Guest Bath Update
A guest bath update is the full-scope refresh for the second bathroom in the house — wet wall re-tiled top to bottom over proper Schluter KERDI waterproofing, new vanity and countertop, new mirror and medicine cabinet, new toilet, new fixtures on a refreshed in-wall valve, full re-caulk, paint, and a new fan or sconce circuit when the existing wiring is non-compliant — in five to seven working days, starting at $8,000. The package for the guest bath that has had the same builder-grade everything since 1995, with shower tile that has gone chalky at the grout, a vanity with a swollen water-damaged toe-kick, a toilet that wobbles, and a fan that whines when it runs. Handis runs the project end to end; the licensed Washington L&I plumber handles the in-wall valve change and any rough-in adjustment, and the licensed electrician handles the new fan or sconce circuit. The tile and waterproofing scope is the part that separates this package from the cosmetic refresh.
Scope
What a Guest Bath Update Includes
A guest bath update is the full-scope bathroom-update package — the wet wall is re-tiled, the waterproofing is rebuilt with a proper sheet membrane, the vanity and toilet and fixtures are all swapped, and the bathroom finishes punch-list-clean in five to seven working days. The scope that separates this from a cosmetic refresh is the re-tile and the waterproofing membrane — the tile work is what carries most of the cost difference and most of the durability gain. Handis runs the project end to end; the licensed Washington L&I plumber is on site for the valve change and rough-in; the licensed electrician is on site for the fan or sconce circuit; the tile setter is on site for the membrane and re-tile work.
Demo of the Existing Wet-Wall Tile and Surround
Pull the existing tile down to the substrate, inspect the wall framing and the existing waterproofing (or the absence of it — pre-2000 builder-grade bathrooms often have cement board treated as waterproofing, which is not), assess the subfloor at the curb, and dispose of the demo cleanly. The plastic-zip at the doorway and the HEPA scrubber stay on through the dust-heavy days.
Schluter KERDI or Equivalent Waterproofing Membrane
Every tile shower or tub surround we rebuild gets a real waterproofing system behind the tile — Schluter KERDI sheet membrane, Wedi, or equivalent — tied into the curb, the pan, and the niche. The fifteen-year shower failures we are called to repair almost always trace to a single mistake: cement board treated as waterproofing. It is not. The membrane is the most important invisible part of the project.
Full Wet-Wall Re-Tile
Set the new tile (subway, large-format porcelain, hex, mosaic, natural stone — your choice) over the membrane with thin-set, grout with the right grout for the joint width (sanded for wider, unsanded for narrow, epoxy for high-wear), and seal natural stone where applicable. A built-in niche is included in the base scope; a bench is an adder.
New Vanity, Countertop, Mirror, and Medicine Cabinet
Pull the existing vanity, scribe the new cabinet to the wall, set the countertop, drop the sink, plumb to wall and floor, and trim. New mirror or medicine cabinet (the medicine-cabinet upgrade is popular in guest baths for the extra storage). The vanity install runs concurrently with the tile cure so the calendar does not lengthen.
New Toilet on Inspected Flange
Pull the existing toilet, inspect the closet flange (replace if cracked or corroded), set a new wax ring, install the new bowl and tank, supply and stop, and seat the bolts. The plumber sub handles flange replacement as a written change order with the cost passed through transparently.
New Fixtures on Refreshed In-Wall Valve
The in-wall shower valve is the most common piece of plumbing that needs to change for a new fixture trim — the plumber swaps the valve cartridge or the full valve body on the morning of day three so the new trim fits and the pressure-balance behaves correctly. Faucet, showerhead, and tub spout all on the new rough-in.
Fresh Paint, Full Re-Caulk, and New Fan or Sconce Circuit
Two coats of mildew-resistant bathroom paint on walls and ceiling. Full re-caulk of every wet seam in 100% mildew-resistant silicone with the proper cure-time notice on the door. A new bath fan on a new circuit (or a fan upgrade on an existing circuit) trimmed out by the licensed electrician on the day the fan goes in.
