Hours vary Portland (207) 544-3126
Woodhouse Builders LLC
Bathroom Remodeling That Actually Fits Your Home

Portland Local

Bathroom Remodeling That Actually Fits Your Home

From tile and fixtures to full gut renovations, Woodhouse Builders handles every phase under one roof.

Call now(207) 544-3126
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What Bathroom Remodeling Really Costs

Bathroom remodeling cost is the question every homeowner asks first, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you're actually changing. A cosmetic refresh with new fixtures, a vanity swap, and fresh tile runs very differently than a full gut where you're moving plumbing, replacing a tub with a walk-in shower, and rebuilding the layout from scratch. What matters most is getting an accurate scope before anyone picks up a tool. Scotty Woodhouse walks every job in person so the estimate reflects your actual bathroom, not a generic square-footage formula. Call (207) 544-3126 and get a real number.

Most bathroom remodels fall somewhere between a focused update and a complete teardown, and the gap in cost between those two is significant. Materials drive a large portion of it: standard ceramic tile costs a fraction of large-format porcelain or natural stone, and a prefab shower unit is a different budget conversation than custom tile work from the floor up. Access matters too. Older homes in Maine's housing stock often have plumbing configurations that add time to any rough-in work, and bathrooms with pre-existing moisture damage behind walls require remediation before new finishes go in. The size of the space, the fixture selections, and whether the layout is changing all shape the final number. Every job is different, contact Woodhouse Builders LLC for an accurate estimate.

Scope of Work

Full Gut or Targeted Upgrade: Know the Difference

The project scope you choose determines the timeline, the disruption, and the final cost.

01

Cosmetic Refresh

New vanity, updated fixtures, a fresh coat of paint, and maybe tile on the floor or backsplash. The plumbing stays where it is, the walls stay closed. This is the fastest path to a bathroom that looks current without a major budget commitment.

02

Shower Conversion

Replacing a tub-shower combo with a dedicated walk-in shower is one of the most-requested changes in bathrooms right now. It changes the rough plumbing, requires a custom curb or linear drain, and involves tile work from the pan up. It's a meaningful project, not a weekend DIY.

03

Full Gut Renovation

Everything comes out: tile, tub, vanity, drywall, and sometimes subfloor. This is the right call when a bathroom is dated by 20 or 30 years, or when there's moisture damage behind the walls that a surface remodel would just cover up rather than fix.

04

Layout Reconfiguration

Moving a toilet, relocating a shower drain, or repositioning a vanity to a different wall requires a licensed plumber for the rough-in work and a skilled framer to reset the space. It adds time and cost, but sometimes it's the only way to get the layout you actually want.

Our Process

How Woodhouse Builders Approaches a Bathroom Job

  1. 01

    Walkthrough and Honest Scope

    Scotty visits the space, looks at what's behind the surfaces when possible, and scopes the job accurately. No ballpark estimates that balloon later.

  2. 02

    Demolition Through Rough Work

    Teardown, any plumbing or framing changes, waterproofing the shower area, and backer board installation before a single tile goes up. The prep work is where a bathroom either holds up for decades or starts failing in two years.

  3. 03

    Finishes and Fixtures

    Tile installation, flooring, vanity and fixture setting, trim carpentry, and final walk-through. The job isn't done until every grout line is clean and every fixture is set right.

What To Know

Things That Drive Bathroom Remodeling Costs Up

  1. 01

    Moving Plumbing

    Relocating a drain or supply line requires opening the floor and possibly the ceiling below. It adds time and rough-in labor before the finish work even starts.

  2. 02

    Moisture Damage Behind Walls

    Older bathrooms often have mold or rot behind tile that wasn't installed with a proper waterproof membrane. Finding it mid-demo is common. Remediating it is non-negotiable.

  3. 03

    Material Selection

    Large-format porcelain, natural stone, and custom shower niches cost significantly more than standard tile in both materials and labor. The install complexity goes up with the tile size.

