, so you can plan for the disruption and arrange another bathroom if you need one.

What happens first, step by step

Here is the order on a full gut. It matters, because each step depends on the one before it.

• Estimate and design. I come out, look at the room, and ask how you use it. You get a written estimate that lists demolition, materials, fixtures, permits and cleanup. Our price guide for Baltimore bathrooms explains what drives the number.

• Choosing and ordering. Tile, vanity, fixtures and glass. This is where homeowners can slow things down without meaning to. Decide early, and the job stays on schedule.

• Permit, if the work needs one. More on this below.

• Protection and demolition. We cover your floors and furniture and take the old bathroom out. This is the day you find out what is behind the walls.

• Rough work. Plumbing and electrical changes, any repair to framing or subfloor, and the exhaust fan.

• Waterproofing. The membrane behind the tile. This step is not rushed, and I will say why in a minute.

• Tile. Floor, shower walls, grout.

• Fixtures and finish. Vanity, toilet, faucets, lighting, glass, and interior painting to finish the room.

• Cleanup and walkthrough. We clean as we go and again at the end, and then we walk it together.

Why waterproofing is not where you save time

Tile is not waterproof. Grout is not waterproof. The membrane behind them is what keeps water out of your framing and drywall. A bad shower install leaks into the wall, and you do not see it until the damage is serious.

If a contractor promises a full gut in a few days, ask what is happening to the waterproofing. I have seen the story where the cheaper quote cost a homeowner $3,000 more, and a rushed or missing scope was part of it.

Do you need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Baltimore?

It depends on the work, not the room. Here is how it generally breaks down in Maryland:

• Usually needs a permit: moving plumbing, adding a new exhaust fan circuit, or making structural changes.
• Generally does not: cosmetic work such as tile, a vanity swap and paint.

The rules vary a little by jurisdiction. In Baltimore City, structural remodeling and work that moves walls, plumbing or electrical needs a permit. Baltimore County and the surrounding counties have their own offices. That means a bathroom in Federal Hill and one in Towson go through different offices, even when the work looks the same.

Here is what I tell every homeowner. We identify what needs a permit during planning, and we handle the applications for you at no extra charge. You do not stand in line at a government office. And if a contractor tells you a full remodel needs no permit at all, treat that as a red flag. Permits protect you when you sell the house, and they mean someone besides the contractor looked at the plumbing and electrical.

Permits take their own time, and that time sits outside our crew's days on site. It is the reason I will not promise you a start date until I know whether your project needs one.

What can stretch the schedule

Most delays have the same few causes:

• What is behind the walls. In older homes, from rowhouses in Canton and Hampden to mid-century houses in Catonsville, we sometimes find water damage, a soft subfloor or old pipes once the tile comes off. I tell you this is possible up front, and I price any repair in writing before we do it.
• Moving plumbing. Keeping the toilet, sink and shower where they are keeps the job shorter and cheaper.
• Late selections. Tile that is not ordered when the walls are ready means a crew waiting.
• Special-order items. Custom glass is measured after the tile is set, so plan for a gap there.
• Pre-1978 paint. If your home was built before 1978, we use lead-safe practices on work that disturbs old paint. That is the right way to do it, and it is part of how we plan the days.

Living through it

A few things help a family get through two or three weeks without their bathroom:

• Tell us where you can shower. Many people use a second bathroom, a basement fixture or a relative's house for part of it.
• Expect noise and dust during demolition. We protect floors and furniture and clean up, but it is still a work site.
• Keep pets and children away from the room until we finish.

If you are also considering a basement bathroom, look at our guide to finishing a basement, since the timeline and permits differ there.

Before you decide

If you are deciding how far to go, read which bathroom upgrades pay off when you sell first. And if your project is bigger than one room, our whole-home remodeling team can schedule the work together.

I would rather give you an honest schedule than a short one. Request your free bathroom estimate or call me at 443-825-0206. I come out myself, look at the room, and tell you how long it will really take. We also currently take 10% off painting and drywall work.

Where we work

We are based in Baltimore City and work across Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County and Howard County, including Towson, Catonsville, Annapolis, Pikesville, Ellicott City, Glen Burnie, Parkville, Columbia, Dundalk, Canton. See all the areas we serve.

Keep reading

• How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Baltimore?
• Which bathroom upgrades pay off when you sell
• The cheaper quote cost him $3,000 more: how to choose a contractor
• How long does a kitchen remodel take?
• How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Baltimore?
• Finishing a basement in Baltimore: the guide

Our services: Interior painting, Exterior painting, Bathroom remodeling, Kitchen remodeling, Basement finishing, Flooring, Home remodeling, Decks, Siding. See everything we do.