A 6-week bathroom remodel covering demo, plumbing, waterproofing, tile, vanity and fixtures, with the waterproofing and tile sequences that decide whether a shower leaks in five years.
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Open in the app →Bathrooms look simple because they are small, but they have more failure modes than any other room, because everything is wrapped around water. Get the waterproofing sequence, the slope of the shower pan, or the order of tile and grout wrong, and you have a leak in five years. This 6-week template lays out the order of operations that experienced bathroom remodelers actually use, with realistic durations for each step.
Order the vanity, tile, fixtures, and glass door (custom glass has a 3-week lead time). Demo the existing bathroom (fixtures, tile, drywall) down to the studs. A typical bathroom demo is one to two days for two people. Strip the floor down to the subfloor.
Plumber relocates supply and waste lines for the new layout. Electrician runs circuits for new lighting, GFCI outlets, exhaust fan, and any heated floor. Rough inspection happens at the end of the week. Without a passing inspection you cannot close the walls.
Hang cement backer board in the shower, regular drywall everywhere else. Apply waterproofing membrane to all shower walls and the pan. This is the step that prevents long-term leaks. Slope the shower pan correctly toward the drain (1/4 inch per foot). Skip this step and there is no recovering.
Tile is the longest single phase. Floor tile first, then shower walls, then niches and accent tiles. Let mortar cure 24 hours before grouting. Grout, then seal grout 24 hours after grouting. This phase is slow because curing time is not negotiable.
Vanity, mirror, lighting, and toilet install. Plumber returns to connect supply lines and trap. Glass shower door is the last thing in. The installer needs the tile complete to measure. Caulk every seam, check for leaks, final inspection.
4–8 weeks for a standard bathroom. This template targets the 6-week middle case. Half-baths can be done in 2–3 weeks.
Cement board alone is not waterproof. Water gets through the grout, through the cement board, into the framing, and you have rotted studs in 3–5 years. The membrane is the only thing that stops it.
For a remodel that changes the layout (moving plumbing or electrical), yes. For a like-for-like replacement, usually no. Check your local building department.
Open the bathroom template, fit it to your dates, and you have a working 6-week plan with the right tile and waterproofing sequence.
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