BATHROOM REMODELING CONTRACTORS IN ST. PETERSBURG
Full bathroom remodels and cosmetic refreshes built by our in-house carpenters on Time & Materials. From Old Northeast bungalows to downtown condos — we handle the cast iron, the permits, and everything behind the walls.
Living With This?
Your Bathroom Makes You Cringe Every Morning
Peeling paint, dated tile, a vanity that's falling apart. You use this room every day — and you hate it every time.
You've Heard the Horror Stories
Tile falling off the wall. Water behind the drywall. A contractor who disappeared mid-job. You don't want to be the next horror story.
You Have No Idea What It Should Cost
Every website gives a different number. Every contractor quotes differently. Nobody will give you a straight answer.
You're Afraid of What's Behind the Walls
In a house this old, nobody knows what's behind the tile. Cast iron plumbing, outdated wiring, decades of patch jobs. The unknown is what keeps you from starting.
Our Bathroom Remodel Process
Project Phases
Consultation
Scope assessment, plumbing evaluation, camera scope for pre-1970s homes
1-3 weeks
Design
Layout, tile/fixture selections, ADA considerations, budget conversation
Varies
Pre-Construction
Sub bids finalized, lead times confirmed, 75% of line items locked as fixed-price
3-5 weeks
Permitting
Plumbing & electrical permits, shower pan inspection step
3-5 weeks
Construction
8-phase build sequence from demo through final fixtures
4 wks - several mos
Plumbing complexity drives the timeline more than any other factor.
8-Phase Construction Sequence
Demolition
Remove existing fixtures and finishes
Framing
Structural changes if layout is modified
Rough-In
Behind-the-wall plumbing and electrical
Schluter Waterproofing
Lifetime-warranty membrane system
Tile
Floors and shower walls
Glass
Shower doors installed
Vanities
Cabinetry and countertop installation
Paint & Fixtures
Wall finishes, plumbing fixtures, accessories
Before
After
Lock Tile Selections During Permitting
Tile needs to be on-site before construction starts — it's a short project window. Tile suppliers are notorious for underestimating delivery times. Finalizing selections during the permitting phase (while you're already waiting on the city) also locks your material costs on the budget.
Single-Bathroom Homes
If your only bathroom is being remodeled, you won't want to stay in the house. We provide porta potties for our crew, but clients without a second bathroom to use won't want to stick around.
What Your Bathroom Remodel Will Actually Cost
5x7 Facelift
$20K–$30K
New tile, tub replacement, box vanity, standard fixtures. Existing layout stays the same, plumbing doesn't move.
Master Bathroom
$40K–$70K
Full gut, layout optimization, walk-in shower with Schluter waterproofing, custom or semi-custom cabinetry. The most common scope in St. Pete.
New Bathroom / Luxury
$75K–$100K+
Adding a bathroom where none exists, or luxury features — Roman tubs, heated tile floors, body jets, fogged glass, custom millwork.
Cost by Bathroom Type
| Bathroom Type | Typical Size | Cosmetic Refresh | Full Remodel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powder Room (half bath) | 3x5–4x5 | $8K–$15K | $15K–$25K |
| 5x7 Hall Bath | 5x7 | $20K–$28K | $30K–$45K |
| 5x8 Guest Bath | 5x8 | $22K–$32K | $35K–$55K |
| Master Bathroom | 8x10+ | $30K–$45K | $45K–$80K |
| Wet Room / Curbless Spa | varies | N/A | $70K–$120K |
| New Bathroom (built where none existed) | varies | N/A | $75K–$95K |
Where the Money Goes
Component breakdown as a percentage of project budget on a typical $50K mid-range bathroom remodel:
- Tile + waterproofing: 18–25%
- Plumbing rough + fixtures: 15–20%
- Cabinetry + countertops: 12–18%
- Labor (non-specialty): 20–28%
- Electrical + lighting: 6–10%
- Permits + inspection fees: 2–4%
- Glass, mirrors, accessories: 4–8%
- Demo + disposal: 3–6%
Tile and labor together are almost half of a mid-range bathroom. Selections drive the tile number, and the complexity of the plumbing drives the labor number. Both are knowable before the job starts — and on T&M they stay visible every week. See our full St. Pete bathroom cost breakdown for line-item examples.
