How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take in New Jersey?

Major remodeling projects can be very disruptive. From contractors coming and going, to the noise and dust of construction, to the loss of use of the room while it's happening, it's stressful and annoying. Sure, the end result is worth it (who doesn't love seeing a shiny new room all spotless and ready for use?), but the stress of the project can feel insurmountable along the way.

It's no wonder that one of the most common questions we get for any remodel project is this:

"How long is it going to take?"

The answer is: it depends. The scale of your project has a major impact, your choices along the way influence the timeline, and there can always be unexpected issues that cause delays.

Fortunately, with 30+ years of experience doing all kinds of home remodeling projects here in the New Jersey area, we have a great idea of what kinds of estimates you can expect. We can't guarantee a timeline with 100% accuracy since the unexpected can happen anywhere, but we can get pretty close.

For a bathroom remodel, here's what you can expect.

Bathroom Remodel Timelines at a Glance

First, the simple, reductive overview. Bathroom remodels can range anywhere from a couple of days, all the way up to a couple of months. It depends largely on what you're having done. You can usually view a bathroom remodel in one of three categories.

Minor Refreshes are small-scale remodels that don't really do a lot to the room, just update the look and feel. With this kind of remodel, you're painting the walls, refacing the cabinets, replacing a faucet or showerhead, swapping out a vanity, installing a new toilet, and similar small updates. Any one of these would take no more than an hour or two for most bathrooms, but the planning, scheduling, and other tasks add on a few days of time.

These are also great remodel projects for home sales. If you're hoping to put your home on the market, minor refreshes can have an outsized impact on the perception of value, and thus the actual value, of the home.

These kinds of refreshes only take a couple of days, or up to a week at the most.

Basic Remodels take things one step further. These usually involve something a little more time- and labor-intensive. Things like pulling out a tub and shower surround to replace, removing and replacing old flooring, adding new counters and sinks, and other tasks go into this kind of remodel. 

These are generally the most common kind of remodel. They do a lot to refresh the look and feel of a space, but they don't involve major structural changes or changes to plumbing or electrical. You can feel like you have an entirely new bathroom when you're done, but the actual space doesn't change as much as you would think.

Still, these remodels take 2-3 weeks on average. You have more lead time for materials, you have a whole demolition phase, and the work that needs to be done is more intensive and takes longer.

One thing to note is that this is the kind of remodel with the greatest chance of uncovering unexpected work and adding unexpected delays. Pulling up flooring to discover a rotten subfloor, removing a cupboard and finding hidden water damage or mold, uncovering a years-unknown tiny drip leak; all of these suddenly increase the scope of a project.

Full Renovations are your high-end remodels that do everything. Don't like how the shower and the toilet are cramped in a corner? Move the plumbing! Want more outlets near the vanity for your cosmetic tools? Add some electrical work! Want to bump the bathroom out a bit by sacrificing an adjacent bit of hallway or closet space? A little structural work isn't out of the question.

These are the usual "high-end" remodels for bathrooms. They take longer, up to 5-6 weeks on average. A big part of this bump is that this is when you start needing permits for the work. Broadly speaking, anything that affects the structure, plumbing, or electrical of the home needs a permit. This can vary by municipality, so be sure to check with your local planning authority for details.

If you're going for a full renovation, you might take a "sky's the limit" approach. Full luxury remodels, with custom fixtures and other high-end materials, often dramatically extend the timeline. Material sourcing becomes a real concern, and if you have to wait an extra week just for your sink or tub to come in, it's going to extend how long the project takes to complete.

So, to sum up:

• Minor refreshes: 2 days up to 2 weeks.
• Basic remodels: 2 weeks up to 4-5 weeks.
• Full renovations: 4 weeks up to 2 months or more.

All of these are just broad estimates. Details like the size of your bathroom also contribute; a small powder room or half bath is a lot faster to complete than a large full-sized, full-scope bathroom.

The specific details of your project matter, which is why we highly encourage you to contact our team. When you contact us, our experts visit you on location, discuss your project and your goals, and give you a free, no-obligation quote for the work you want to have completed.

What's Involved in a Bathroom Remodel?

Remodeling a bathroom might only take a handful of days of actual work, but the actual project can last days longer, because more goes into it than just the labor. This is where understanding the full process can give you an idea of how long the whole thing will take, and when you'll be able to make the final payment, do the final walkthrough, and approve the final bathroom.

First up is the planning stage. The planning stage begins as early as when you have us come out and discuss your project, but it really begins once you've decided to work with us and those ideas turn into goals.

