Bathroom Remodel in Seattle, WA
A bathroom remodel in Seattle usually turns up more behind the tile than people expect, because most of these bathrooms were added long after the house was built. 5-star rated, experience in the trade since 1998, and a free estimate before you commit to anything.
What a bathroom remodel in Seattle actually involves
Most Seattle homes were built with one bathroom, and it shows. Adding a second bath or rebuilding the original is our most common Seattle project. In houses this old the subfloor under the tub is frequently rotted, so we plan for that rather than acting surprised when we find it.
Seattle housing is old, and that's the whole challenge. Craftsman bungalows and 1920s foursquares in Ballard, Wallingford and Beacon Hill come with knob-and-tube, unlevel floors, and bathrooms that were squeezed in decades after the house was built. Remodeling them well means respecting the original character while bringing the systems up to date.
What's included
- ✓ Walk-in showers and tub-to-shower conversions
- ✓ Waterproofing done to code, behind the tile
- ✓ Floor, wall and shower tile
- ✓ Vanities, countertops and fixtures
- ✓ Ventilation, lighting and finish carpentry
- ✓ Subfloor repair where water got in
Bathroom Remodeling across Seattle
We take bathroom remodel projects throughout Seattle, including West Seattle, Ballard, Queen Anne, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley. Older Seattle homes reward contractors who slow down and check things. We'd rather find the rot behind the tub during demo and tell you straight than paper over it and have you call us in two years.
Seattle work is mostly older-home remodeling — opening up bungalow kitchens, adding a second bathroom where there was only one, and finishing basements with proper egress and moisture control.
Seattle Bathroom Remodeling FAQs
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Seattle?
We do not publish price ranges — what is behind the walls decides this far more than the size of the room. What moves your number is whether plumbing relocates, what the waterproofing behind the old tile looks like, and finish level. Free written estimate before you commit.
How long does a Seattle bathroom remodel take?
Most Seattle bathrooms run three to five weeks. In pre-war homes the plumbing, framing or subfloor usually needs attention before any tile goes down, and that work is not optional if you want the room to last.
Do you pull permits in Seattle?
When the work requires it, yes. Moving plumbing, electrical or structural walls generally needs a permit, and we handle that rather than leaving it to you.
Can we stay in the house during the work?
Usually yes. We seal off the work area, keep the site clean, and sequence things so you keep a functioning kitchen or bathroom as long as possible.
Other Work We Do Here
Before you hire anyone for tile work
Two pages worth reading first — they will tell you more about a bid than the bid will.
How a shower is actually waterproofed →What tile costs in the Seattle area →What a Seattle bathroom remodel actually runs into
In a pre-war Seattle house the bathroom was usually squeezed in after the fact, sometimes decades after, and it shows the moment the tile comes off. We routinely find original mud-set showers over lead or copper pans, framing that has been damp long enough to have lost strength, a subfloor that is nowhere near flat, and a drain positioned where it will not accept a modern assembly without moving plumbing.
That is normal here and it is manageable. What is not manageable is discovering it after someone has promised a fixed price and a three-week schedule. We write contingencies into the estimate for what we cannot see, in writing, rather than leaving them out and returning with a change order.
The other Seattle-specific issue is ventilation. An undersized fan, or one ducted into the attic rather than outside — which we find constantly in older homes here — will grow mold on a brand-new remodel within two winters. It is a cheap fix while the ceiling is open and an expensive one afterward.
Planning a bathroom remodel in Seattle?
We price it in writing, we start when we said, and you deal with the same people throughout.