How Long Does It Take To Renovate A Bathroom? Here Are The Phases And Time Frame
How long does it take to renovate a bathroom? You may ask yourself before getting started with your bathroom reno project. Considering that a bathroom has an extensive scope of work, it is pretty challenging to have the exact timeframe to get the work done.
Since a bathroom is one of the essential rooms for every household, you’d want it done as soon as possible to allow for a resumption of routine activities. But, if you have many bathrooms in your house and just upgrade one, there would be no need for speedy operations.
While bathroom remodeling on Television programs seems to progress faster, it could be a bit slower off the screens since it greatly focuses on the actual renovation work, ignoring the time taken for other non-tangible steps.
Reality TV shows try to keep the reno time as short as possible to keep your attention and the program less boring. Additionally, the projects are planned, and when it comes to execution of the real groundwork, they employ a large workforce to get the project completed at a terrific speed.
After all, there’s no way you could sit comfortably in a real renovation session without taking weeks to months and even getting bored along the way.
According to bathroom remodeling experts, a complete small bathroom could take about 3 to 7 weeks to get everything done—from plumbing to final cosmetic finish. Sometimes, your project could go beyond this range, depending on many factors.
How Long Does It Take To Renovate A Bathroom? Here Are 3 Main Factors to Consider for An Accurate Timeframe
Planning for a successful bathroom renovation project can be an annoying undertaking. Very few bathroom reno projects go according to plan, even with your best planning efforts. But, it’s crucial to know what could be the determinant for accurate determinants.
Below are some of the factors to consider when working on your renovation timeline.
- The scope of your project: Do you want to schedule a strip-to-the- studs and start rebuilding afresh, or just want to schedule a cosmetic rework. If you opt to tear everything down and start rebuilding the bathroom afresh, it will take a couple of weeks ton a few months. However, for cosmetic work only, it could take a few days to weeks. As such, it would help if you could decide on what the entire project will entail.
- How do you intend to get the work done: Do you want to do the project yourself, hire individual subcontractors, or get the work done by a general renovation company? The way you choose will solely depend on your budget and the urgency of the project. Ideally, hiring a reputable general renovation contractor is the best way to go if you want the project done within the shortest time possible.
If you choose to work with different individual subcontractors (carpenters, plumbers, interior designers, and electricians), you might end up spending each day supervising and overseeing what has been done. And to some existence, you might have some of the preventable headaches and overboard costs. How about doing the work yourself? Well, you could be headed to the longest project timeframe ever.
According to experts, doing the work by yourself during your free time could spread the project over several months, sometimes up to one year. Smart Remodeling LLC has a team of highly specialized staff and subcontractors who can get your renovation project done within the shortest time possible while guaranteeing the best quality outcome.
- Material availability: Material availability can greatly affect the completion time for the project. If you have all the materials available locally, this would not significantly impact your project’s lifetime. However, if you’re waiting for some special items from abroad, your project will lag behind a little bit. Therefore, planning your project early enough could allow the materials to be collected on time and have the project done very fast.
With that in mind, it’s pretty much easier to have a ball-park project timeline when working with a general contractor. If there are no breaks during the project execution, you can expect a small kitchen to take slightly beyond one month to be fully renovated.
Pro tip takeaway: Always work on a feasible project plan and collect the materials in advance for a seamless project progression.
Want To Enjoy A Seamless Bathroom Renovation Project? Plan for Contingencies
Most renovation project plans assume an ideal world where no mishap occurs. The timetable also assumes the project will be done in a perfect world where everything goes according to a predetermined schedule. But is that what happens in a real-world scenario? Probably not!
Practically, any renovation or remodeling project is most likely to face some unforeseen challenges. Such challenges may be due to a worker falling sick during the working days, technical failure, logistical delays, and delays in signing the project permit, among others. Making some changes to your initial project plan can shift the project into an entirely new schedule.
Additionally, some contingencies can cripple not only your project’s life but also your planned budget.
Pro tip takeaway: Add some time to your project schedule to cover any contingency that’s schedule-altering. Also, extend your planned budget by about 10-15% to cover unforeseen costs.
How Long Does It Take To Renovate a Bathroom? Phases and Estimated Timeframe
Are you still wondering, “How long does it take to renovate a bathroom?” You needn’t worry. Below is a breakdown of your project phases and the estimated amount of time each phase will require.
|
Renovation Task |
Estimated Time |
What To Note |
|
Demolition |
2-5 days |
When planning for a bathroom renovation, your space and the material used building it is the first step in a renovation. This will give an idea of the timing and the extent of demolition. Sheeted walls and timber studs are pretty quick to work on. During this phase, the installation of structural beams and new windows takes place. |
|
Plumbing Rough-ins |
1-4 days |
Electricians and plumbers can do their rough-in on the floor and the walls with the bathroom’s bare structure. |
|
Rough Carpentry |
2-3 days |
This phase is optional. If your existing bathroom structure is in good condition, you won’t need rough carpentry. |
|
Tiling preparations |
1-3 days |
Your choice of tiles should depend on the size and straightness of the wall. Larger tiles are great for larger spaces and straighter walls. During this phase, doors, windows, and wall niches are installed. They installed cement slab should be ready before getting to the waterproofing stage. |
|
Sheeting |
1-2 days |
After tiling preparations, the space is now ready for wall and ceiling sheeting. |
|
Waterproofing |
2-4 days |
The next step after sheets installation is waterproofing the room. A waterproofer comes and does the job as required. Waterproofing ensures your bathroom stays watertight for many long into the future. |
|
Tiling |
5-7 days |
From setting out, cutting, and installing on the floor and walls. With that done, you can get the shower screen measured and fabricated. |
|
Tile finishing |
1-3 days |
With your bathroom floor and wall tiles installed, the next thing is getting the critical joints grouted and silicone. |
|
Trim Addition and painting |
1-2 days |
After tile finishing, it’s time to add trims around the doors and windows as the painter follows the paint. |
|
Plumbing fit off |
1-2 days |
After the rough plumbing ins are done, the next thing is installing other plumbing elements and connecting them all up. |
|
Electrical Fit off |
1-2 days |
Just like the plumbing, electrical rough-in is already in place. So, the electrician is back to installing switches, light fittings, fans, and a heated towel ladder. |
|
Accessories |
1-2 days |
During this phase, your bathroom accessories are installed. Some of the accessories include a hand towel rail, toilet paper holder, and robe hook. Once your bathroom looks sparky, it’s now ready for your household use. |
The above schedule represents a fixed timeframe with no gaps for holidays and other delays or any other inconveniences that might arise during your project. While the table above shows the estimated timeline for every work, they are just estimates. The actual time range could be less than the estimated time range or go beyond.
Also, this table does not include the pre-construction and post constructions processes. According to experts, the pre-construction process could take between 3 to 6 weeks, or even more.
Therefore, proper planning in advance can help determine a more feasible timeframe based on your project. At Smart Remodeling LLC, we can help you work on a more precise and practical timeframe for your bathroom renovation project. If you’re still wondering how long it takes to renovate a bathroom, we have a more accurate answer for you.
Start Your Project Today
Are you contemplating a bathroom remodel project and have no idea where to start, or perhaps what to begin with? At Smart Remodeling LLC, we’ve got all your needs covered. With our experienced team of remodeling and renovation experts, we deliver satisfactory services within the shortest time possible.
Schedule for a free in-home consultation today and get the most accurate project timeframe.
