NOAA figures for the station named Albany
NOAA's engineering weather data lists a station named Albany. In an average year at Albany, NOAA counts about 160 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 820 hours above 67°F. For the same station, NOAA lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 2.5 inches per hour and about 69 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. These are the station's published figures, given here as NOAA reports them.
Using a guide with no prices
You will not find dollar figures below. A bathroom's price comes from the room itself, what is hidden in its walls and floor, the products you pick and the people who install them. Instead of numbers, this guide walks through how to build your own budget and how to read the bids that come back, so that the total on each one makes sense.
Budgeting in layers
Start by sorting your wishes into three layers:
- Needs. The things that are failing or unsafe: a leaking valve, a loose toilet, cracked tile in the shower, a fan that does not work.
- Wants. Changes that would make daily life easier: more storage, better light, a larger shower, a second sink.
- Extras. Pleasures you could live without: a heated floor, a steam unit, tile to the ceiling, a towel warmer.
Ask each remodeler to price the needs as the base bid, then each want and extra as its own line. You can then add or drop items one at a time and see how the total moves, rather than starting over.
What an itemized bid sheet shows
A clear bid sheet breaks the work into parts you can follow. Look for separate lines for demolition and disposal, framing and subfloor repair, plumbing, electrical, the fan and its duct, backer board and waterproofing, tile setting, painting, fixtures, glass and final cleaning. Ask that permits and inspections appear as their own line, or that the bid say plainly they are excluded.
When one bid is much lower than the others, compare its lines against theirs. A missing line may be work the remodeler expects you to arrange yourself.
Tile quantities
Tile is ordered by area, plus extra for cuts, breakage and future repairs. Diagonal layouts, herringbone and other patterns can waste more tile than a straight grid. Ask each bidder how much tile they plan to order, how much extra they include, and whether the leftover boxes stay with you. If you buy tile yourself, ask the setter to check your quantities before you order, and ask whether all the boxes come from the same production lot.
Valve bodies and trim
A shower control comes in two parts. The valve body sits inside the wall and is installed during rough plumbing; the trim is the handle and plate you see, added at the end. Ask whether your chosen trim fits the valve the plumber plans to install, whether a pressure-balancing or thermostatic valve is proposed, and whether a diverter is needed for a hand shower or a tub spout. Order the trim early enough that it is on hand for trim-out.
Electrical lines on a bid
Bathroom wiring can include the fan, lights at the mirror, a light over the shower, outlets, a heated floor or towel warmer and a lighted mirror. Ask the electrician to list each device on the bid, to say whether any of them needs a new circuit, and to explain what protection the code the city applies calls for on circuits near water.
Who buys the materials
Some remodelers buy every product; others let you supply tile, fixtures or a vanity. Owner-supplied materials can lower the contractor's markup, but they can shift responsibility to you for ordering the right parts, checking for damage on arrival and replacing anything that turns out to be wrong. Ask each bidder how they handle owner-supplied items, whether their warranty covers the installation of products they did not buy, and who pays for a return trip if a part is missing.
A reserve for surprises
Behind old tile, a crew may find rot at the bottom of a wall, a joist cut to fit a past drain, or a supply line that should be replaced while the wall is open. Keep money in your own budget for such finds, separate from the contract. Ask that the contract describe what happens next: a photo, a written price and your approval before the extra work starts.
The final payment
Tie each payment to a stage of finished work, and keep the last one large enough that both sides care about closing out the job. Walk the room with the remodeler at the end and write a punch list of anything left to fix or finish. Ask that the final payment come due after the punch list is done and any permit is closed.
Terms to settle in writing
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- Which permits does the job need, who files them, and are their fees included?
- Can you provide proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
- What are the start date and the expected number of working days?
- How are changes priced and approved once work has begun?
How warranty claims work
Ask each remodeler to explain their warranty in writing: what it covers, for how long, and what you need to do to make a claim. Ask whether product warranties for fixtures and fans are passed on to you, and keep the registration cards, receipts and model numbers together with the contract and photos of the open walls.