Remodeling a bathroom in Logan
Logan was first settled in the spring of 1859 by three groups of Mormon pioneers, the David Reese, John P. Wright and Ralph Smith companies, and at a July 10, 1859 meeting John P. Wright named the town after the Logan River and an Indian chief. Whether your house is old or new, a bathroom remodel comes down to the same pieces: the water that flows through it, the trades that touch the plumbing and wiring, the waterproofing behind the tile, and a clear written scope.
What's in Logan's water
Logan City says its water hardness is 12 to 14 grains per gallon, or 255 ppm, and that it adds no fluoride; fluoride occurs naturally in the water at 140 to 200 ppb. For a bathroom, the hardness is the number to plan around. Hard water leaves white scale on glass doors, chrome, tile and grout, narrows the holes in shower heads, and wears on valve cartridges over time.
You can't change what comes out of the main, but you can choose materials that live with it:
- Shower glass. Ask about a coating that sheds water spots, and plan on a squeegee after showers. Frameless panels have fewer edges where scale builds up.
- Tile and grout. Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines to scrub. Ask about epoxy or well-sealed grout, and remember that dark grout shows white mineral deposits more than a mid-tone does.
- Fixtures. Pick faucets and valves with cartridges you can buy and replace, and shower heads with soft rubber nozzles you can rub clean.
- Finishes. Brushed and matte finishes hide spotting better than polished chrome.
- Water treatment. If you'd like a softener, the remodel is a sensible time to plan the plumbing for it. Ask the plumber where the unit would go, what drain it needs, and which lines it should feed.
Utah's $7,000 line and the trades
Utah law exempts alteration, repair and remodeling work with a contracted value under $7,000, labor and materials included, from contractor licensing; even on those jobs, work on a plumbing or electrical system must be done by an electrical or plumbing contractor holding a Utah license.
That second half matters in a bathroom, because almost every bathroom job touches one system or the other. A new vanity means new drain and supply connections; a new fan or light means wiring. Before you sign, ask the remodeler:
- what license the company holds, and for which kinds of work;
- who will do the plumbing, and who will do the electrical;
- whether those trades are employees or subcontractors, and their company names.
Then look each of them up on the Division of Professional Licensing's license lookup.
A basement bathroom and radon
If your remodel adds or updates a bathroom in the basement, test for radon before the walls go up. Utah's Department of Environmental Quality says about 1 in 3 Utah homes tested, and 1 in 2 in some areas, have radon above 4 picocuries per liter, and that the average in tested Utah homes was 5.3; radon can only be detected by testing. A test before the remodel tells you whether to plan for mitigation while the floor and walls are still open, which is easier than adding it to a finished room. Ask the remodeler how they'll seal any new openings in the slab, such as a new drain.
Waterproofing comes first
Tile and grout aren't waterproof. The membrane behind them is what keeps water out of the framing. Ask:
- which waterproofing system the contractor uses on the walls and floor of the shower;
- whether it runs the full height of the tiled walls or only part way;
- whether they flood-test the shower pan before tiling, and whether you can see the test;
- how the niche, bench and window, if any, will be sealed.
Fresh air out
A shower releases a lot of steam into a small room. Ask for an exhaust fan sized for the room, ducted all the way outdoors rather than into the attic, and controlled by a timer or humidity switch so it keeps running after you leave. A quiet fan gets used; a loud one doesn't.
Planning for the long run
If you plan to stay in the house, ask about a low-threshold or curbless shower, wood blocking in the walls for future grab bars, a hand shower on a slide bar, and a comfort-height toilet. Each of these costs little while the walls are open and much more later. Moving a toilet or shower drain usually costs more than leaving it, so ask for prices both ways.
Lining up the bids
Ask each remodeler to price the same scope, item by item: demolition, plumbing, electrical, ventilation, waterproofing, tile, fixtures with model numbers, glass, trim and paint, permits, cleanup and the warranty. Ask who pulls the permits, how long the room will be out of service, and how they'll handle damage found behind the walls. Ask for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation, and tie each payment to a stage of finished work.