What is out of service, and when
| Fixture | Out of service |
|---|---|
| Shower or tub | From demo until the installer clears it for use after grout and sealant cure. That is the whole job on a shower remodel |
| Toilet | While the floor is demolished, tiled and cured. On some jobs it can be reset temporarily |
| Sink | From the day the old vanity comes out until the new top and faucet are in |
| Water to the house | Shut off for short periods during plumbing work, usually an hour or two at a time |
For planning, a tub-to-shower conversion is 3–5 days, a walk-in shower 4–6 days and a full remodel 10–15 working days.
If you have a second bathroom
This is the easy case. Move what you need into the other bathroom before demo day and treat the work area as closed. If you are remodeling two bathrooms, do them one after the other, not at the same time, so one always works.
If it is your only bathroom
Tell the contractor before the contract is written, because it changes the plan.
- Ask whether the toilet can be reset at the end of the day during the early part of the job. It is not always possible once floor tile starts.
- Ask for the floor tile to be scheduled so the toilet is out for the shortest stretch.
- Line up a shower elsewhere: a gym, a neighbor or family.
- For the days the toilet is out, some homeowners rent a portable toilet or stay with family for a night or two.
- Choose faster materials if time matters most. Acrylic shower walls install quicker than tile.
Living in the house during the work
You do not need to move out for a bathroom remodel. Expect noise during demo and tile cutting, workers coming and going, and a path through the house that is covered and protected. A good crew puts up dust barriers, covers floors and cleans up daily. In a Phoenix summer, doors opening all day let the heat in, so ask how the crew handles cutting and hauling.
Keep pets and kids out of the work area, and clear the bathroom and the path to it before the first day.
What to get in writing
Ask for a day-by-day schedule that shows which days the toilet, shower and water are out. We give one before demo, so you know what to plan for. Full remodels run $18,500 to $60,000.
Key facts
- Shower out of service
- The full length of a shower remodel, plus cure time
- Tub-to-shower conversion
- 3–5 days
- Full remodel
- 10–15 working days
- Need to move out?
- No
Related questions
Where we do this work
Services: Full Bathroom Remodel · Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Bathroom remodeling in Tempe, Phoenix, Sun City, and across the Valley.