Wednesday, Jul 13, 2011

This is the kind of remodeling project we love to be a part of. Our team was contacted by this client to do one thing, bring their master bathroom into the modern ages. This was not an easy task to accomplish. This bathroom was built with the house originally in the mid 1970's. It featured styling and materials typical of the period which included a tub with a very basic white tile surround, vinyl floors and counter-tops, two vanity lights and outdated cabinetry.

Our client had a vision of a spa like bathroom that featured a walk in shower that included a bench, along with a wall niche and soap dish. We met several times with this client to discuss what had to be done, we also designed three dimensional renderings so the client would actually be able to see what their new bathroom would look like.

Because the existing bathroom was so outdated, and the materials were also not up to modern standards, we decided it would be best to start from scratch. Demolition began soon after. We removed everything from the bathroom, until only the wall studs and roof trusses remained. We then began to create a one of a kind bathroom for our client.

The first step was to improve the overall layout of the bathroom itself. This long and narrow bathroom had a wall that separated the commode from the rest of the bathroom, we removed this wall and converted it into a column. The column on the adjacent side was then extended in expand the size of the shower. The next step was to address the lack of lighting. We decided to install five air tight recessed can lights, one flush mount ceiling light with a heater along with two new vanity lights. We also converted all of the wall outlets to modern age GFI plugs and relocated them to the clients specifications.

Sound was also an issue with this bathroom. The original interior walls were not insulated or sound proofed, we installed sound proof foam as well as insulation to fix this problem. We also installed newer more efficient insulation in all of the exterior walls as well as in the attic space.
Once we had all of the electrical work, framing and plumbing completed we began work on the shower. The first step was to relocate the old drain from the tub into what would be the center of our new shower. Once this was completed we began to work on creating the shower walls. All of the existing walls were treated to make them mold, mildew and insect resistant. We installed reinforcements into the walls that will allow the client to add grab bars if needed at a later date. We covered all walls with a water proofing membrane and then shielded them in 1/2" cement board. We built the shower pan sloped towards the drain and also included a water proofing membrane that allows trapped water to exit through the drain via weep holes. Water proofing and tile followed soon after.

The client chose true white cabinetry accompanied by dark granite countertops and travertine floors. This complimented the slate styled tile they chose to use in the shower area. We also installed crown molding along with new doors for the closet.

This project was truly from the ground up and we are happy to say that the client is very satisfied, as are we with the finished product.

If you live in the Tallahassee area and would like help with your next bathroom remodeling project, please call our offices for a free consultation.