  4. 04

    Subfloor Condition

    A soft or damaged subfloor under old tile needs to be addressed before anything new goes down. Skipping this step is exactly how a new tile floor starts cracking within a year.

What Separates a Lasting Bathroom from One That Fails

  1. 01

    Waterproofing the Shower

    The membrane behind the tile is what keeps moisture out of your wall cavity. A lot of remodels skip proper waterproofing or use the wrong substrate. We don't. This is the step that determines whether a shower lasts 5 years or 25.

  2. 02

    Setting Tile Correctly

    Large-format tile requires a perfectly flat substrate and the right thinset coverage. Hollow spots under tile will crack. Grout lines that aren't sealed will wick moisture. Get the tile installation done by someone who does it full-time, not as an afterthought.

  3. 03

    Finishing the Details

    Caulk lines, trim work, fixture alignment, and door clearance are where a bathroom remodel looks finished or just looks done. These details are also where corners get cut on rushed jobs.

Bathroom Remodeling for Any Size Space

Small bathrooms in Maine's older homes present their own set of challenges. A full home remodeling project sometimes reveals that the original bathroom layout was never efficient to begin with. Woodhouse Builders has worked in tight footprints where every inch of storage matters, and in master baths large enough to accommodate dual vanities and a freestanding tub. The scope shapes the approach, but the standard doesn't change based on square footage. If you're also planning changes in adjacent spaces, work like drywall repair or a home renovation beyond the bathroom can often be coordinated to reduce overall disruption. Homeowners in Scarborough and Falmouth have found it efficient to bundle bathroom work with other projects rather than scheduling separate contractors.
full gut renovation work, professional service in Portland, ME

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my shower needs a full gut versus a retile?
Press on the wall tiles around the tub or shower surround. Soft or spongy movement means the substrate behind has moisture damage and won't hold new tile. A retile over a compromised backer board fails quickly. If the existing walls flex, the scope becomes a gut. If they're solid and the issue is cosmetic, a retile may work. We check this on every walkthrough before scoping.
What type of tile substrate is correct for a shower installation?
Cement backer board or a foam waterproof panel like Schluter Kerdi is the right substrate for a wet shower environment. Standard drywall, even moisture-resistant drywall, is not an appropriate backer for tile in a shower. A lot of older Maine bathrooms were built with green board, which can still deteriorate over time with sustained exposure to water vapor.
Can the toilet stay in place during a bathroom remodel to keep costs down?
Usually, yes. If the floor tile is being replaced, the toilet needs to come off its flange, but it can be reset in the same location when the floor work is complete. Keeping the toilet in its existing position avoids any rough plumbing changes and is one of the easier ways to manage scope. We always reseat with a new wax ring and check the flange condition before reinstallation.
How long does a standard bathroom remodel typically take?
A focused cosmetic update, new vanity, tile, and fixture swap, can often be completed in four to seven days depending on how much prep work the existing conditions require. A full gut with new plumbing rough-in and custom tile work runs longer, typically two to three weeks. The biggest factor beyond scope is how quickly decisions on materials get made before work starts.
Is a permit required for bathroom remodeling in Maine?
Cosmetic work, tile replacement, vanity swaps, and fixture changes typically don't require a permit in most Maine municipalities. Moving plumbing, altering the drain location, or making structural changes to a wall is a different matter. Permit requirements vary by town, and pulling the correct permits protects you when it comes time to sell the home. We address permitting requirements during the scoping conversation before work starts.
What's the right grout for a shower floor versus a wall?
Unsanded grout is used for joints under 1/8 inch, which is common on wall tile. Sanded grout is used for wider joints and on shower floors where the added aggregate gives it durability under foot traffic. Epoxy grout costs more but resists staining and moisture better than cement-based grout, which makes it a strong choice in high-use shower environments. The grout choice affects both appearance and long-term maintenance.

Ready to Get Your Bathroom Remodeled Right

Scotty Woodhouse is available every day of the week. Call or reach out and describe what you're working with.

Call now (207) 544-3126

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