Rapid Fire: Q A About Bathroom Remodeling
Shower stall rebuilt and re-tiled with grab rails added for safety.
A common bathroom completely rebuilt. Walls, floors, cabinets, fixtures and grab bar.
Remodeling can be quite a chore for a homeowner. To avoid being overwhelmed, whether you’ve done it before on not, it requires a great deal of planning to create the final product. Mike Webster, owner of Webster and Associates, a company specializing in bathroom remodeling, has volunteered to allow the Homeowners Advantage staff to ask a few questions about the bathroom remodeling process in hopes of helping homeowners gain a bit more insight.
How much will a bathroom project typically cost?
This depends on the size and scope of a project. Most standard-size bathroom make-overs run $15,000–$20,000 (everything is replaced).Adding a bath in the basement/attic/spare bedroom will run $20,000–$30,000. Partial remodel projects are typically $5,000–$10,000 with some less than $5,000.
Will my price change (increase) after you start a project and find “surprises?”
Not with us! We have remodeled over 1,000 bathrooms in all rural and urban neighborhoods of the Madison area. We know there will always be surprises in a remodeling project since you can’t see behind walls. Usually, the older the home, the more surprises there are. Surprises are built-in to our price.We never ask to change the price of a contract. I strongly urge the homeowner to cover this issue before signing a contract.
After a homeowner decides to move forward, how long before you are able to start?
After we receive a verbal go-ahead, most projects start within 4-6 weeks.
How long will a project take?
Most standard-size bathroom make–overs take from 1–2 weeks. Bathroom additions or large bathroom projects run 3–6 weeks. We include an approximate completion date in our final contract. When a project exceeds its estimated completion date, it is usually because the client has requested additional work after the project started or we find unexpected defects within the walls of the area being remodeled.
Does the homeowner have to move out of the house during the construction process?
No. If there is only one bathroom, we will guarantee you have a toilet at the end of each work day. In most cases we can also guarantee a tub to bathe in after the first day.
Will there be a big mess?
We take-to-heart this invasion of your home and privacy, most reputable contractors will. At Webster & Associates, for example, we respect your property by laying down clean tarps as needed, taking down pictures, etc. that could fall off the wall, installing a ventilation fan when there is a window, cleaning the work space and traffic areas daily, dusting and vacuuming nearby spaces, and cleaning the bathroom thoroughly on the final day of construction. Our staff dons shoecovering booties as they enter your home so you needn’t worry about dirt and dust being tracked through. (Editors Note: Reputable remodeling firms should have strategies for protecting your home and minimizing dust and dirt)
How does the homeowner select the best materials and fixtures?
We will help you with this process by going to a showroom or catalog shopping with you. Your responses to our questions will help narrow the choices and our experience with products will help you make the optimum selections in price and quality.
Do you provide references?
You are welcome to our entire customer list. (Editors Note: Reputable contractors should have references available. Also, ask to see their State Of Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Certificate; required by law to work as a contractor here).
“All reputable remodelers I know are insured and will provide a certificate of insurance, they will arrange and pay for all permits, and will provide a warranty,”Webster says. “It’s also important to consider accessible/universal design strategies (ADA compliant) because more people are staying in their homes longer. It is a good practice to have bathrooms user-friendly for senior citizens and others with disabilities.”
Complete customer rebuild.
