A bathroom is a small room with a lot packed into it. Water lines, a drain, a vanity, a toilet, a tub or shower, tile on the floor and often on the walls, plus lights, a mirror and storage. When one piece is old or worn out, it is usually not the only one. That is why many homeowners in Nashville decide to redo the whole room at once instead of patching it one piece at a time.
Salt and Cedar Home Remodeling is a locally owned remodeling company in Nashville, TN. Kitchens are most of what we do, and bathrooms are a natural next room. Alec runs your bathroom remodel himself, from the first visit to the final walkthrough, so you have one point of contact the whole way through. He handles the tile, the vanity, setting the fixtures and the finish work.
Alec is not a plumber, and he will tell you that up front. When your bathroom needs plumbing work, such as moving a drain, adding a shower valve or running new supply lines, a plumber Alec brings in does that part. Alec plans around the plumber's work and keeps the schedule, so you are not the one coordinating trades.
What a Bathroom Remodel Can Include
No two bathrooms need the same list. Some people want a full gut and a new layout. Others like the layout and just want the room to look and work better. Here is what is usually on the table.
Showers and tubs
Many projects start with the shower. An old tub that nobody uses can become a walk-in shower, or a small shower stall can get new tile and a better glass door. The part you cannot see matters most here: the waterproofing behind the tile and the slope of the shower floor toward the drain. Alec plans that layer before any tile is picked, because a pretty shower that leaks into the wall is not a finished job.
Tile floors and walls
Tile is where a bathroom gets most of its look. Floor tile has to handle water and still feel safe underfoot, so texture and size matter as much as color. Wall tile can run the full height of a shower or stop at a wainscot line around the room. Alec helps you sort through the choices and thinks about the layout so cut pieces land in quiet corners, not in the middle of the wall.
Vanities, counters and storage
The vanity is the piece you use most every day. A new one can add drawers, change the counter height, or give two people their own sink if the room allows it. Since Alec builds kitchens, cabinet and counter work is familiar ground. He looks at how you use the room and where things pile up before he suggests a size or style.
Fixtures and finishes
Faucets, shower trim, the toilet, mirrors, lighting fixtures, towel bars and paint pull the room together. Alec helps you choose finishes that match each other and the rest of your home, then installs them once the tile and vanity are in.
How to Start a Bathroom Remodel
The first step is not picking tile. It is deciding what is wrong with the room you have. Make a short list. Is the shower too small? Is there nowhere to put things? Is the floor cracked, or does the fan not keep up? That list tells you whether you need a new layout or a new look on the same layout.
Next, think about what you want to keep. If the tub, toilet and sink stay where they are, the plumbing can often stay where it is too. Moving those pieces is possible, but it brings in more plumbing work and more wall and floor to open up. Knowing that early keeps the plan honest.
Then call Alec. He comes out, looks at the room, asks how you use it and talks through options before anything is ordered. If plumbing changes are part of the plan, he works out with the plumber what is needed so it is all in one quote.
What Drives the Cost of a Bathroom Remodel
We do not post prices, because two bathrooms of the same size can be very different jobs. What we can tell you is what moves the number, so you can see where your money goes.
Layout changes
Keeping the toilet, sink and shower in place is the biggest single way to keep a bathroom remodel in check. Moving any of them means new drain and supply runs, and that is plumber's work plus more demolition and repair.
The shower
In many bathrooms, the shower is the most expensive part of the remodel. A tiled shower has several layers: the base, the waterproofing, the tile, the valve and trim, and often glass. Each of those choices adds up, and the size of the shower adds up with them.
Tile and finish choices
Small tile and patterned layouts take longer to set than large, simple tile. Stone looks great but needs more care. Your choice of vanity, counter and fixtures can move the total a lot in either direction, which is why Alec walks through those choices with you before the quote is final.
What is behind the walls
Older bathrooms sometimes hide water damage under the floor or behind the tub. Alec looks for the signs on the first visit and tells you what he sees, so you know where the unknowns are before work starts.
What to Avoid When Renovating a Bathroom
- Skipping the waterproofing talk. Ask how the shower walls and floor will be kept dry behind the tile. It matters more than the tile itself.
- Ordering before the plan is set. A vanity that is two inches too wide, or a valve that does not match the trim, can stall the whole job.
- Forgetting storage. A clean new bathroom fills up fast. Plan drawers, niches or shelves from the start.
- Ignoring the fan. A bathroom that holds steam will wear out paint and grout early.
- Juggling trades yourself. When one person runs the job and brings in the plumber, the steps happen in the right order.
How a Bathroom Project Runs With Alec
First visit. Alec looks at the room, measures it, and listens to what you want to change. He points out anything that could affect the plan, like signs of old leaks or a drain that would be hard to move.
Plan and choices. Together you settle the layout, then the tile, vanity, counter and fixtures. If plumbing is involved, Alec brings the plumber's part into the plan.
Quote and schedule. You get a written quote that lists what is included. How long the job takes depends on the size of the room, the shower and how much plumbing is moved, so Alec gives you a schedule with the quote instead of guessing on the phone.
The work. Demolition, then rough plumbing by the plumber, then the shower base and waterproofing, tile, vanity, fixtures and finishes. Alec is your contact through every step.
Final walkthrough. You walk the room with Alec and make sure everything works and looks the way you planned.
Why Homeowners Call Salt and Cedar
- Locally owned in Nashville. A small company based here, not a call center.
- One point of contact. Alec runs the project from the first visit to the final walkthrough.
- The right trade for plumbing. A plumber Alec brings in does the plumbing, and Alec plans the job around it.
- Help with the choices. Layout, tile, vanity and finishes are talked through before anything is ordered.
Planning more than one room? Many people pair a bathroom with kitchen remodeling, which is the core of what we do. The same tile skills cover a kitchen backsplash, and if the bathroom you want is in the basement, start with basement finishing so it is planned with the rest of the space. When you are ready, tell us about your bathroom or call (629) 366-6388.