Powder Room and Half-Bath Remodeling

What a powder room remodel includes

• The fixtures: a toilet, often a wall-hung or compact elongated model where space is tight, and a sink on a small vanity, a pedestal or a wall-mounted basin.
• Walls and floor: new floor tile, and tile, paneling or wallpaper on the walls. The wall behind the sink is the one people see, so it is where the feature tile goes.
• Light and air: a vanity light or sconces at face height, a recessed light, and a quiet exhaust fan if there is none.
• Finish details: mirror, towel ring, paper holder, door hardware and paint.

The small-room problems we solve

• The door hits the toilet. A pocket door or a door rehung to swing out usually fixes it, if the wall beside the opening has no plumbing or wiring in it.
• No room for a vanity. A wall-mounted sink with an exposed trap, or a narrow 16- to 18-inch-deep vanity, gives knee room back.
• The toilet is in the wrong place. Moving it means rerouting a 3-inch drain. Under a house with a crawlspace that is straightforward; on a slab it means cutting concrete, and we price it before you decide.
• No fan. Many older powder rooms were built with only a window or nothing at all. We add a ducted fan to the outside, not into the attic.

Under the stairs and other tight spots

Many Peninsula two-story homes added a half bath under the stairs or in a former closet. Head height at the toilet, a vent path for the drain and room for a door are the three things we check first. If one of them does not work, we tell you at the site visit rather than after demolition.