Home remodeling
Kitchen remodeling
Kitchen remodels with the hidden work done too: hood ducting, wall insulation, sealed pipe and light openings.
Learn more →Bathroom remodeling · Seattle & Eastside
A new bathroom, and a fan that vents outside.
A bathroom puts more moisture into a house than any other room. We remodel the space you see and make sure the steam leaves the house instead of soaking the attic above it.
- Showers, tubs, tile, vanities and flooring
- Bath fan ducted to a roof or wall cap
- Subfloor and attic checked for water damage
Remodeled bathroom with walk-in shower and exhaust fan · Seattle, WAThe problem
Most bathroom damage happens where you can't see it
Every shower sends steam somewhere. In a lot of homes, the bath fan duct ends loose in the attic, or it was never connected at all. The moist air condenses on the cold roof sheathing all winter. When we inspect attics, the patch of black mold above the bathroom is one of the most common things we find. The bathroom itself can look perfect while the roof deck above it rots.
Below the floor, the story is similar. Slow leaks at the toilet flange, tub drain or shower pan soak the subfloor and joists over the crawl space for years. A remodel is the moment to open all of it, fix the damage, and build a bathroom that sends water down the drain and steam out of the house. That's how we approach every bathroom job.
Warning signs
Signs your bathroom needs more than new tile
Some of these you'll see in the room. Others show up in the attic or crawl space.
- SIGN 01
The mirror stays fogged
If steam lingers long after a shower, the fan is undersized, blocked or venting into the attic instead of outside.
- SIGN 02
A soft floor by the toilet or tub
Give or bounce in the floor means water has reached the subfloor. It usually comes from a failing wax ring or a leaking drain.
- SIGN 03
Peeling paint and grout mold
Mildew that comes back on the ceiling and grout lines is a ventilation problem first, a cleaning problem second.
- SIGN 04
Dark stains in the attic above
Black or wet sheathing over the bathroom is the signature of a bath fan dumping moist air into the attic.
How we do it
How we remodel a bathroom
We check above and below the bathroom before we quote it.
- 01
Walkthrough above and below
We look at the bathroom with you and talk through what you want: shower, tub, vanity, tile and lighting. Then we check the attic above for fan duct problems and moisture damage, and the crawl space below for leaks and soft framing. You get photos, a written scope and an estimate, and we handle any permits the work needs.
- 02
Demolition and repairs
We remove fixtures, tile and finishes and contain the dust. With the floor and walls open, we replace rotted subfloor, sister damaged joists if needed, and fix leaking drain and supply connections. Anything unexpected, we photograph and show you before we close it up.
- 03
Waterproofing and ventilation
Shower walls and pans get a waterproofing layer under the tile. The bath fan is sized for the room and ducted with insulated duct to a roof or wall cap, never ending in the attic. Exterior walls get insulation and air sealing while they're open, which helps keep them dry.
- 04
Finishes and final check
Tile, fixtures, vanity, mirror, lighting and flooring go in. We run the shower, check every drain and supply line for leaks, and confirm the fan pulls air out at the exterior cap. Then we walk the finished room with you and clean up the work area.
What you get
What a bathroom remodel can include
| Shower and tub | New tub, shower or tub-to-shower conversion with waterproofing |
|---|---|
| Tile and flooring | Floor and wall tile, or other water-resistant flooring |
| Vanity and fixtures | Vanity, sink, faucet, toilet, mirror and lighting |
| Bath fan | Sized for the room, ducted to a roof or wall cap, not the attic |
| Subfloor and framing | Water-damaged subfloor and joists repaired from above or below |
| Walls | Exterior walls insulated and air sealed while open |
| Attic above | Checked for moisture and mold where the old fan vented |
| Photos | Inside-the-wall and attic photos for your records |
Puget Sound homes
Bathrooms and the Puget Sound wet season
From October to May the air outside is already damp, so a bathroom can't dry out by opening a window. The fan does all the work, and in many Seattle and Eastside homes it isn't doing it. Upstairs bathrooms in 1970s through 1990s tract homes often have fans ducted a few feet into the attic and left there. Older Seattle homes may have a fan added decades later with flexible duct that has sagged and filled with water. The result is the same: a wet roof deck over the bathroom. We fix the duct as part of the remodel, and if the attic needs cleanup or mold treatment, we can do that too.
Pricing
What shapes the price
These factors move the cost of a bathroom more than anything else.
- FACTOR 01
Keeping or moving plumbing
Leaving the toilet, tub and sink in place costs less than relocating drains and supply lines.
- FACTOR 02
Shower and tile choices
Custom tiled showers take more labor than a tub surround. Tile size and pattern change install time.
- FACTOR 03
Hidden water damage
Rotted subfloor or joists found during demolition need repair before new finishes go down.
- FACTOR 04
Fan duct route
A short run to an exterior wall is simpler than a long attic run to a new roof cap.
- FACTOR 05
Attic cleanup above
If the old fan has caused mold or wet insulation in the attic, that work is priced separately.
Great service. I highly recommend this company. Wish I would have found them years ago... Isaac, Kareem and Irving were professional, courteous, and friendly. Pricing was clear and there were no surprises. Very happy with our experience.
FAQ
Bathroom remodeling: questions we hear
Still unsure? Call (800) 674-4933 and talk it through with us.
Where should a bathroom exhaust fan vent?
Outside the house, through a roof cap or a wall cap with a damper. Not into the attic, not into a soffit vent, and not just pointed at a roof vent. Moist air dumped in the attic condenses on the sheathing and causes mold and rot. The duct should be insulated where it crosses the attic so it doesn't drip condensation back into the fan.
How do I know if my bath fan vents into the attic?
Look for a roof or wall cap near the bathroom from outside. If there isn't one, the duct probably ends in the attic. Inside the attic, a loose duct lying on the insulation, or dark staining on the sheathing above the bathroom, confirms it. We check this on every free attic inspection.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel?
Swapping a vanity or toilet in place often doesn't. Moving plumbing, adding circuits or changing walls usually does. Requirements differ between Seattle, the Eastside cities and unincorporated county areas. We check what your bathroom needs and handle the permits before work begins, so there are no surprises.
Can you fix the mold in my attic from the old bath fan?
Yes. Mold remediation and attic cleanup are core work for us. We treat the affected sheathing, replace insulation that's wet or contaminated, and reroute the fan duct outside so it doesn't come back. If you're remodeling the bathroom anyway, it makes sense to do both at the same time.
Can a tub be converted to a walk-in shower?
Usually, yes. Most tub spaces can take a shower pan or a tiled shower floor. The drain may need to move, and the wall and floor need full waterproofing. We check the framing and drain location during the walkthrough and tell you what the conversion involves for your bathroom.
Related services
Often done together
Crawl space & moisture
Mold remediation
Attic and crawl space mold removed under containment, with the moisture source found and fixed.
Learn more →
Attic services
Attic decontamination
Biohazard cleanup after rodents and animals: waste removed, framing disinfected, odor treated at the source.
Learn more →
Attic services
Air sealing
Sealing top plates, can lights, bath fans and chases from the attic side before new insulation goes in.
Learn more →Let's see what's going on up there.
Book a free inspection. We'll photograph your attic and crawl space and walk you through what we find, before you decide anything.