Primary suites and baths
A bedroom, a bath and a closet, planned as one place
The best primary suites are decided by plumbing and by structure. Where the drain runs and what the floor can carry set what the room can be.
We start with the pipes, the floor and the window, then draw the room to fit them, and show you the plan before a single tile is ordered.
Included in the scope
Plan for the bedroom, bath and closet together
Curbless showers, soaking tubs and double vanities
Waterproofing, heated floors and ventilation
Tile, stone, glass and fixture selections
Plumbing, electrical and lighting by licensed trades
Permits, inspections and a final walk-through
What changes the price
What moves the cost on this kind of job
No figure here, because the same room costs very different amounts in different houses. The binder puts a number on yours.
Moving fixtures
Keeping the toilet and the tub where they are is the cheapest plan. Moving them means cutting the floor and rerouting the drain.
A curbless shower
It needs the floor to slope into a drain, and that can mean lowering a section of the framing.
Tile and stone
A large-format tile or a slab wall costs more to set than it does to buy. The selections book shows both.
Ventilation
In a humid climate, a fan sized to the room and vented outside protects everything you've just built.
How it goes
The order the work happens in
- 01
Step 1: The binder
Plan, selections, schedule and the maximum price.
- 02
Step 2: Ordering
Tile, glass, tub and fixtures are ordered, and checked when they arrive.
- 03
Step 3: Demolition and plumbing
The old room comes out, and the new drain and supply lines go in.
- 04
Step 4: Waterproofing and tile
The shower is waterproofed and tested before any tile is set.
- 05
Step 5: Fixtures and finishes
Vanity, glass, mirrors, lighting and paint.
- 06
Step 6: The walk-through
Every fixture and door, against a written list.
Permits and rules
Permits and rules for a suite or bath
Moving plumbing or electrical, or changing the structure, needs a permit. A like-for-like fixture change may not.
If the house was built before 1978, the renovation rule applies to any work that disturbs painted surfaces. We cover it in the binder.
Examples
Sample work of this kind
Sample photos.
Questions
Questions about this kind of project
Can the shower be curbless?
Usually, yes. The framing under the shower decides how, and the binder's survey tells us early.
How long are we without a bathroom?
It depends on the scope. If this is your only bath, the plan includes a temporary one.
Do you do the closet too?
Yes. The closet is drawn with the bath, because they often share a wall and a door.
Who chooses the tile?
You do, with our interior design lead, from the selections book. An allowance covers it until you choose.
Planning a primary suite?
Tell us what's in the room now and what you want from it. We'll say what it involves.