Bathroom remodel questions, answered.

A reasonable deposit for a bathroom remodel in Arizona is 10% to 30% of the contract, enough to cover materials ordered for your job.

Per-square-foot pricing doesn't work well for bathrooms because so much cost is fixed, not floor-area based.

Yes, in Gilbert you need a permit when a bathroom remodel moves or changes plumbing, adds electrical circuits, cuts the slab or alters a wall.

You need a permit in Phoenix when a bathroom remodel moves or changes plumbing, adds or extends electrical circuits, cuts the slab or alters a wall.

Any time of year works, because a bathroom remodel is indoor work in an air-conditioned house.

Search the contractor on the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website, roc.az.gov, by company name or license number.

A fixed-price bathroom remodel includes everything in the written scope: demo and haul-away, plumbing and electrical work, waterproofing, tile, glass, vanity, fixtures, paint, the permit and daily cleanup.

A full bathroom remodel in Phoenix costs $18,500 to $60,000 and takes 10–15 working days.

They are a comfort upgrade, not a need.

Usually not for a single-family house, because most HOA rules cover the outside of the home and a bathroom remodel is inside.

Most full bathroom remodels in Phoenix take 10–15 working days once work starts.

Choose a company that holds an active Arizona contractor license, gives you a fixed price in writing, pulls the permit, and can explain exactly how it waterproofs a shower.

Sometimes, and only for the damage.

Yes, you can move a toilet or shower drain on a concrete slab.

Usually not the room being remodeled, at least for most of the job.

Bathroom remodel quotes vary because contractors are pricing different jobs.

The best shower floor tile is a small-format porcelain mosaic, about 2 inches or smaller, with a matte or textured finish.

Yes, you can build a curbless shower on a post-tension slab, but the cables must be located before anyone cuts concrete.

Squeegee the glass after every shower.

Yes, in most showers a bench is worth adding, as long as the shower is big enough.

Yes, frameless shower glass is worth it in a bathroom you use every day and plan to keep.

A walk-in shower remodel in the Phoenix metro typically runs $9,800–$24,000, and a tub-to-shower conversion runs $7,900–$16,500.

A walk-in shower in Phoenix costs $9,800 to $24,000 installed, and most take 4–6 working days.

A tiled shower needs a continuous waterproof membrane behind or directly under the tile, covering the walls, the pan and the drain connection.

No, not as long as one bathtub stays somewhere in the house.

A tub-to-shower conversion takes 3–5 working days in most Phoenix homes.

Yes, in most homes keep one bathtub, usually the one in the hall bathroom.

Neither is better for everyone.

A tub-to-shower conversion in Phoenix costs $7,900 to $16,500 and takes 3–5 working days.

A master bathroom remodel in the Phoenix metro typically runs $32,000–$95,000 and takes 3 to 4 weeks.

A master bathroom remodel in Scottsdale costs $32,000 to $95,000 and takes 3–4 weeks.

A steam shower costs more than a standard tiled shower because it needs a steam generator, a fully sealed enclosure and its own electrical circuit.

Usually a refresh is worth it before selling and a full remodel is not.

The cheapest way to update a bathroom is to keep the tub or shower and the layout, and replace what you see first: vanity, countertop, faucet, mirror, lighting, floor tile and paint.

A small bathroom remodel in Phoenix costs $4,500 to $12,000 for a refresh that keeps the tub or shower, and from $18,500 for a full gut with a new shower or tub.

Grab bars cost the least when they go in during a shower remodel, because the wall is already open.

Generally no.

Not many for interior work.

A walk-in shower is the better choice for most seniors.

A bathroom is safe for aging in place when you can get in, wash and get out without stepping over anything, reaching too far or standing on a slick floor.