Bathroom Remodeling in Orangevale

Bathroom Remodeling in Orangevale, California

Bathrooms in Orangevale homes were built small. A 1972 ranch off Madison Avenue typically has two bathrooms — a 5-by-8 hall bath with a tub-shower combo and a 7-by-9 primary bath with a step-in shower or a soaking tub. Vanities are 30 to 36 inches wide. Toilets are still in their original alcoves. Fans, if they exist, vent into the attic instead of through the roof. The cast-iron drains are usually fine. The galvanized supply lines are usually not.

Best of Remodel has remodeled hundreds of bathrooms across Orangevale, Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, and Folsom over the past two decades. We hold license CSLB #1040536 and warrant every project for 5 years on labor and materials. This page covers what bathroom remodeling means here — scope, materials, layout patterns, timelines, cost ranges, and the local issues that come up often enough to budget for.

What Bathroom Remodeling Includes in Orangevale

A full bathroom remodel — see full bathroom remodeling — covers:

• Full demo to the studs, including tub, shower, toilet, vanity, flooring, lights, fan, and tile
• Plumbing: re-pipe supply in PEX or copper, new shower valve and rough-in, new toilet rough, new vanity supply and drain, new tub rough (if retained)
• Electrical: GFCI outlets, dedicated fan circuit, vanity lighting, ceiling lighting, possible heated-floor circuit
• Mechanical: bath fan ducted through the roof (not into the attic)
• Framing: shower curb removal for curbless, niche framing, possible wall relocation
• Waterproofing: cement board or foam panels, full membrane on shower walls and floor, bonded liner or solid surface pan
• Tile: shower walls, shower floor, bathroom floor, decorative accents
• Vanity, mirror, lighting, plumbing fixtures, toilet, hardware, accessories
• Paint, trim, door

Smaller scopes are common: tub-to-shower conversions, wet-area-only remodels, walk-in shower installations, and accessible builds under senior and ADA bathrooms.

Common Project Scenarios

The Hall Bath Tub-to-Shower Conversion

When the kids are grown and no one is taking baths anymore, the 5-foot tub becomes wasted real estate. We pull the tub, frame a curbless shower, set a linear drain, install a hand shower plus rain head on a thermostatic valve, tile in large-format porcelain, and finish with a fixed glass panel. Typical scope, three to four weeks, and it dramatically improves the bathroom's daily usability.

The Primary Bath Expansion

The original 7-by-9 primary bath is too small. We push into an adjacent closet or borrow from the bedroom to create a 9-by-12 layout: double 60-inch vanity, freestanding tub, separate water closet, and a 4-by-5 curbless shower. Six to eight weeks, permits required, and the result feels like a current build.

The Aging-in-Place Build

Curbless shower, fold-down bench, grab bars (or blocking for future grab bars), comfort-height toilet, lever faucets, anti-scald valve, 36-inch door opening, non-slip large-format tile. We design these to look like a normal bathroom — not a medical one. Many Orangevale homeowners are aging in place on the same property they bought in the 1980s and want this done well.

The Guest Bath Refresh

Cosmetic-only update: new vanity, new toilet, new mirror and lighting, paint, possibly retile around the existing tub. Two to three weeks, no permit beyond fixture swaps, lower cost.

Materials, Finishes, and Specifications

Showers

We build showers with cement-board or foam panel substrate (Wedi or Schluter Kerdi-Board) and a full waterproof membrane. Pans are either site-built mud-set with a bonded liner or pre-formed foam. Curbless construction requires recessing the floor framing or building up the rest of the bathroom — both are routine on slab and joist builds in Orangevale.

Tile

Large-format porcelain (12x24, 24x48) for walls and floors is the modern default. Mosaic for shower floors handles slope and grip. Handmade zellige and natural stone are luxury options. We seal natural stone; we do not seal porcelain.

Vanities

Stock vanities ($800-$2,500) work for hall baths. Semi-custom and custom vanities ($2,500-$8,000+) make sense for primary baths where double sinks, drawer banks, and specific dimensions matter. Quartz tops are standard; quartzite and marble are upgrades.