How We Price This
The model is Time & Materials with a 30% markup, stated openly. You see every invoice for every material and every hour of labor. You get weekly budget reports showing exactly where your money went.
When demolition goes faster than estimated, you save money — the opposite of a fixed bid where the contractor pockets the difference. When a surprise hits (like bad cast iron), you see the real cost immediately rather than discovering it was buried in an inflated estimate.
“In a 100-year-old house, we know that there have been four generations of grandpas and dads doing their DIY bullshit work — things we can't see until we really are doing some destructive demo.” — Jeremy
“It's not that we're asking you to spend more money. We tailor the scope to accomplish your highest priorities while fitting our cost of doing business.” — Jeremy, Revolution Founders
Working with a smaller space? See our 5x8 bathroom remodel ideas for layouts that maximize every square foot. Planning your first remodel? Start with our bathroom remodel checklist.
For neighborhood-specific pricing — including flood zone premiums and historic district considerations — see our St. Petersburg bathroom remodel guide.
Ready to Get Real Numbers for Your Bathroom?
Get a detailed estimate based on your actual bathroom, your selections, and your St. Petersburg home's construction.
The St. Pete Factor
National cost guides miss everything that makes St. Petersburg bathrooms different. Here's what actually matters in this market:
Cast iron drain stacks. In Old Northeast, Historic Kenwood, Snell Isle, Euclid–St. Paul's, and most pre-1970 St. Pete neighborhoods, homes were built with cast iron drains. Cast iron corrodes from the inside out — it can look solid from the outside and be nearly closed on the inside. We camera-scope the stack before demo starts on any older home. It's a $200–$300 investment that prevents a $20,000 surprise.
Galvanized supply lines. Same era, same problem. Galvanized pipes choke with mineral buildup. Water pressure drops. Eventually they leak at the threads. If we're already in the walls, it's the time to replace them with PEX or copper — not a year after the remodel is finished.
Plaster walls. Old St. Pete homes weren't built with drywall. They were built with plaster over wood lath. Plaster is harder to repair, harder to cut cleanly, and denser to demolish. If your bathroom still has original plaster, expect the demo phase to take longer and the framing prep to involve more work than a modern drywall build.
Vintage tile and hazmat. Pre-1980 bathrooms sometimes have asbestos-backed vinyl flooring or lead paint under the current finishes. If the test comes back positive, abatement has to happen before demo can proceed. It's manageable — we've done it many times — but it's a line item that needs to be budgeted.
Slab-on-grade foundations. Most St. Pete ranches and mid-century homes sit directly on a concrete slab. Moving a drain means cutting the slab, trenching for new pipe, and pouring new concrete. Homes on crawl space (common in Old Northeast bungalows) are easier — you work from underneath. See our historic home renovation in Old Northeast work for context.
Flood zone bathrooms. If your home is in a FEMA AE flood zone (much of Shore Acres, Snell Isle, parts of the barrier islands), and your renovation crosses the 50% substantial improvement threshold, FEMA rules start affecting what you can and can't do with ground-floor plumbing. We've built in every flood zone in Pinellas. We know what FEMA wants and what gets a project flagged — see our FEMA flood zone construction work.
Bathroom Remodel by Home Type
Every St. Pete house presents a different bathroom problem. A 1920s bungalow is not a 1980s ranch, and neither is a downtown condo. Here's what actually matters by home type.
Pre-1980 St. Pete Homes (Bungalows, Historic Kenwood, Old Northeast)
Cast iron drains, galvanized supply lines, plaster walls over wood lath, and original 5x7 footprints — often the only bathroom in the house. We camera-scope the stack before quoting because cast iron looks solid from the outside and can be nearly closed on the inside. Knob-and-tube wiring and 60-amp fuse panels show up during demo more often than homeowners expect. Read our deep dive on cast iron plumbing in older homes, or see how we approach historic home renovation in Old Northeast.
