What a JDI Bathroom Remodel Looks Like, Step by Step

This page describes how a bathroom remodel runs at JDI Construction, from the first phone call to the final walkthrough: what you decide, what happens in the room, in what order, and how long the on-site work typically takes.

How long the on-site work takes

JDI publishes two typical figures for the time a crew is working in your home. Both start after design and permits are done.

The range exists because bathrooms differ most in what is inside the walls. Moving a drain, adding a circuit or building a curbless shower floor adds rough-in work and inspections, and older homes can reveal rot or past unpermitted work once the tile is off. Not sure how big your project is? Bathroom remodel levels sets out what each level involves.

Step 1: The consultation and quote

You reach out online or by phone and schedule a free in-home consultation. We listen to what you want the room to do, measure it, and look at what limits the design: the plumbing wall, the floor below the shower, the fan and its duct, and the wiring. After the visit JDI sends a firm written quote, typically within a week, built on an itemized plan. Our page on your first bathroom consultation lists what to prepare.

JDI's planning range covers design, drawings, permits, demolition, cabinetry, counters, tile, waterproofing, plumbing, electrical, lighting, fixtures and the finished install. It does not cover unexpected structural repair found inside walls; if that turns up, it is handled by written change order.

Step 2: Design and selections

Scheduling a bid gets you 3D renderings of the proposed bathroom at no charge, so you can see the layout, tile and fixtures before you commit; see the free 3D bathroom design. Denise Lacquement, JDI's designer who specializes in bathrooms, plans the layout, guides your material selections and coordinates the design with the project managers through construction. You can read about her on her team page.

This is the stage you control most. A bathroom whose tile, vanity, counter, valve, shower trim, toilet, glass style and lighting are all chosen before demolition is a bathroom that keeps its schedule. Ask for expected delivery dates on special-order items, since they set the start date.

Step 3: Permits

JDI pulls the permits the work requires. In the City of Vancouver, a remodel is covered by a residential building permit, and the city says trade work that is part of a remodel is included in that permit, though electricians working under it need their own electrical permit of record. Vancouver Municipal Code 17.08.090 says work regulated by the code may not start until a permit has been obtained, so permit review runs alongside ordering, not alongside demolition. The city publishes no target time for plan review. Our page on whether a bathroom remodel needs a permit covers the city, the county and nearby towns.

Step 4: Before work starts

Before demolition, JDI goes over logistics with you: working hours, where materials are staged, how floors and the path to the bathroom are protected, and what you need to clear out. A project manager runs the job from here, and you can follow progress in JDI's client portal.

Step 5: Construction, in order

A bathroom is built from the inside of the walls outward. The order is the same for most projects; a simpler scope skips steps.

1. Protection and demolition. Floors and doorways are protected, then tile, the tub or shower, the vanity and the toilet come out, usually down to the studs in the wet areas.
2. Repairs and framing. Unexpected structural repair, such as rot found at the toilet flange or under the tub, is handled by written change order. New framing goes in for niches, a bench, blocking for grab bars and any moved walls.
3. Rough-ins. New drain and supply lines, the shower valve, wiring and the exhaust duct. Plumbing work in Washington must be done by certified plumbers.
4. Rough inspections. The city's codes include Rough Plumbing (410), Rough Wiring (725) and Exhaust / Ventilation Ducts (335). Vancouver's code says framing is inspected after the rough plumbing, wiring and ducts pass, and that nothing is concealed until it is inspected and approved.
5. Walls and backer. Insulation where needed, drywall outside the wet areas and tile backer board inside them.
6. Waterproofing. The shower floor and walls are waterproofed before any tile goes on. Grout and tile are not the waterproof layer; the membrane or pan behind them is.
7. Tile. Floor and shower tile, then grout and any sealing.
8. Vanity, counter and fixtures. The vanity is set, the counter installed, then the toilet, faucet, shower trim, lighting, mirror and accessories.
9. Glass. Shower glass is usually measured once the tile is finished, then installed near the end.
10. Fan and final inspections. Washington's code requires bathroom exhaust fans to be tested and verified to deliver at least the required flow. Then the final plumbing, electrical and building inspections.

The bathroom is out of service from demolition until the toilet, vanity and shower are reconnected, so plan for that stretch, especially if it is the only bathroom in the house.

Step 6: The final walkthrough and warranty

When the work is done, you walk the bathroom with JDI and list anything that needs attention before closeout. You receive JDI's 5-year written workmanship warranty, along with the product information and manufacturer warranties for what was installed. Keep them together. The warranty page explains what the workmanship warranty covers.

What moves a schedule

• Late selection changes. Changing tile or a vanity after ordering resets that item's lead time.
• Backorders. A special-order valve or vanity that slips holds up the trades behind it.
• Hidden conditions. Rot around the tub or toilet, old pipe, or unpermitted past work found at demolition.
• Inspection corrections. A correction has to be made and re-inspected before walls close.

The protection you control most is simple: finish your selections before demolition, and answer your project manager's questions quickly once work is under way.

Getting your own dates

The figures on this page are typical, not a promise for your house. After the consultation and design, JDI gives you a schedule based on your scope, your selections and current lead times. To start, read about bathroom remodeling in Vancouver, see our process, or schedule a free consultation.