Fixtures

Mid-tier (Delta, Moen, Pfister): $200-$600 per fixture. Premium (Kohler, Grohe, Hansgrohe): $600-$1,500. Luxury (Brizo, Rohl, Waterworks): $1,500-$4,000+. Thermostatic shower valves are worth the upgrade; pressure-balance valves are the minimum.

Toilets

Comfort-height (17-19 inches) is now standard. Dual-flush, soft-close seat, elongated bowl. Wall-hung toilets are an option in remodels where the rough-in supports them.

Our Process

1. Consultation

We measure, photograph, check the supply lines, look at the existing fan venting path, and discuss your daily routine. On homes with well-and-septic we ask about fixture count and discuss any septic limits.

2. Design

Layout plan, elevations, finish board. Bathroom design is more dimensional than kitchen design — niche placement, valve heights, bench depth all need to be locked early.

3. Selections

Tile (largest selection lead time), vanity, top, toilet, fixtures, lighting, hardware.

4. Contract and Permits

Detailed estimate, contract, deposit, permit submission to Sacramento County for plumbing and electrical work.

5. Construction

Demo, rough plumbing, rough electrical, fan venting, rough framing, inspections, waterproofing, tile, vanity, fixtures, paint, glass, accessories.

6. Final Walk-Through

Punch list, completion, warranty documents.

Typical Timeline and Cost Ranges

Guest bath cosmetic refresh: 2 to 3 weeks, $15,000 to $28,000.

Hall bath tub-to-shower conversion: 3 to 4 weeks, $22,000 to $40,000.

Full hall bath remodel (same footprint): 4 to 5 weeks, $32,000 to $55,000.

Primary bath full remodel (same footprint): 5 to 7 weeks, $45,000 to $85,000.

Primary bath expansion with walls moved: 7 to 10 weeks, $70,000 to $130,000+.

Common Issues We Address in Orangevale Bathrooms

• Galvanized supply: almost always replaced during the rough phase. PEX is our default; copper on request.
• Cast-iron drains: inspect, repair locally if needed; full replacement is rare.
• Fan venting into the attic: mold and moisture problem. We re-vent through the roof.
• Subfloor rot: common around toilets and tubs. Replace plywood, treat framing, address before tile.
• Original aluminum windows in showers: we remove, frame in, or replace with vinyl operable or fixed glass block depending on light needs.
• Old shower pans: mortar-bed pans with copper liners eventually fail. Modern foam pans or properly built mud pans with sheet membranes are the replacement.
• Asbestos in vinyl flooring: pre-1981 homes can have it. We test and abate properly.
• Septic capacity: on rural lots, expansions that add a third bathroom may trigger a septic review.

Permitting and Code Compliance

Sacramento County requires permits for plumbing relocations (moving the toilet, shower, or sink), electrical changes, exhaust fan installation or relocation, and structural work. Like-for-like fixture swaps in the same location generally do not require permits but still must follow code on GFCI, anti-scald valves, and venting. We pull and manage every permit.

Why Orangevale Owners Hire Us for Bathrooms

• Deep experience with 1960s and 1970s bath construction
• Curbless shower fabrication on slab and on joists
• Aging-in-place design without the institutional look
• Sacramento County permitting handled in-house
• Waterproofing built to industry-leading standards (Schluter and Wedi systems)
• Tile installation crews who have been with us for years
• Honest condition assessment before contract
• 5-year warranty on labor and materials

Service Area Coverage

We remodel bathrooms throughout Orangevale and across nearby Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Carmichael, and Granite Bay. See Orangevale services, Orangevale kitchen remodeling, Orangevale exterior remodeling, and Orangevale whole-home renovations. Browse completed work at our project gallery.

Get Started

Call (916) 800-5522 or reach out via the contact page. We will visit, measure, talk through scope and budget honestly, and follow up with a written estimate. License CSLB #1040536. Warranty: 5 years on labor and materials.