How a Guest Bath Update Runs
Eight sequential phases over five to seven working days from on-site walkthrough through punch-list sign-off — the actual calendar we run on every guest-bath update, with the licensed plumber, the licensed electrician, and the tile setter sequenced on the days they are needed.
On-Site Walkthrough and Product Confirm
A Handis project lead walks the guest bath, measures the wet-wall area, the vanity opening, the toilet flange, and the existing rough-in, confirms the model numbers for the tile, vanity, mirror, toilet, fixtures, paint, and fan, and locks the calendar. The plumber day, electrician day, and tile-setter days are all pinned.
Demo of Tile, Vanity, Toilet, and Fixtures (Day One)
Plastic-zip floor-to-ceiling at the doorway, HEPA scrubber running, runners down every hallway the crew walks. Pull the existing wet-wall tile, the vanity, the mirror, the toilet, the fixtures, and the fan. Inspect the framing and the subfloor; flag any rot or substrate damage as a written change order before we proceed.
Licensed Plumber Day (Day Two)
A licensed Washington L&I plumber arrives, swaps the in-wall shower valve cartridge or the full valve body to fit the new trim, replaces the closet flange if the inspection on day one flagged it, swaps any supply nipples that have corroded, and pressure-tests every connection. The plumber pulls their own permit for any in-wall work.
Waterproofing Membrane (Day Two-Three)
Schluter KERDI sheet membrane (or equivalent) applied over the wet-wall substrate, tied into the curb, the shower pan, and the niche with the proper sealant and corner pieces. Pressure-test the membrane before any tile goes on. The membrane is the invisible-but-critical part of the project — the part everyone wants to skip and the part that defines the next fifteen years.
Tile Install — Wet Wall (Day Three-Four)
Set the new tile over the membrane with the right thin-set for the tile type, build the niche surround, set the bench if in scope, and finish the curb. Tile lines stay plumb; grout joints stay consistent. The tile cure is 24 hours before grout.
Grout, Seal, and Vanity Set (Day Four-Five)
Grout the tile with sanded, unsanded, or epoxy grout based on the joint width and the wear, seal natural stone tiles. Set the new vanity and countertop, drop the sink, plumb to floor, hook supply and drain. Mirror and medicine cabinet hung dead-level with the vanity centerline.
Toilet, Fixtures, Electrician Trim (Day Five-Six)
New toilet set on a fresh wax ring with new bolts. New faucet at the sink, new showerhead and tub spout at the wall on the refreshed valve. Licensed Washington L&I electrician trims out the new fan circuit (or the new sconce circuit), installs the fan housing and grill, and tests every circuit.
Paint, Re-Caulk, Punch List, and Sign-Off (Day Six-Seven)
Two coats of mildew-resistant bathroom paint on walls and ceiling. Full re-caulk of every wet seam in 100% mildew-resistant silicone with the cure-time notice left on the bathroom door. Walkthrough with the homeowner against the original quote line by line. Final clean — wipe every surface, polish the new mirror and fixtures, vacuum the floor a final time, pull the protection. One-year project warranty documented and emailed.
Guest Bath Update Pricing
Package pricing depends on bathroom size, tile selection (subway, porcelain, hex, natural stone), vanity grade, glass door scope, and whether a new fan or sconce circuit is in scope. Licensed-plumber day and tile-setter days are in the base; licensed-electrician day is an adder when a new circuit is in scope. Multi-bath and multi-unit projects qualify for volume discount. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us the guest bath and the tile direction — we will send the full package quote.
Why Tile Work Sets This Package Apart
Most guest-bath updates we are called to fix are tile-work failures from a previous contractor — cement board treated as waterproofing, grout that was set too soft for a wet wall, a curb that was tiled without a membrane tied through it, a niche that leaked from day one because the back of it was never sealed. Tile work is unforgiving; one missed step in the waterproofing means the wall fails in three to five years regardless of how clean the grout lines look. We do the membrane right, we pressure-test it before any tile goes on, and we have the photos to prove it.
