A Case Study
Our client, Monroe, just recently acquired a home in Maryland and wanted to do a remodel. He had several things going on, but decided the master bathroom upgrade. He wanted the tub replaced with a Jacuzzi, a marble vanity put in, and all the fixtures replaced. The photos posted here were taken with the consent of the client.
Initial consultation
The house was built in 2006. The client bought it with the view of fixing it up and reselling it. The rest of the house only needed cosmetic changes. The kitchen already had granite countertops that needed just a bit of refurbishing. Monroe thought that the master bedroom needed to be brought up to par with the rest of the house to get a good price. He wanted to know if we could help him.
We talked about Monroe’s ideas for the remodel. We told him about other clients that had had their tubs removed to make room for a good spa shower enclosure and a drying area. The house had one other bathroom with a tub, so that should satisfy a potential homebuyer that wanted a bathtub. It is a win-win situation having two types of bathrooms in one house to cater to all kinds of lifestyles.
We made a sketch of the bathroom in its current state, and walked him though on how a shower would increase the space and make its use more efficient. We provided suggestions for the type of shower that would go well with the new look, as well as the vanity and floor. After a long discussion, we decided on a layout with which Monroe was very happy. We gave him an initial estimate after making some measurements, promising him a final one when he had had a chance to choose the materials for the remodel from a catalogue we left with him. He agreed to come to the showroom to finalize his choices on the floor tiles, sink, and vanity countertops.
Showroom visit
Monroe came in to the showroom the following day. Our staff walked him through his choices for the different components of the new bathroom. He wanted to get the best spa showerand granite countertops, so he decided not to replace the floor tiles to come within budget. He chose the granite slab for the vanity and tiles quickly, and was willing to consider glass blocks for part of the new wall to serve as a decorative element. We also suggested some lighting and other decorative elements to tie in the various new and old elements of the remodeled bathroom. We left some catalogues for the client ot look over.
Closing the deal
Monroe got back to us after a couple of days and gave catalogue numbers for the glass tiles, shower tiles, sink, and fixtures. He also chose the granite for the vanity that matched the Italian porcelain tiles. The demi-bullnose edging we suggested is a good choice for smaller countertops.
We sent the client the final cost estimate. He sent it right back with a signature and a check for the down payment. The job would take about two weeks. Monroe asked us to get started as soon as possible as the contractor fixing the rest of the house was not doing anything with the master bathroom. We agreed to come in the next morning to start the prep work. But requested Monroe to empty all the cabinets and remove anything fixed from the bathroom to make the prep work go faster. We also asked Monroe to make sure to roll up the carpet in the bedroom and place dustsheets on all the furniture to keep out the dust.
Prep work
We sent a crew the next day to do the demolition of the tub and shower. The first thing they did was to place heavy plastic sheeting on the doorway to keep the dust in. There was a patio right outside the bedroom. So, the crew laid down heavy sheeting from the bathroom to the patio, where they placed a dustbin. They completed the demolition in two days, but made sure to keep the cabinets intact. The crew cleaned up everything, ready for the plumber to do his thing with the pipes and fixtures.
Tiling and paint
The crew for the tiles and paint came next, which started prepping the walls and floors as well as the pony wall for the shower wall. The tile laying and grouting took three days, and the cabinets were installed just as the glass blocks were installed. The fabricator came in to supervise the carpenter who was doing the new vanity, and made a template of the base. The fabricator used the template to cut the granite stone, and brought it right back for installation. The crew installed all the fixtures, polished the stone, applied sealer, and did a through clean up. Monroe came in for the final inspection. After he expressed approval, the crew removed the plastic sheeting and rubbish bin, and pulled out.
Wrap up
The projected time line for the project was 10 days, and we completed on time and in budget. The client was extremely pleased with the results. We would be able to work with him again on his other projects in the future. He provided permission to publish the photos of the remodel and his feedback.