Bathroom Remodeling in Southeast Michigan

The Failure Mode Is Always Water

Bathrooms fail in a predictable way. Water gets past the tile, sits in the assembly behind it, and the first visible sign is a stain on a ceiling below or a soft spot at the base of the shower. By then the framing and subfloor have usually been wet for a long time.

Tile is not waterproof. Grout is not waterproof. The waterproofing is a layer behind the tile that nobody ever sees, and it is the single most important part of a bathroom. It is also the easiest place to save money if the finish is all anyone is going to inspect.

Praxis Building Group builds bathrooms around that assembly first. The tile pattern matters, but it matters after the shower is built to actually contain water for decades.

Typical Project Scope

Bathroom projects range from a surface refresh to a full rebuild. A typical full bathroom scope includes:

• Demolition to the studs and subfloor, with dust containment and floor protection
• Inspection of framing and subfloor for existing water damage
• Framing corrections, blocking for grab bars, niches and wall mounted fixtures
• Plumbing rough in: supply lines, drain and vent, shower valve, fixture locations
• Electrical: GFCI protection, lighting, exhaust fan circuit, heated floor supply where used
• Exhaust ventilation ducted to the exterior, correctly sized for the room
• Waterproofing of the shower or tub surround and wet floor areas
• Backer board, mortar bed or pan assembly as the design requires
• Tile setting, including floor, walls, niches, curbs and thresholds
• Drywall, priming and painting with a finish appropriate to a wet room
• Vanity, top, mirror, lighting and accessory installation
• Fixture trim out, door, hardware and punch list

Not every project includes every item. Scope is written for your specific house and stated plainly before pricing.

The Praxis Building Group Approach

Waterproofing is a decision, not a default

There are several legitimate ways to build a waterproof shower: sheet membranes, liquid applied membranes, foam board systems, or a traditional mortar bed with a pan liner. They are not interchangeable and they cannot be mixed carelessly. We pick a system for the specific shower and install it as the manufacturer specifies rather than combining pieces of several.

Blocking goes in before drywall

Grab bars, floating vanities, wall mounted faucets, shower doors, niches and benches all need solid backing. Adding blocking costs almost nothing while the wall is open. Adding support after tile is set means taking tile off. We install blocking for anything the design might reasonably need, including grab bars a homeowner may want later.

Ventilation sized for the room

An undersized or improperly ducted exhaust fan puts moisture into the structure instead of outside. Ducting into an attic or soffit rather than through the roof or wall is a common defect found during demolition. We correct it rather than reconnecting to it.

Layout changes are a plumbing question

Moving a toilet means moving a drain, which means opening the floor and working within joist direction and the limits on notching and boring. Moving a shower is usually easier than moving a toilet. Praxis Building Group will tell you which layout changes are straightforward and which ones are structural work in disguise.

Construction Considerations

Tub to shower conversions

Converting a tub to a walk in shower is one of the most common bathroom requests, and one of the most worthwhile. The considerations are drain relocation, curb or curbless entry, floor slope, glass support and whether the house still has a bathtub somewhere. A curbless shower is achievable in most homes but usually requires recessing the framing, which depends on joist direction and depth.

Second floor bathrooms

A second floor bathroom leaks into a finished ceiling. That raises the stakes on waterproofing and makes access to the drain assembly harder. Where a ceiling below has to be opened for drain work, it is better to plan for it than to discover it.

Older homes and drain venting

Bathrooms in older Southeast Michigan homes frequently have drain and vent arrangements that were acceptable when installed and are not now. Once a bathroom is opened and permitted, that work generally has to be brought current. It is better to know that at the scope stage.

Heated floors

Electric floor heat is a reasonable addition during a tile floor replacement and effectively impossible to add afterward. It needs a dedicated circuit and a thermostat location decided during rough in.

Planning This Project

Bathroom scope divides cleanly at one question: does the layout move. A bathroom that keeps its fixture locations and replaces everything visible is a shorter, more predictable project. A bathroom that relocates the toilet or converts a tub to a curbless shower involves drain work and floor framing.

Tile selection should be finished before demolition. Tile size and pattern affect layout, waste factor, substrate flatness requirements and setting time. A late change from a small mosaic to a large format tile can change what the wall preparation needs to be.