Bathroom renovations
A bathroom is a small room with a water problem. Everything that matters in one is decided in the two days between the framing being closed in and the tile going on.
Context
There is one question worth asking every bathroom contractor: what membrane do you use, and do you flood test it. A bonded waterproofing membrane over the shower floor, up the curb and a set height up the walls is the layer that keeps water out of the joists. Tile and grout are not waterproof; grout is a wear surface. If the answer is that the backer board is waterproof, the answer is no.
A flood test is twenty-four hours with the drain plugged and the pan full. It costs a day of schedule and it is the only way to find a failed membrane while it is still cheap to fix. We do it, we photograph it, and the photograph goes in your handover file.
The third thing is the fan. A bathroom fan that is undersized, ducted into the attic instead of through the roof, or wired to the light switch so it runs for four minutes, is how a Lower Mainland bathroom grows mould in a ceiling. Ducted outside, sized to the room, on a timer or humidistat.
Scope of work
What is actually in the proposal
Eight line items, each one a row you will see in the written scope, with a plain explanation of what it covers and why it matters here.
- Demolition and disposal
Stripped to studs and subfloor. Pre-1990 houses: hazardous materials survey first, and the tile mastic and vinyl sheet flooring are the usual suspects.
- Substrate and structure
Joists inspected for previous water damage while they are open — this is the one chance you get. Floor levelled and stiffened where tile demands it.
- Rough plumbing
Supply and drain to the new fixture positions, with accessible shutoffs. Any remaining galvanized or lead-jointed cast iron found in the wall is flagged in writing before it is cut.
- Electrical and ventilation
GFCI-protected circuits, fan and heat by a licensed electrical contractor under permit. Exhaust ducted to the exterior — never into an attic or a soffit — on a timer or humidistat.
- Waterproofing membrane
Bonded sheet or liquid-applied membrane over the pan, curb and wet-wall area, lapped and sealed at every corner and penetration to the manufacturer's system.
- Flood test
24 hours, drain plugged, pan filled, photographed. If it fails it is repaired and retested before any tile is set.
- Tile and finishes
Set on a flat, dry, tested substrate. Movement joints where the code and the manufacturer require them, not where they are least visible.
- Fixtures and handover
Fixtures set and connected, silicone at the changes of plane, and a written deficiency walk with you before the final payment is requested.
Questions
About bathroom renovations
How long will the bathroom be out of use?
Three to five weeks for a full strip-out and rebuild, and the flood test is a day of that. If it is your only bathroom, tell us at the first call — it changes the sequencing and it changes the price.
Do you flood test every shower?
Yes, and you get the photograph. It adds a day. A membrane failure found after the tile is on costs the tile, the fixtures and the ceiling below.
My house is from the 1960s. What should I expect to find?
Commonly: no membrane at all under the existing pan, galvanized supply lines at the end of their life, a fan ducted into the attic, and asbestos in the sheet flooring adhesive or the drywall joint compound. The survey tells us which of those apply before we price the work, not after we open the wall.
Reviews
What Azem's clients say
5.0 out of 5 across 5 reviews, every one of them public, attributed, and linked to where it was posted.
Azem of Durak Homes is everything that one would want in a contractor — reliable, conscientious, efficient, considerate, and knowledgeable. In short, he gets the job done, and leaves the worksite spotless. I am happy to recommend his services.
Bathroom renovation · October 2024 · Verified on Bark
Azem was extremely efficient and very professional. He got the work done and cleaned up everything afterwards. We will be utilizing his services again!
Repairs and carpentry · October 2024 · Verified on Bark
Super efficient. Azem came within an hour, assessed the work and did the repairs quickly and efficiently. He didn't leave any mess. Really happy with the service and would highly recommend him to friends.
Repairs · September 2024 · Verified on Bark
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What's in the scope →Ready to price it?
Send the age of the house, what you want changed and roughly when. That is enough for Azem to tell you whether he's the right call.