NOAA design figures for Atlantic City
NOAA's engineering weather data includes a station at Atlantic City, at 66 feet of elevation. For that station it lists a 1% summer design temperature of 88°F, paired with a mean coincident wet-bulb temperature of 73°F, and a 99% winter design temperature of 12°F.
No price list, on purpose
A bathroom remodel has no standard price. The size of your room, the condition of the floor under it, the products you select and the crew's own rates all feed the total, and none of that can be seen from here. This guide instead explains what moves a bathroom quote up or down, so that when proposals arrive you can tell what each one is actually pricing.
Four decisions that move a quote
Whether anything moves. Keeping the toilet, sink and shower where they stand lets the plumber reuse the drains. Shifting even one fixture can mean opening the floor and rerouting pipe with the right slope.
Tub, shower or a swap. Replacing a tub with a tub keeps the job simpler. Converting a tub to a walk-in shower adds a new base, new waterproofing and often a new drain position.
How much wall comes down. A refresh can leave the walls in place. A full gut takes the room to the studs, which brings in new backer board, new waterproofing and fresh drywall outside the wet area.
The finish level. Mosaic tile, decorative patterns and tile carried to the ceiling take longer to set than plain tile in a straight lay. A custom vanity or frameless glass adds a measuring visit and a wait.
Write down which way you lean on each of these four before asking for bids. If you are unsure, ask each contractor to price both versions.
Costs that do not shrink with the room
A small bathroom still carries some fixed costs. Look for each of these in a proposal:
- permit and inspection fees, where the job has them;
- a dumpster or a haul-away charge for debris;
- floor and doorway protection for the rest of the house;
- the trip charge or minimum visit fee for each trade;
- final cleaning.
If one quote is far below the others, check whether these lines are in it at all.
Exclusions and allowances
Ask each contractor for a written list of what the price does not include. Paint outside the bathroom, drywall repair in the room below, electrical panel work and fixture supply are items that can fall on either side of the line.
An allowance is a placeholder amount for something you have not chosen yet, such as tile or a light. For each one, ask what product the number assumes, whether labor is included, and how you will be billed if your pick costs more or less. Choosing products before signing turns allowances into fixed lines.
Lead times and ordering
Some items take longer to arrive than others. Ask the contractor which pieces in your plan need to be ordered early, such as a custom vanity, a stone top, special-order tile or a particular valve and trim set. Ask whether work will start before those items are on hand. A bathroom torn out while everyone waits for a part is a bathroom you cannot use.
Frameless glass is measured after the tile is finished, so ask how the schedule accounts for that wait.
A reserve for what is behind the walls
Opening a bathroom can uncover a subfloor softened by an old leak, a cracked drain fitting, a joist cut too deeply or a fan duct that never reached the outdoors. Set aside a reserve in your own budget, separate from the contract figure. In the contract, ask that any such find be photographed, priced in writing and signed by you before repair work goes ahead.
Contract terms worth reading twice
Before signing, look for clear answers on these points:
- the start date and the expected number of working days;
- which waterproofing system will be used and whether the shower floor is water-tested before tile;
- how change orders are written, priced and approved;
- what the written warranty covers and for how long;
- who is responsible for cleanup each day and at the end.
Questions about permits and coverage
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- For a job of this scope, which permits does the contractor expect to file, and are their fees in the price?
- Can you provide proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
- Which trades will be your own staff, and which will be subcontracted?
Paying in stages
Link each payment to work you can see finished. One pattern is a deposit at signing, a payment after rough plumbing and electrical, another after waterproofing passes its test and the tile is set, and the balance once every fixture works and the punch list is closed. Keep the final payment large enough to matter.
Records to keep
Keep one folder with the contract, signed change orders, permit papers, the model number of every fixture, tile and grout names and colors, warranty documents and photos of the open walls. Anyone who works on the room later will be glad to have it.