How Long Does a Custom Bathroom Renovation Really Take?

The short answer: longer than the TV shows, and most of the time isn’t tile. A custom bathroom goes through design and ordering, then demolition, rough-ins, prep, waterproofing (which has to cure and be flood-tested), tile, and finally glass and fixtures. Some of those steps have waiting built in that no one can rush without cutting corners. The size of the room matters less than the scope: a small ensuite with a curbless slab shower can take longer than a big main bath with a tub. On my jobs, a typical custom bathroom takes about 3 to 4 weeks. That’s typical, not a promise: it depends on scope, glass lead times and selections.

Here’s each phase, what happens, and what slows it down.

Before demo day: the part that saves you weeks

Design and selections

Layout, shower type, tile, fixtures, vanity, glass style, niche and bench locations. The more you decide now, the smoother everything after goes. Want to try ideas fast? Upload a photo to the Bathroom Reno Visualizer.

Ordering

This is where schedules quietly slip. Some items have lead times:

• Porcelain slabs and special-order tile. (Porcelain Slab Showers)
• Custom vanities.
• Specialty drains, valves and steam generators.

My advice: have the tile, drain and valve on site or confirmed before demo starts. A bathroom torn apart while you wait for a box of tile is nobody’s idea of fun.

Permits (if needed)

Moving plumbing, structural changes or new walls may need a City of Burlington building permit, and electrical work needs an ESA permit. Build that time in. (Do I Need a Permit in Burlington?)

On-site phases

1. Demolition

Old tile, tub, vanity and fixtures out, down to studs and subfloor where needed. This is also the moment of truth: rot, old leaks, bouncy joists or out-of-plumb walls show up here. Good installers leave room in the plan for surprises.

2. Rough-ins and inspections

Plumbing and electrical get moved or added: drains, valves, lighting, heated floor circuits, steam generator. If there’s a permit, inspections happen before walls close. Mike to confirm how you coordinate plumbers and electricians

3. Framing, flattening and substrate

Blocking for grab bars and glass, niche framing, floor recessing for curbless showers, flattening walls and floors, backer board. Large-format tile and slabs need extra flattening time. It’s not glamorous, but it’s where a great job is decided.

4. Mortar bed and waterproofing

In every shower I build, a custom-sloped cement mortar bed goes down first (Laticrete 3701 over a cleavage membrane with 2″×2″ wire mesh in the middle of the bed, per Laticrete’s data sheet, and rebar in the curb, never a foam pre-slope or foam tray), then a Laticrete Hydro Ban membrane on the walls and over the mortar bed, with no traditional liner pan. Both need time: Laticrete calls for a wet mortar bed to cure 72 hours at 70°F (21°C) before Hydro Ban goes on, and the membrane has to cure before the flood test. Rushing a cure is how leaks start.

5. Flood test

Once the Hydro Ban has cured per Laticrete, the shower is plugged and filled with water, the level is marked, and it sits overnight. Then we check the line and the ceiling below. It’s the cheapest peace of mind in the whole renovation, and it’s non-negotiable on my jobs. (NO Flood Test, NO Tile)

6. Tile

Tile is set with Laticrete thinset, combed and back-buttered for full coverage. How long this takes depends on:

• Format: mosaics and patterns take longer; slabs take careful templating.
• Details: mitred corners, niches, benches, wrapped veining.
• Heated floor: testing at each stage.

Then grout, and Laticrete LATASIL silicone at changes of plane, over LATASIL 9118 Primer in every shower. Grout and thinset need cure time before heavy use, per the maker. (What drives tile cost covers why details take time.)

7. Glass

Custom glass is measured after the tile is finished, because it has to fit the real walls, not the drawings. Then it’s made and installed. That gap catches people off guard, so plan for a few days or more of showering without a door. Mike to confirm typical glass lead time you see locally, or remove

8. Fixtures, vanity and finishing

Trim kits, shower heads, toilet, vanity, mirrors, accessories, caulking, final clean and walkthrough.

What slows a bathroom renovation down

• Decisions made late, or changed mid-job.
• Tile, slabs or fixtures not on site at demo.
• Surprises behind the walls (old leaks, rot, structural issues).
• Permit and inspection timing.
• Waiting on other trades.
• Custom glass lead time.

How to keep yours on schedule

1. Finalize selections before demo.
2. Have materials delivered and checked (right tile, right quantity, no damaged boxes).
3. Ask for a written phase plan with cure and test times built in.
4. Keep one point of contact for trades.
5. Plan for life without the bathroom, especially if it’s your only one.

Questions to ask your installer

• What are the phases, and roughly how long is each?
• Which materials need to be on site before you start?
• How long does the waterproofing cure and how long is the flood test?
• When will glass be measured?
• What happens to the schedule if you find damage behind the walls?

Frequently asked questions

Why does a bathroom renovation take so long?

A typical custom bathroom on my jobs takes about 3 to 4 weeks, depending on scope, glass lead times and selections, because a lot of the work has waiting built in: material lead times, inspections, mortar and membrane cure times, the flood test and custom glass. Rushing those is how problems start.

How long does it take to tile a shower?

It depends on the tile format, the details and the prep. The tile itself is only one phase; the mortar bed, waterproofing, cure time and flood test come first. Ask your installer for a phase plan for your shower.

Can I use my bathroom during the renovation?

Usually not the room being renovated. If it’s your only bathroom, plan ahead with your installer about water shut-offs and timing.

Does a curbless or slab shower take longer?

Usually, yes. Curbless showers can involve floor recessing, and slabs need extra flattening, templating and handling time.

Why do I have to wait for my glass door?

Custom glass is measured after the tile is complete so it fits your actual walls, then it’s made to order. That gap is normal.

By Mike Bourdages, Burlington Tile. Last reviewed Mike to confirm review date.