Before any bathroom remodel can even get started, several things can cause the price of the project to skyrocket.
During Welcome Home with Bartow Builders, Owner Brandon Bartow says before any shower can be remodeled or new flooring can be installed, contractors are going to the basement to look at the plumbing in the home.
“If we get done with that project and all of a sudden something doesn’t drain right, and we’re called in to deal with the draining aspect only to find that you have a 1-inch diameter in a three to four-inch drainpipe on the cast iron tree in your basement because it’s so rotted and corroded,” he explained. “We see this firsthand multiple times.”
After checking the pipes, contractors are going to want to check the water heater.
Brandon says if you want to take away an old shower, it is more than likely if the water heater is more than ten years old, replacing the heater should be part of the project.
“The last thing we want to do is you have this nice new free-standing tub with your walk-in shower with the possibility of two people using both those at the same time. There’s not enough hot water to substantiate what we did,” he described. “So, what’s the point of having those pieces with you filling up your tub with the water being cold.”
Brandon finishes by saying no matter what, a company might not want to do an entire project if the homeowner isn’t willing to make a full investment where needed.
