Bathroom remodel checklist: decisions in the order the work needs them

A bathroom packs plumbing, electrical, tile, and glass into a small room. A late choice, like moving the shower drain after the floor is set, means opening work you already paid for. This checklist is the order those decisions need to happen in.

It is the bathroom pair to the kitchen remodel checklist. For where the money usually goes, see the bathroom budget breakdown.

Before anyone draws a layout

• ☐ Budget total and a contingency. Set both aside before you fall in love with a tile. See how much contingency and the budget calculator.
• ☐ What is moving. Same footprint, or a new shower, vanity, and toilet location? Moving drains and vents is a different project from a finish swap.
• ☐ Who is doing the work, on one written scope. See how to compare contractor quotes.
• ☐ Whether you can live here during the work. If this is your only bathroom, write down the days it will be out of service. More in remodeling while you live in the house.

Decide these before the walls close

• ☐ Tub, shower, or both. The pan or tub, the drain location, and the valve go in before the wall is tiled. A change after that is a tear-out.
• ☐ Vanity width and the faucet. The sink location sets the supply lines and the drain. A wider vanity can also change the door swing.
• ☐ Toilet location, if it is moving. The flange and the vent are buried work.
• ☐ Exhaust fan and its duct path. Pick the fan, and where the duct leaves the room, before the ceiling is closed. A fan with no path to the outside is a fan that only stirs the room.
• ☐ Lighting and any new circuits. Recessed lights, a mirror light, and a receptacle by the sink are easier to wire while the walls are open.

Finishes, in the order tile and glass need them

Special-order tile, a custom vanity, and shower glass take longer than what a supplier has in stock. Ask each supplier for a written lead time, then count back from the day that trade needs the product. The order-by calculator does that arithmetic. Do not treat a published range from another project as your date.

• ☐ Tile, including the wet-area finish. If the bid uses an allowance, price your actual pick before you approve it. See tile and flooring allowances.
• ☐ What the contract says about the wet area. The scope should say who waterproofs the shower and what assembly they are installing, not just "tile shower."
• ☐ Shower glass or a curtain. Ask the shop when they measure. If they measure after the tile is in, the enclosure style still has to be chosen before that visit is booked.
• ☐ Mirror, towel bars, and paper holder. Mark them so blocking can go in the wall before the backer is covered.
• ☐ Paint color and sheen, plus the caulk color at the tub or shower. Write the paint brand and code down for the day you touch it up.

Before demolition

• Long-lead items are ordered, or you have a written date that still fits the schedule.
• The scope of work lists what is included, what is an allowance, and what is excluded.
• The contract says who pulls permits. See what to confirm about permits.
• In a home built before 1978, lead-safe work is settled before anyone sands. See lead paint rules.

Where RenoBinder fits

A free bathroom project holds these decisions next to the budget lines and the dates you have to order by. One room is free. Compare plans if the remodel covers more than that.

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