BATHROOM REMODEL
Turn your dated, cramped bathroom into a personal retreat built around how you actually live. Expert tile work, superior waterproofing, and thoughtful design for St. Petersburg bathrooms.
Signs You Need a Bathroom Remodel
Cosmetic Deterioration
The bathroom is so old and dated that it drives you crazy every time you look at it. Crappy tile, delaminating cabinetry, peeling paint with smears.
Waterproofing Failure
When water gets under tile and adhesives break down, tiles start failing. Leaks inside walls or failed waterproofing accelerate the death of the bathroom.
Vanity Damage
Water getting inside wood vanity cabinets causes them to blow apart—another clear sign it's time for a remodel.
Undersized Space
Many St. Pete homes have small bathrooms with not enough storage, small toilets stuffed in to fit, and tiny showers you can barely turn around in.
Our Bathroom Remodel Process
Timeline
Light Facelift
Simple tile, tub replacement, box vanity
~4 weeks
Layout Changes
Water line modifications
Several months
Fancy Features
Extra shower heads, tubs, heated floors
Several months
Plumbing drives the timeline more than any other factor.
Sequence of Work
Demolition
Remove existing fixtures and finishes
Framing
Any structural changes
Plumbing Rough-in
Water supply and drain lines
Tile Installation
Floors and shower walls
Glass
Shower doors installed
Vanities
Cabinet installation
Paint
Wall finishes
Fixtures
Final plumbing fixtures, accessories
Tile Selection Timing
We try to secure tile selections before construction starts. It's a short project, so tile needs to be on-site. Tile suppliers are notorious for underestimating delivery times, so we lock in selections during permitting. This also finalizes the material costs on the budget.
Single-Bathroom Homes
If you only have one bathroom, you're not going to stay in the house during the remodel. We rent a porta potty for our employees and subs, but clients without a bathroom to use won't want to stick around.
Bathroom Remodel Cost in St. Petersburg
5x7 Facelift
$20K–$30K
Simple tile, tub replacement, box vanity
Master Bathroom
$40K–$70K
Realistic budget for a quality master bath
High-End Master
$100K+
Roman tub, heated tile, body jets, fogged glass
Creating a new bathroom where none exists: $75,000–$80,000 because all plumbing must be pulled in.
What Drives Costs
- •Tile installation: Typically the largest cost (assuming tile floor and tile shower)
- •Cabinetry: Can be expensive in a large high-end master
- •Custom millwork: Adds up quickly
- •Slab cutting: Moving drains in concrete floors adds several thousand immediately
What Causes Overruns
- •Old plumbing: Cast iron pipes rusted from 50 years of Drano and high-pH solvents
- •Layout changes: A full gut with layout changes can cost double a simple facelift
- •Drain relocation: Cutting slabs to move drains adds several thousand
Schluter Waterproofing System
Most of our bathrooms use the Schluter system for shower waterproofing. It adds a couple thousand dollars but provides a lifetime warranty, far superior waterproofing vs. old thick membranes, and more precise tile installs in corners and floors. It's included in the tile installer's estimate.
Ready to Discuss Your Bathroom Remodel Project?
Get expert guidance and a detailed estimate for your St. Petersburg bathroom transformation.
Planning Your Bathroom Remodel
Pre-Construction Decisions
- •Budget & Contingency: Know how much you're going to spend and how much to hold in contingency—especially important in older homes.
- •Tile Size: Large-format tile requires a more perfect surface and creates more waste, making it more expensive than smaller field tile or mosaics.
- •Walk-in Shower vs. Tub: Old wisdom says keep one tub for future buyers. But however you actually use it is what you should have.
How You Use the Space
We talk to couples in a pretty personal way about bathroom usage. Some don't undress in front of each other; some walk around naked and never close a door.
How you use the bathroom matters hugely for design—do you need separate toilet rooms? Privacy? Openness? For people with a 5x7 bathroom, there's not much room to reconfigure. For people with more space, we design around actual routines.
Bathroom Trends Worth Considering
Recommended
Features you'll actually use
Focus on what brings health benefits or reduces stress in your daily routine
Kohler tubs with modern hydrotherapy
R&D has improved on old jacuzzi effects—different size bubbles, aromatherapy, light therapy. Worth it IF it fits your routine.
Utility-focused design
A bathroom should first and foremost be a study in utility—let luxury be based on budget and sensibility
Avoid
Digital shower interfaces
Ugly iPad-looking controls on beautiful walls. Plumbers think they're overcomplicated. There are so many elegant fixture designs available instead.
Steam showers (unless you'll use them)
Takes 5-6 minutes to get steam going. People expect instant steam. A waste unless it's part of your established health routine.
Freestanding tubs just for looks
Many people install them because they look cool in magazines but never use them—same as '80s jacuzzi tubs that became bacteria breeding grounds.
Planning for future buyers
Buyers laugh at fixtures you've installed for their benefit that they won't use. Planning 20 years ahead for someone else is asinine.
