Bathroom Remodeling in Marietta, GA

One of the first lines drawn on a bathroom plan disappears in the finished room: the edge of the demolition. How much wall, floor and ceiling comes out affects cost, schedule and what can be fixed along the way. On a bathroom remodel in Marietta, Precision Remodeling settles those limits with you before the first tile is pried loose.

Full gut or partial demolition

Taking a bathroom down to the studs and subfloor exposes everything: framing, pipes, wiring, insulation and the fan duct. It costs more in demolition and drywall, but it removes guesswork and lets you move fixtures, add blocking and reroute ducts freely.

A partial demolition keeps sound drywall outside the wet areas and sometimes the ceiling. It suits rooms where the layout stays the same and the walls are in good shape. Whatever the choice, an old tiled shower is normally removed down to the framing, since the waterproofing behind the tile cannot be inspected or reused.

Where the tile stops

The tile plan helps decide the demolition line. Tile can run to the ceiling in the shower, stop at a wainscot height around the room, or cover only the floor. Each option changes how much drywall is replaced and where tile transitions occur.

Every exposed tile edge needs a finish: a bullnose piece, a metal edge profile or a clean line against painted drywall. Planning these before demolition prevents a wall that is half torn out for no reason, or a tile edge that ends awkwardly beside a window or door casing.

Fixture spacing, door swing and the shower

Fixture spacing is measured from finished surfaces, not from studs, so the plan accounts for backer board and tile thickness. We check clearance beside and in front of the toilet and confirm that vanity drawers and the shower door open without striking anything.

The entry door gets the same test. An entry door that hits the toilet or vanity can be rehung or replaced with a pocket door while the wall is open. The shower layout is set at this stage too: size, entry side, valve and showerhead location, and any niche or bench.

The exhaust path and the subfloor

If the ceiling is opened, the fan can be moved closer to the shower and its duct rerouted. We trace the exhaust path and plan a short, smooth duct with a damper at an exterior roof or wall cap. A partial demolition that keeps the ceiling may limit those options, which is one reason to decide the limits early.

Soft or stained subfloor, most often found near the toilet and tub, is cut out and replaced. The new floor height is compared with the hallway so the floor transition can be chosen before tile is ordered.

Selections to confirm before ordering

Hardware, tile, grout, the vanity and its top should all be confirmed before anything is ordered. Changing one later can shift dimensions, transitions or the order of work. A wider vanity, for example, may move the light fixtures and the mirror; a thicker tile may change the threshold height.

Vanity sizing and lighting are settled together. Lights at the sides of the mirror reduce shadows, while a ceiling fixture lights the rest of the room. Our page on tile installation in Marietta covers tile and grout choices in more depth.

Permits inside Marietta city limits

Marietta is in Cobb County. The city’s building division requires a plumbing permit for any work on a plumbing system, including water supply and sewer lines; applications go through the online SagesGov system, and inspections are done in person after virtual inspections began phasing out on November 1, 2024. The city’s homeowner permit page says homeowners cannot apply for plumbing, electrical or mechanical permits; the trade professional doing the work must apply. To tell which side of the line a home is on, that page points to the tax district on the county parcel record: (4) MARIETTA puts the property inside city limits, and (9) UNINCORPORATED leaves it under Cobb County.

Final review and the written estimate

The written estimate should describe the demolition limits in words, list what is kept and what is new, and state how hidden damage will be handled once walls are open. Changes are priced in writing before work continues.

Before the final review, the tile edges at the wainscot, window and door casing are checked against the plan, along with the recessed storage pieces.

Questions about demolition and tax districts

Does a bathroom remodel have to be gutted to the studs?

Not always. A full gut makes sense when fixtures move, framing or pipes are suspect, or the shower is being rebuilt. If the layout stays the same and the walls outside the wet areas are sound, keeping that drywall and the ceiling can reduce cost. The shower area itself is usually opened to the framing so new waterproofing can go in.

What does the tax district on my Cobb County parcel record mean?

According to Marietta’s homeowner permit page, a parcel record showing tax district (4) MARIETTA means the property is inside city limits, so city permit rules apply. A record showing (9) UNINCORPORATED means Cobb County has jurisdiction. Checking this first tells you which office handles the permit.

Can existing wall tile stay outside the shower?

It can, if the tile is firmly attached, free of cracks and still suits the new design. The catch is that matching it later is difficult if a piece breaks during demolition next to it. Where the old tile meets new work, a clean break, such as a metal edge or a change in material, usually looks better than trying to blend the two.

Decide how far to open the room

To talk about the bathroom you would like to change, call 404-409-4448. We can visit, discuss how far the demolition should go, and prepare a written estimate for your home in Marietta.