How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take in Phoenix?
A few weeks on site once demo starts, and what sets the pace before and after that.
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A typical bathroom remodel takes a few weeks of work on site once demo starts. The weeks before demo depend mostly on one thing: whether the job needs a permit.
Before demo: materials and the permit
Most of the materials can be picked in one day at a showroom that carries tile, vanities and fixtures in one place. Having everything chosen and on site before demo is the best way to keep the job from stopping halfway.
If plumbing or electrical is changing, the job needs a permit, and the permit usually sets the start date. Two weeks is the fastest we've seen. About a month is typical, and bigger jobs can take longer. The application goes in right away, while you're picking materials, so the two happen at the same time.
The order of the work
Once demo starts, a bathroom goes in this order:
- Demo. The old tile, tub or shower, vanity and toilet come out.
- Plumbing and electrical. Pipes, drains and wiring get moved or replaced while the walls are open.
- Inspection. If there's a permit, the inspector checks that work before the walls close.
- Waterproofing. Backer board and a waterproof membrane go on in the shower. This takes a few days, because the membrane has to cure before tile goes over it.
- Tile. Floor and shower walls, the longest stage.
- Finish. The vanity, toilet, fixtures and glass go in at the end. The glass is measured after the tile is set.
What makes it take longer
- Moving the drain. The drain lines sit in the concrete slab. Moving one means cutting concrete, and post-tension slabs have to be scanned before anyone cuts.
- Damage behind the walls. Rot or mold behind old shower tile has to be fixed before new work covers it.
- Waiting on inspections. Each inspection has to pass before the next stage can start.
- Special-order items. A vanity or tile that has to be ordered can hold up the job if it isn't on site before demo.
- Changes mid-job. Moving a fixture after the plumbing is roughed in means redoing that work.
Summer work
Arizona law lets permitted construction start as early as 5 a.m. in summer, even where city noise rules say later. HOA rules can still set their own hours, so it's worth checking yours before the job starts.
If it's your only bathroom
Plan for it being out of use for most of the job. The toilet is usually the last thing reset, near the end of the job.
Questions
- Can a bathroom remodel be done faster?
- Sometimes. Keeping the plumbing where it is and having every material on site before demo are the two things that help most. The waterproofing cure time can't be skipped.
- Why does the waterproofing take so long?
- The membrane has to fully cure before tile goes on it. Tiling over it too soon is how showers end up leaking a few years later.
- When does the clock start?
- At demo. The time before that is for picking materials and, if needed, getting the permit.
Related pages
Bathroom remodeling
Full bathroom remodels by a licensed Class B contractor. Levi runs the job from demo to the last fixture.
Bathroom remodel permits by city
What needs a permit, what doesn't, and each Valley city's rules.
Tub-to-shower conversion
Swapping a tub nobody uses for a walk-in shower, and what it takes on a slab.
Thinking about a bathroom?
Send a few photos and tell us what's bothering you. We usually reply within minutes, and always within 24 hours.