During this process, you determine everything from the scope of the project to the materials and colors you want to use. This is when you answer questions like:

• Are you replacing your fixtures?
• Are you moving any plumbing or electrical elements?
• Are you making structural changes to the bathroom?
• Are you replacing the flooring?
• Do the walls or ceiling need replacing?
• What colors and materials are you choosing?

The better-planned a project is, the smoother it will run. This is also where any potential delays in sourcing materials can crop up, which can stall a project until the items either arrive or you pick a more readily available replacement.

Planning also includes the permitting process, if it's necessary. We don't talk much about permitting here because, frankly speaking, it's far too complex to sum up in a blog post. With thousands of municipalities in our service area, it's impossible to make general statements that aren't going to be wrong somewhere. Instead, we'll talk about permitting when we talk about the project.

Don't worry; here at Magnolia, we handle all of the permitting for you, so you don't need to worry about it.

Next up is when the work begins.

• Demolition. Out with the old, before the new can come in. Minor projects can complete demolition in a matter of hours, while larger projects can take 1-2 days.
• Structural changes. If you're moving walls, it's the first bit of construction that needs doing. This can be anything from moving a bit of framing to major structural reinforcements, and that has a big impact on the project timeline. Structural changes often take several days to a week, though large and complex projects take longer.
• Utilities. When the walls are open (and any structural changes are made), the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are handled. You won't have finished outlets or working faucets before the walls or sinks are in, of course, but the roughs will be done during this timeline. This all takes around 2-3 weeks on average, particularly since the end result needs to be inspected before the walls can be closed back up.
• Walls, Floors, and Ceilings. Going from an open box to a closed one, with proper water sealing, is next on the list. This typically takes about two weeks, depending on the scope of the work. In particular, if you're installing things like tiled floors and walls, it can take a lot longer than simple drywall and paint.
• Paint and Trim. Speaking of paint, it's up next. Sanding, priming, painting, second coats, and trim work are all handled during this phase. This is also when major elements like vanities and cupboards can be installed.
• Fixtures and Finishes. From your tub and showerhead to faucets to toilet to light fixtures, this is when it all goes in and is finished up. This phase only takes a couple of days and brings your bathroom back to a functional state.
• Finishing Touches and Accessories. This is what makes your house a home; all the little details, from the toilet paper holder to the towel rails to the shower curtain rod, are all installed and finished up here. This is usually just another day of work, after which a final walkthrough gives you the chance to make last-second requests or sign off on the work.

Some of these steps are skipped along the way if your project is small enough. You'll know what will happen and when as we discuss the plans for your project.

What Causes Delays in Bathroom Remodels

If all goes well, your bathroom remodel can be done in just a couple of weeks. So, what could happen that means it doesn't go well?

Delays are unfortunately a fact of life for many construction projects, and while we do our best to handle them swiftly and appropriately, delays may be unavoidable.

Here's an idea of what you should watch out for.

• Delays in permitting. We do our best, but some municipalities are overwhelmed or just slow, so there can be a lengthy delay before work can even get started.
• Backorders or long delays on materials. There's a lot of difference between sourcing a laminate countertop from a big box store and sourcing custom marble from a quarry in Arizona. More commonly, though, sometimes simple items end up on backorder, or there can be delays in shipping.
• Hidden water damage. This is very common for bathrooms, where old seals fail, old construction wasn't properly built to handle moisture, or things have gone wrong over the years. Hidden mold, mildew, or rot can expand the scope of a project and require more work to remediate. We take pride in our work and aren't just going to plaster over a problem!
• Scheduling conflicts. The more contractors your project needs, the greater the chance that their schedules might not line up and there can be days of downtime before they can get to you. We do our best to avoid this, for obvious reasons.
• Homeowner changes. We get it, sometimes you change your mind and don't like the way things are shaping up. But changes mid-project mean delays. That's fine if it's what you want, but know that it's going to happen.

A lot of this can be mitigated with proper planning, which is why we put so much time and energy into that planning. Forethought fights delays. We've seen it all, we know how to work around it and plan for it, and we'll do everything in our power to keep your project on schedule.

To get an idea of what you might expect, check out our before-and-after comparisons of past bathroom remodels right here in New Jersey.

If it's time to get that old bathroom remodeled, give us a call. We operate anywhere in North and Central New Jersey, and we'd love to work on your project too. Give us a call or fill out our contact form, and we'll schedule a consultation to discuss your goals, the details of the project, and what you can expect. It costs you nothing but time, so reach out today!