The project
A 1993 builder-grade hall bathroom in the Woodcroft neighborhood of Durham — pink laminate countertop, fiberglass tub-shower combo with cracked caulk lines, a single overhead light bar, and supply lines that rattled every time someone flushed a toilet downstairs.
The homeowners had two goals: replace the tub with a walk-in shower large enough for two, and bring the plumbing up to current code so the water hammer would stop. They also wanted an ADA-height vanity — not because they needed it today, but because they planned to age in the home and wanted the bathroom to work long-term.
The existing footprint was 5 feet by 8 feet. No walls were moving, so every inch mattered. The challenge was fitting a 36-by-48-inch shower, a 36-inch vanity, and a toilet into the same rectangle without the room feeling cramped.
What we did
- Full gut demo — removed the fiberglass tub-shower unit, laminate vanity, vinyl flooring, and drywall down to the studs on all wet walls
- New shower pan — custom-poured mud bed with a linear drain, sloped to code (1/4 inch per foot minimum), waterproofed with Schluter Kerdi membrane over cement board
- Large-format porcelain tile — 12-by-24-inch rectified tile on all shower walls and floor, set in a stacked bond pattern with 1/16-inch grout lines to minimize visual clutter
- Glass shower enclosure — frameless, 3/8-inch tempered glass, brushed nickel hardware, no track to collect mildew
- ADA-height vanity — 34-inch countertop height, 36-inch floating vanity in white oak with soft-close drawers, quartz top with integrated backsplash
- New toilet — comfort-height elongated bowl, dual-flush, with a new wax-free flange connection
- Re-piped supply lines — replaced galvanized supply stubs with PEX, added hammer arrestors on both hot and cold lines to eliminate water hammer
- Relocated the drain — moved the shower drain 18 inches south to accommodate the new linear drain position, re-pitched the drain line to the main stack
- Exhaust fan upgrade — installed a Panasonic WhisperGreen 110 CFM fan vented to the soffit through insulated duct, replacing a 50 CFM unit that was venting into the attic
- Luxury vinyl plank on the remaining bathroom floor — waterproof, click-lock, color-matched to the bedroom hallway
Trades involved
This project required two of our three licenses:
- GC (NCLBGC #87341): Permitting, demolition, framing inspection, cement board installation, tile work, vanity installation, trim, paint, and flooring coordination
- Plumbing (NC #P1-22847): Supply line replacement (galvanized to PEX), drain relocation, shower pan drain and trap, toilet flange replacement, hammer arrestor installation, dishwasher air gap
Both building and plumbing permits were pulled through Durham County. Both inspections passed on the first visit.
Timeline and budget
- Duration: 3 weeks, start to finish — 15 working days
- Budget: On budget — the final invoice landed within the written estimate range
- Crew: Same two-person crew for the entire project, with a tile subcontractor on-site for two days
- Permits: Building and Plumbing — both passed first inspection
- Lead time: The glass shower enclosure was templated on day 10 and installed on day 14. We scheduled the template early to avoid the typical two-week glass fabrication delay holding up the project
The three-week timeline was possible because we ordered materials — tile, vanity, toilet, glass — before demo day. Everything was staged in the garage before the first hammer swung.
The result
A modern, clean-lined bathroom that replaced 30 years of builder-grade finishes with materials that will last another 30. The walk-in shower feels open and bright thanks to the frameless glass and large-format tile. The floating vanity gives the room visual breathing room and makes the floor easy to clean. The water hammer is gone — turning on the shower no longer sounds like someone kicking the pipes.
The homeowners gained a bathroom they can use comfortably now and well into the future. The ADA-height vanity and comfort-height toilet were simple choices during construction that would be expensive retrofits later. That kind of planning is what separates a remodel from a renovation that just looks new.