Mid-Century and Ranch Homes (1950s–1980s)
Slab-on-grade foundations mean any drain relocation requires cutting concrete, trenching for new pipe, and re-pouring. Galvanized supply has often already been replaced, but original pink, blue, or green tile is everywhere. Most still run on 1970s electrical panels. The upside: two-bathroom layouts are typical, so the household can keep functioning during construction. See how we handle whole-home remodels on St. Pete ranches.
Downtown Condos and High-Rises
HOA approval comes before the city permit — and the building approval is usually longer than the permit. Elevator reservations, noise windows, and water shutoff coordination all get scheduled with building management before demo. The slab is shared with the unit below, so any drain change requires structural review. Waterproofing is non-negotiable because a leak affects other owners. We've done 30+ high-rise bathroom projects. Walk through the HOA approval process or see our downtown condo remodel hub.
Waterfront and Flood Zone Homes (Shore Acres, Snell Isle, Tierra Verde, Bahama Shores)
The FEMA substantial improvement rule changes what you can and can't do once a renovation crosses 50% of structure value. Ground-floor bathrooms in AE flood zones have different rules than upper-floor bathrooms — mechanicals get elevated, finishes have to be flood-resistant. We've built post-storm and pre-storm in every flood zone in Pinellas. See how this plays out in Shore Acres and Snell Isle, or read our FEMA flood zone construction overview.
Commercial and ADA Bathrooms
Different code, different inspection sequence, different accessibility requirements. Maneuvering clearances, grab bar placement, lavatory knee space, and door hardware all have to meet ADA specs that residential bathrooms don't face. See our commercial general contracting work, or read our breakdown of commercial and ADA bathroom remodel costs.
Why a General Contractor Beats a Bathroom Showroom
Showrooms sell fixtures and tile. General contractors build bathrooms. They're different businesses with different risk tolerances — and the difference matters most when something unexpected happens behind the wall.
A bathroom touches every system in your house: plumbing, electrical, structural framing, waterproofing, and HVAC for the exhaust. Showroom installation crews are tile-and-fixture specialists. When the wall opens and there's cast iron rotted at the closet flange, a load-bearing surprise, or framing damaged by a slow leak, the project stops while they figure out who to call.
Revolution's in-house carpenters do the framing, the waterproofing, the tile setting, the glass install, and the trim. No rotating subs. No “we'll have to call our plumber and get back to you.” The crew that started your bathroom is the crew that finishes it.
Permit accountability matters too. Showroom installers often pull under the homeowner's name — which means the homeowner carries the inspection risk if anything fails. Revolution pulls under Revolution's contractor license. We carry the risk.
And when something needs attention in month 6 or year 2, you have a single point of accountability. The carpenter who installed your Schluter membrane still works here. We don't hand you a phone tree of subs and warranty disclaimers. See how we approach whole-home remodels the same way.
If your bathroom remodel is a same-footprint tile-and-vanity swap, a showroom installer might be fine. If it's anything more — layout change, plumbing move, older home, condo, flood zone — you need a GC.
Permits for Bathroom Remodels in St. Petersburg
This is the section most contractors skip. Here's the full picture.
When You Need a Permit
You need a permit for any bathroom work that touches:
- Plumbing. Moving supply lines. Relocating a drain. Adding a new fixture. Replacing a water heater. Replacing a shower valve if the wall is being opened.
- Electrical. Adding circuits. New GFCI outlets in new locations. Dedicated circuits for heated floors. Recessed lighting that didn't exist before. Upgrading or relocating the exhaust fan with new wiring.
- Structural changes. Removing a wall (load-bearing or not — the city still wants to see it). Enlarging a doorway. Expanding the bathroom footprint. Moving a window.
- Window or exterior door changes. Any change to an exterior opening.