Schluter KERDI membrane, not cement board treated as waterproofing
Cement board is a structural substrate; it is not a waterproofing layer. The pre-2000 builder-grade bathroom convention of tiling directly on cement board is the single biggest reason mid-life showers fail. Every tile project we run gets a proper sheet membrane (Schluter KERDI, Wedi, or equivalent), tied into the curb, the pan, and the niche, and pressure-tested before any tile goes on.
Licensed plumber on the right day, valve done right
The in-wall shower valve is the most common piece of plumbing that has to change for a new fixture trim. Day three morning is the plumber day — they swap the valve cartridge or the full valve body, replace the closet flange if needed, refresh any corroded supply nipples, and pressure-test. The plumber pulls their own permit; you see their hours on the quote.
Licensed electrician for any new circuit, fan trim-out same day
A new bath fan on a new circuit (or any new sconce circuit) needs a licensed Washington L&I electrician. They arrive on day five afternoon, pull the circuit, install the fan housing and grill, trim out the new outlet or sconce, and test. The fan circuit is the $600 adder in the package tiers that include it.
Calendar accurate to the half-day
The seven-day calendar on the quote shows what happens on each half-day — demo Monday morning, framing inspection Monday afternoon, plumber Tuesday, membrane Tuesday-Wednesday morning, tile Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, grout and vanity Friday morning, fixtures and electrician Friday afternoon, paint and punch list Monday. Multi-bath projects sequence the plumber and electrician across both baths for a single sub day each.
Insured, background-checked, one-year project warranty
Handis carries general liability and workers' compensation; every technician has cleared a background screening. The one-year project warranty covers tile, grout, caulk, waterproofing membrane, fixture install, cabinetry, paint, and finishes — and the licensed-sub portion (plumbing and electrical) carries its own Washington L&I-trade warranty, also named on the quote.
Estimate
Tell us the guest bath (square footage, fixture type — tub or walk-in shower), the tile direction (subway, large-format porcelain, hex, mosaic, natural stone), the vanity width and grade, and any product preferences you already have. We send a written quote with every line, the tile-setter days, the plumber day, and the electrician day named.
What Our Customers Say
Recent guest bath update reviews from verified Seattle-area customers.
Guest bath update with full re-tile of the tub-shower wet wall. They demoed the old beige tile, found the previous installer had used cement board with no membrane (the back of the niche was wet behind the tile), and rebuilt with Schluter KERDI. Subway tile, new vanity, new fixtures, new fan on a new circuit. Seven working days. The calendar on the quote was accurate to the half-day.
1990s build, original guest bath, every fixture and surface untouched since the day the house was framed. Now — white subway with a black hex floor, white shaker vanity with quartz top, brushed-nickel fixtures, frameless glass shower door, white paint, new whisper-quiet fan. The plumber was on site Tuesday, the electrician Friday afternoon, the rest was Handis. Punch list Monday.
We had a previous shower fail at five years — the curb leaked into the closet on the other side of the wall. Handis demoed, found the original installer had skipped the corner membrane at the curb, and rebuilt with proper KERDI through the curb, pan, and niche. Pressure-tested the membrane before any tile went on (they showed me the photo). Two years later the closet wall is bone dry.
Hex tile floor and large-format porcelain on the wet wall. The tile-setter spent half a day on the niche alone — built it square, waterproofed the inside, and tiled the back wall in a single sheet so there is no grout seam where water would sit. Half-inch deep, three feet wide, three shelves. Everyone who walks in stops to look at it.
Two guest baths in the same house, same week. The crew sequenced the work so the plumber and electrician each came in for one consolidated day across both bathrooms. Twelve working days total for the pair, volume discount on the second. House finally has two guest baths that match.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Handis guest bath update — tile and waterproofing, scope, scheduling, licensed-sub coordination, and what fits the package.