Bathroom Renovation & Remodeling

Key Features

Bathroom Renovation in NYC

A bathroom renovation in a New York City apartment is a high-stakes project. The space is small — typically 35 to 50 square feet — but the consequences of poor execution are severe. A waterproofing failure means a leak into your neighbor's apartment below, creating liability, expensive repairs, and damaged relationships with your building. An improperly vented drain leads to sewer gas odors. Substandard tile work on surfaces you see every day becomes a daily frustration.

Our bathroom renovation team specializes in NYC apartment bathrooms. We have renovated hundreds of bathrooms across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens in pre-war co-ops, postwar condos, brownstones, and new construction. We understand the specific challenges — working within tight footprints, coordinating water shutoffs with building management, managing material deliveries through service elevators, and meeting the exacting standards that NYC co-op boards require.

Waterproofing, Plumbing, and Building Code

Waterproofing is the single most critical element of any NYC bathroom renovation. We apply liquid-applied or sheet membrane waterproofing to all shower walls, shower floors, and the entire bathroom floor before any tile is installed. This membrane system is tested and inspected before tiling begins. We do not cut corners on waterproofing — it is the foundation that protects your apartment and your neighbors below.

NYC plumbing code requires specific venting configurations, minimum pipe sizes, and approved materials. If you are relocating fixtures, adding a new shower body, or upgrading from a two-handle to a thermostatic valve, a licensed plumber must perform the work and it must pass DOB inspection. We coordinate all plumbing rough-in with our licensed plumbing team and schedule inspections before walls are closed up.

Timeline and What to Expect

A typical NYC bathroom gut renovation takes 4 to 6 weeks of active construction. The first week is demolition and plumbing rough-in. Weeks two and three cover waterproofing, backer board installation, and tile work. Week four is fixture installation — vanity, toilet, shower glass, accessories. The final days are devoted to grouting, caulking, paint touch-ups, and punch list items.

During construction, the bathroom is completely out of service. If your apartment has a second bathroom, you will use that. If not, we help clients plan — some buildings have a common bathroom, or we can stage the work to provide temporary toilet access during certain phases. Construction hours follow your building's rules, typically 8am to 5pm on weekdays with no weekend work.

Key Takeaways

• ✓Waterproofing is the most critical element of any NYC bathroom renovation — never cut corners
• ✓NYC plumbing code requires licensed professionals and DOB inspections for most bathroom plumbing work
• ✓A gut bathroom renovation typically takes 4 to 6 weeks of active construction
• ✓Co-op and condo board approval adds 4 to 8 weeks to the project timeline
• ✓Design techniques like large-format tile and wall-mounted vanities make small bathrooms feel significantly larger

Frequently Asked Questions