When You Don't Need a Permit
You don't need a permit for purely cosmetic work:
- Replacing tile on existing surfaces
- Swapping a vanity in the same footprint
- Replacing a toilet in the same location
- Changing out a faucet, showerhead, or trim kit
- Repainting
- Replacing flooring over the existing subfloor
- Swapping a light fixture in an existing electrical box
The line is: if the pipe, wire, or framing doesn't change, you usually don't need a permit. If any of those change, you do.
The Gotchas (What Trips People Up)
- “Like-for-like” tub-to-shower conversions still trigger a permit. Even if the drain stays in the same spot, the shower pan, waterproofing, and valve replacement are considered plumbing work. Pinellas wants eyes on it.
- Moving a toilet two inches is still moving a toilet. Any drain relocation, no matter how small, is permitted work.
- Adding a new GFCI outlet to a bathroom without one is new electrical. Old bathrooms often have one ungrounded outlet (or none). Adding code-compliant GFCIs is a permit item.
- Upgrading the exhaust fan with new ducting or new wiring is permitted work. Like-for-like fan swaps using the existing wire and duct are usually not.
- HOAs can require their own approvals in addition to the city permit. Downtown condos especially. The HOA review happens before the city permit, and it can take longer. See our downtown condo remodels work.
- Flood zone homes have extra review. If your bathroom project crosses substantial improvement thresholds in an AE zone, expect flood plain review in addition to the standard building permit.
The Inspection Sequence
On a full remodel, expect this sequence:
- Rough plumbing inspection — After new drains and supply lines are set, before walls are closed. Inspector checks pipe slope, venting, fittings, and pressure test.
- Rough electrical inspection — After new wiring is pulled, before drywall. Inspector checks box fill, GFCI locations, grounding, and circuit layout.
- Framing inspection — If structural changes were made. Inspector checks headers, blocking, and any new wall construction.
- Insulation inspection — If insulation was added in exterior walls.
- Drywall/closeup — After all rough inspections pass, walls get closed.
- Final inspection — After all finishes are installed. Inspector checks fixture installation, GFCIs, exhaust fan operation, permanent connections, and overall code compliance.
Each inspection is scheduled separately. Missing one means the next trade can't proceed.
Permit Timeline
St. Pete permits are legally supposed to be same-day for minor work. In practice, plan on 3 to 5 weeks from application to issued permit for a full bathroom remodel. Plumbing-only permits are faster — usually 1 to 2 weeks. HOA approvals on top of that can add another 2 to 4 weeks for condos. We build this into every schedule and start the permit application before demo starts. See the Pinellas County building permit portal for current intake status.
Permit Costs
Permit fees in Pinellas County for a standard bathroom remodel typically run $500 to $1,500 depending on scope. Plumbing permit is separate from electrical. If structural work is involved, add a building permit fee. These costs are part of your project budget, not an extra. The St. Petersburg building department publishes current fee schedules.
What Happens If You Skip the Permit
Unpermitted work shows up in three places, eventually: at closing when you sell the house, during a homeowner's insurance claim, and during any future permitted work that requires historical compliance. The cheapest time to pull a permit is at the start of the job. The most expensive time is three years later when a buyer's inspector flags the bathroom and you have to open the walls again to prove the work was done to code.
Permits shouldn't be the reason a project stalls.
We handle the application, the inspections, and the timing. Call (727) 888-6161.
Call (727) 888-6161Trends Worth Considering
Worth the investment
- Curbless showers. A single-plane floor between the bathroom and the shower. Cleaner look, easier to clean, aging-in-place bathroom design ready. Works best in new framing or slab-cut remodels where the drain can be lowered.
- Large-format tile. 12x24 or larger on walls cuts grout lines dramatically. Faster to install on straight walls, looks modern, reads as luxury.
- Natural stone for accent walls and niches. Marble slab and quartzite wet walls look better in person than any engineered alternative. Sealed properly, they hold up.
- Heated tile floors. Electric radiant mats under the tile. Modest cost add ($800–$2,500 depending on size), huge quality-of-life upgrade in the morning.
- Dedicated linen and vanity storage built in. Custom millwork in the walls rather than freestanding furniture. Makes a small bathroom feel bigger.