Permits for Bathroom Remodels in St. Petersburg
Requires a Permit
- •Plumbing changes (fixture locations, supply lines, drains)
- •Electrical work
- •Layout changes
- •Shower pan inspection (plugs and fills with water)
No Permit Needed
- •Tile work (if not disturbing plumbing or electrical)
- •Cabinetry replacement
- •Countertop replacement
- •Flooring replacement
Permit Timeline: Similar to kitchen—2-5 weeks in St. Pete.
Special Considerations
Cast Iron Plumbing in Older Homes
On any remodel of any size, cast iron usually gets replaced—the best time is now while walls are open. There's nothing wrong with cast iron in great shape (it's strong when new), but 50 years of Drano and high-pH solvents cause rust and cracking.
Camera scope is only a few hundred bucks, so we almost always get a camera down the pipes to know what we're dealing with and explain the situation to homeowners.
WHY CHOOSE REVOLUTION FOR YOUR BATHROOM
What sets us apart from other contractors in St. Petersburg.
IN-HOUSE LABOR
Our skilled craftsmen are Revolution employees, not subcontractors. This means better quality control, accountability, and a team that truly cares about your project.
T&M TRANSPARENCY
Our Time & Materials billing model means you see exactly where every dollar goes. No hidden markups, no surprises—just honest, transparent pricing.
LOCAL EXPERTISE
Deep knowledge of St. Petersburg permits, historic district requirements, and coastal building codes. We navigate local regulations so you don't have to.
TILE & WATERPROOFING
Specialized expertise in wet areas that most contractors lack. Proper waterproofing and tile installation prevent costly failures down the road.
Bathroom Remodel Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
A light facelift takes about 4 weeks. If we're changing water lines, adding extra shower heads, or installing specialty features, it can stretch to several months. Plumbing complexity drives the timeline more than anything else.
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in St. Petersburg?
A simple 5x7 facelift starts at $20,000-$25,000. A realistic budget for a master bathroom is $40,000-$70,000. Creating a bathroom where none exists runs $75,000-$80,000 because all plumbing must be pulled in. High-end masters with heated tile, body jets, and luxury fixtures can reach six figures.
Can I stay in my home during a bathroom remodel?
If you have multiple bathrooms, yes. If it's your only bathroom, typically no—you won't want to stick around without a working bathroom. We provide porta potties for our crew, but that's not ideal for living.
What permits do I need for a bathroom remodel?
Plumbing and electrical require permits. You'll also need a shower pan inspection where we plug and fill the pan with water to test for leaks. Pure tile work, cabinetry, and countertops without plumbing/electrical changes don't require permits.
What causes bathroom remodel budgets to go over?
The biggest surprise is usually old plumbing—cast iron pipes that have rusted over 50 years of Drano use. Cutting concrete slab floors to relocate drains adds several thousand immediately. A full gut with layout changes can cost double a simple facelift.
Should I choose a walk-in shower or keep the tub?
Old wisdom says keep at least one tub in the house for resale. But my recommendation: however you actually use it is what you should have. If you never take baths and there's another tub in the house, a walk-in shower makes sense. Don't install a freestanding tub just because it looks cool in magazines if you'll never use it.
What waterproofing system do you use?
Most of our bathrooms use the Schluter system. It adds a couple thousand dollars but provides a lifetime warranty and far superior waterproofing compared to old thick membranes. It's a higher-end solution that allows for more precise tile installs.
Why is bathroom remodeling so expensive per square foot?
There's no part of a bathroom that's simple. It's all tiled, cabinetry, plumbing, lighting, multiple switches, HVAC vent fans in the ceiling. A bathroom has every system a house can have packed into a small area—that's why kitchen and bath remodeling is its own specialty.
LOVED BY OUR CUSTOMERS
Nothing means more to us than making our clients happy, unless perhaps it is making them so happy they come back to us or refer us to their friends and family!
"We had multiple contractors tell us that our 100-year old bungalow in Old Southeast should be torn down instead of remodeled. Revolution worked with us on an extensive plan to rebuild structural components and remodel the entire house. Now we have the best house in the block!"
"The guys at Revolution have done projects for us in two houses now. They added a master bathroom for us in northeast St Pete and then remodeled every square inch of a 4500-sq. ft house in Pinellas Pt. Through every challenge over two years of construction they have been there pushing our projects forward. We wouldn't use anybody else!"
"Awesome company! I had Revolution Contractors do some work on my house and did an amazing job!!! The guys there are great to work with and very professional and knowledgeable on there work. I am very happy they way there work came out and will be getting more work done on my house from them."
"Find them to be very professional, provide sufficient info for bidding, easy to contact, and most importantly they pay good. All and all NuTrend really enjoys a very productive and lucrative relationship with Revolution Contractors would recommend them and do often"
"On a challenging structural project for an investment property Revolution saw me through all sorts of headaches with the building department and were able to carry off multiple layout changes with gorgeous results. They've done multiple projects for my family as well as my group of closest friends and are now working on my primary residence!"
"Revolution Contractors have helped my family on numerous projects, providing guidance and honesty throughout all projects. The crew is hardworking and reliable. The owners are quick to respond and very honest. Definitely would recommend!"
