Bathroom Remodeling in Rex, GA

A bathroom remodel sends a surprising amount of material through a house: old tile, drywall and fixtures on the way out, then cement board, boxes of tile, a vanity and sometimes a new tub on the way in. Before Precision Remodeling schedules bathroom remodeling in Rex, we look at how crews and materials will reach the room, because that route affects protection, timing and even which products can be used.

Mapping the route from the driveway to the bathroom

We note where a truck can park, which entry is closest, and every turn, step and doorway between that door and the bathroom. A bathroom upstairs or at the end of a narrow hall needs more floor protection and more careful handling than one just inside the front door.

The route also decides where debris goes. A light demolition can be bagged and hauled off as the work goes; a full tear-out that includes a cast-iron tub usually calls for a dumpster or a trailer near the driveway, and the estimate should say which one is planned.

Will the new tub, shower base and vanity fit through the door?

Few questions save more trouble. A one-piece fiberglass tub and shower unit is often too large to pass through a finished doorway, which is why multi-piece units and tiled showers are so common in remodels. A standard alcove tub still has to make the turns of a stairway, and a long vanity top may need to be carried in on edge.

We measure door widths, stair landings and ceiling heights along the way, then compare them with product dimensions before anything is ordered. Taking a door off its hinges gains a little room; anything more than that should be solved on paper first.

Inside the room: framing, drains and the exhaust path

Once access is settled, attention moves to the room. After the old surfaces come off, the studs near the tub and shower are checked for rot, and the pipe locations are compared with the fixtures you have picked. Shifting a toilet slightly may be handled with an offset flange; moving it across the room means opening more of the floor.

The fan matters less than where its air ends up. A fan near the shower should be ducted outdoors through a short, smooth run, not left blowing into the attic. The subfloor condition is checked where the new floor will go, and soft areas are replaced so tile has firm support.

Vanity sizing, storage and lighting

Vanity sizing trades counter space against the walkway in front of the cabinet. Measure from the vanity front to the opposite wall or fixture; if the gap feels tight, a shallower cabinet or a wall-mounted vanity can open the room up. Extra storage can go above the toilet, into a recessed cabinet, or into a tall cabinet beside the vanity.

Lighting is placed once the vanity and mirror sizes are known, so the fixtures end up centered on the mirror rather than on wherever the old electrical box happened to be.

Choosing tile, grout, hardware and the top together

Hardware, tile and grout, and the vanity top work best when chosen as a group. Towel bars and grab bars need wood blocking behind the wall, so their positions must be known before backer board or drywall goes up. Grout color, tile size and the countertop edge should suit one another, and tile transitions at the doorway and shower curb are planned around the actual tile thickness. For floor tile elsewhere in the house, see our Rex tile installation page.

Permits through Clayton County

Rex is in Clayton County. The county’s building permit section, based in the P.K. Dixon Building annex in Jonesboro, handles building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits for residential remodels and confirms that contractors carry Georgia licenses. Under Sec. 18-41 of the county code, clearing a stoppage or fixing a leak does not need a permit, but putting new pipe in place of a defective hidden drain, waste, vent or water line counts as new work that needs a permit and inspections.

Questions homeowners in Rex ask

Can a one-piece tub and shower unit go into an existing bathroom?

Sometimes, but often not. One-piece units are designed for new construction, where they are set before the walls and doors are framed. In a finished house, the unit has to clear every doorway, hallway and stairway on its way in. Multi-piece units or a tiled shower avoid that problem, which is why we measure the route before you choose.

Where does the debris go during a bathroom remodel?

That depends on the size of the job and the path out of the house. Light demolition can be bagged and removed as work progresses, while a full tear-out with heavy fixtures usually needs a dumpster or trailer parked near the driveway. The estimate should state the disposal method so there are no questions about it later.

Does replacing an old drain pipe inside the wall need a permit?

Under Clayton County’s code, yes. Replacing a defective concealed drain, waste, vent or water pipe with new material is treated as new work that needs a permit and inspections, even though clearing a clog or repairing a leak does not. Because remodels often uncover old pipe worth replacing, it helps to plan for that possibility from the start.

Plan the route with us

To talk through a bathroom project in Rex, call 404-409-4448. Tell us where the room sits in the house and what you hope to change, and we can schedule a visit to measure the room and the path to it, then put together a written estimate.