Think twice
- Body jet systems with digital controls. Overcomplicated. Expensive. More things to break. The single best showerhead from a reputable brand will serve you longer.
- Freestanding soaker tubs in small bathrooms. They look great in magazines. They eat floor space. If you're not actually going to use the tub, a larger walk-in shower is the better call.
- Trendy colors on permanent finishes. Navy vanities and sage green tile are having a moment. Permanent finishes should outlast trends — keep the color in paint, art, and textiles.
- Smart mirrors and shower speakers built into the wall. Nice until the electronics fail in five years and the wall has to come apart to replace them.
Deeper Dives
Each guide goes deeper than we can on this page — real costs, real decisions, real St. Pete projects.
Remodel or Refresh?
A cosmetic refresh (paint, hardware, fixtures) runs $5K–$15K. A full remodel starts at $20K. Here’s how to decide which scope fits your bathroom and your budget.
Compare your options
10-Point Remodel Checklist
Scope your cast iron, lock tile selections during permitting, and budget for the surprises behind the walls. Ten steps to avoid the most common bathroom remodel mistakes.
Get the checklist
Small Bathroom, Big Impact
Most St. Pete bungalows have 5x7 or 5x8 bathrooms. Smart layout changes, floating vanities, and frameless glass can make a compact bathroom feel twice the size.
Small bathroom ideas
What a Bathroom Actually Costs in St. Pete
Line-item breakdowns from real St. Petersburg projects — tile, plumbing, cabinetry, labor, permits. What drives the number up, and what you can control before construction starts.
See real St. Pete costs
Commercial & ADA Bathroom Remodels
Maneuvering clearances, grab bar specs, knee space, hardware — what ADA actually requires, and what commercial bathroom remodels cost compared to residential.
ADA + commercial guideWHY CHOOSE REVOLUTION FOR YOUR BATHROOM
What makes us different from other bathroom remodel contractors in St. Petersburg.
20+ IN-HOUSE CARPENTERS
Tile work, Schluter waterproofing, and finish carpentry are done by W-2 employees, not rotating subcontractors. You know who’s in your home every day. Your bathroom doesn’t sit waiting for a sub to show up.
OPEN-BOOK T&M PRICING
30% markup stated upfront. Weekly budget reports. 75% of line items locked as fixed-price before construction starts, giving you 90-95% budget certainty. When demo goes faster than estimated, you save the difference.
SCHLUTER WATERPROOFING
The most critical system in your bathroom, installed by Revolution’s own crews. Not subbed out, not cut corners. A lifetime warranty that actually means something because the people who installed it work here permanently.
ST. PETE CAST IRON EXPERTISE
Your pipes get scoped before quoting. Your project benefits from experience navigating 1920s-1970s plumbing stacks and Pinellas County building departments — bathrooms in Old Northeast bungalows, Snell Isle waterfront homes, Shore Acres ranches, and downtown condos.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in St. Petersburg?
A cosmetic refresh on a standard 5x7 bathroom runs $20,000 to $30,000. A mid-range master bath remodel with layout changes, new tile, a custom shower build, and upgraded fixtures lands between $40,000 and $70,000. Luxury builds with heated floors, frameless glass, and premium stone start around $100,000. Building a brand-new bathroom where none existed runs $75,000 to $90,000 because every system has to be pulled from scratch.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
A cosmetic refresh takes 4 to 6 weeks of construction. A full remodel with layout changes takes 8 to 14 weeks. Major renovations with drain relocation, framing changes, or flood zone review can run 16 to 20+ weeks. Add 3 to 5 weeks of permitting before construction begins for any project that touches plumbing or electrical.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in St. Pete?
Yes, for any work that touches plumbing, electrical, or framing. Cosmetic work — tile replacement, vanity swap in the same footprint, fixture trim-outs, paint, flooring over existing subfloor — usually does not need a permit. But tub-to-shower conversions, moving any drain, adding GFCI outlets, or upgrading the exhaust fan with new wiring all trigger a permit. Permit fees run $500 to $1,500 and the timeline is 3 to 5 weeks for a full remodel.
