Bathroom remodeling in Tempe, AZ

Tempe is surrounded by other cities and has had little vacant land for decades. Its oldest houses stand near downtown and Arizona State University, where Maple-Ash has bungalows and cottages built in the early 1900s. The middle of the city filled with ranch homes during the 1950s and 1960s. Development then moved south of US 60 through the 1970s and 1980s, producing the larger homes and planned neighborhoods of south Tempe, including Warner Ranch.

Size is the defining trait of bathrooms here. In the ranch homes of central Tempe, the hall bath holds a tub, toilet and a vanity barely wide enough for one sink. The second bath, off the main bedroom, often has just a narrow shower. South Tempe houses are roomier but still predate the era of oversized primary suites. Every inch counts in a remodel, so choices like a pocket door, a wall-hung vanity or a recessed cabinet matter more than they would elsewhere.

Tempe is incorporated, and the city's community development department handles building permits. Expect a permit to be required if the project relocates fixtures, runs new wiring or opens structural walls. Swapping finishes and fixtures where they already sit is often exempt. The city's answer for the specific scope is obtained before the job is scheduled. Tempe also designates historic properties and districts, mostly in its older core, and exterior changes there can be subject to review. South Tempe subdivisions commonly have associations, though many central neighborhoods have none.