What's the difference between a refresh and a full remodel?
A refresh keeps the existing layout, plumbing, and framing. You're replacing tile, vanity, fixtures, and paint. A remodel changes the structure — walls come down, drains move, framing changes, everything is rebuilt. The price roughly doubles between the two because you're touching every system in the room, not just the finished surfaces.
Can we live in the house during a bathroom remodel?
Yes, if you have more than one bathroom. You'll lean heavily on the remaining bath, but the household keeps functioning. If the bathroom being remodeled is your only one, plan on staying somewhere else for the duration. We talk about this on day one.
What causes bathroom remodel budgets to go over?
Three things. Hidden plumbing conditions — cast iron drains, galvanized supply lines, rotted framing behind old shower pans — add cost once demo exposes them. Design changes after rough-in is set cost thousands to backtrack because slab and framing work have to be redone. And selection delays (especially tile) stall the job when the material isn't on site when the tile setter arrives.
How does Revolution's Time & Materials pricing work for bathrooms?
We price every cost we can identify during pre-construction. Subs give committed bids on rough work. Finishes and fixtures are priced as selections get made. By the time construction starts, 90 to 95% of the budget is known. You see every invoice and get a weekly budget report. You pay for what the work actually costs — not a padded fixed bid.
Do you handle historic district bathrooms in Old Northeast?
Yes. Historic district review applies mostly to exterior changes, so most bathroom remodels don't trigger review board approval. Where historic review matters: if the bathroom project changes a window, moves an exterior door, or affects the roofline for a new vent stack. We handle the review board submittal when it's needed. See our historic home renovation work for more on Old Northeast and Kenwood projects.
Can you build an ADA or aging-in-place bathroom?
Yes. Curbless showers, grab bar blocking built into the walls during framing, lever-handle fixtures, taller toilets (comfort-height or ADA-height), wider doorways, non-slip tile, and wheelchair-accessible vanities are all standard options. Planning these at the framing stage costs far less than retrofitting later — especially the grab bar blocking, which has to go in before drywall. See our aging-in-place hub and our commercial/ADA bathroom guide for full detail.
What about condo bathrooms downtown?
Downtown condo bathrooms add HOA approval, elevator reservations, strict work hours, and sound and water containment rules. The building approval process is usually longer than the permit process. We've done 30+ high-rise bathroom projects and know how to coordinate with building management so your project actually starts on time. See our downtown condo remodel hub for the full process.
WHAT OUR BATHROOM CLIENTS SAY
Real reviews from St. Petersburg homeowners who trusted Revolution with their bathroom remodel.
"The easiest, most stress free renovation I have experienced."
"5-star hotel quality bathroom. Thad was straightforward, responsive to inquiries, and always pleasant."
"Caleb has become like family. We would give 10 stars and are already planning our third project."
SMALL JOBS. BIG STANDARDS.
Too Big for a Handyman. Too Small for Most Contractors.
Licensed carpenters for the repairs and small projects that are too important to trust to an unlicensed handyman. Same crew, same standards, smaller scope.
Guides & Resources
BathroomBathroom Remodel Cost in St. Petersburg (2026 Guide)
Real cost ranges by bathroom type, line-item breakdowns from St. Pete projects, and what drives the number up.
Read Guide →
Bathroom10 Bathroom Remodel Checklist to Avoid Costly Mistakes
A step-by-step checklist covering layout, materials, and contractor coordination so nothing gets missed.
Read Guide →
Bathroom5x8 Bathroom Remodel Ideas
Smart layouts and design tricks that make a standard 5x8 bathroom feel twice as big.
Read Guide →
BathroomBathroom Remodel vs. Refresh: Which Do You Need?
When a cosmetic update is enough and when you need to tear it down to the studs.
Read Guide →
CommercialCommercial Bathroom Remodel: ADA Compliance, Costs & What Triggers It
ADA specs, real cost ranges, the 20% path-of-travel rule, and two federal tax incentives for commercial bathroom remodels in St. Petersburg.
Read Guide →
