Leo Lantz Discusses Bathroom Renovation: Costs, Timelines, and Value Additions

Transcription

Nora Duran: Welcome back to our show, everyone. Today we’re talking about something many of you have been asking about: bathroom remodeling. Whether you want to do a quick update or a full renovation, there’s a lot to consider. Bathrooms are important spaces in our homes, and remodeling them can make a big difference in how they look and function. Today, we have our special guest, Leo from Leo Lantz Construction, to help us understand everything we need to know. We’ll cover how to plan, budget, and make smart choices for your bathroom remodel. How are you, Leo?

Leo Lantz: I’m doing great, Nora. Good to be with you here today.

Nora Duran: Thank you. So, let’s get started with our first question. Are one-week bathroom remodels really worth it? I mean, can you really get a quality renovation done in just one week?

Leo Lantz: Well, Nora, the term “one-week bathroom remodel” is misleading. This type of remodel typically only includes the shower area and does not address the replacement of other areas of the bathroom, such as the bath, flooring, vanities, countertops, drywall, paint, carpet, accessories, lighting, ventilation, or other plumbing fixtures. There is a sizable market for these types of remodels, but our clientele are not in the market for these.

Nora Duran: That’s interesting. And now, I kind of want to dive into budgeting. How much should someone realistically expect to invest in a bathroom remodel? I know this can vary widely, but what are the key factors that influence the cost?

Leo Lantz: Well, there are some things in life where size matters, and this is one of them. The larger the bathroom, the larger the cost. Typically, the level of investment for a complete tear-out and upscale replacement of a hall or guest bath averages 7 to 10 percent of the home value, whereas for a primary bath renovation, the average is 10 to 15 percent.

Nora Duran: Fascinating. So now I just want to flip the coin. What’s typically the most expensive part of a bathroom remodel? Where do the most dollars end up going?

Leo Lantz: There are basically seven parts of the bathroom remodeling scope of work that average the highest level of investment for your project. They are custom tile work, cabinetry, stone countertops, fixtures for plumbing, lighting and accessories, plumbing labor, carpentry, and a frameless glass door.

Nora Duran: So now, many people are interested in converting their bathtub to a shower. How much does that typically cost? Is it a good investment in terms of home value? What do you think, Leo?

Leo Lantz: In our market, the level of investment to convert a tub to a custom tile shower with features such as lighting, ventilation, fixtures, and a frameless glass door averages between $15,000 and $25,000. For our remodels, that takes more than one week because anytime you do custom work, it takes creativity and craftsmanship, especially with all the elaborate tile work and beautiful spaces that we create.

Nora Duran: And speaking of timing, is there a best time of the year to tackle a bathroom remodel? Does seasonality impact the cost or availability of materials and contractors?

Leo Lantz: Given that you’re dealing with an indoor space, we don’t have to deal with the elements as far as seasonality, whether it’s too hot, too cold, too rainy, or too dry. So, the materials are not backlogged or in short supply, like during the summertime when home construction is underway. So we don’t have shortages of 2x4s or things that would typically be in short supply because bathrooms require smaller quantities. So there really isn’t a delay or seasonality regarding bathroom remodels. However, for the homeowner, the best time to address your bathroom remodel is during the rainy season. That being said, if your bathroom is leaking through the ceiling below or into the crawl space, then it’s time for you to get a remodel. Some telltale signs of your bathroom needing attention are excessive mold, cracking tiles, or efflorescence.

Nora Duran: Yeah, that makes sense. And when someone is ready to start, what’s the right order to tackle a bathroom remodel? Is there a step-by-step process that you recommend?

Leo Lantz: Well, we have a structure in our company, as we typically do at least 20 to 30 bathrooms a year. So there’s an established sequence of processes for the project. The sequence in which we tackle a bathroom remodel includes design, budgeting, creating contract documents for the project, material and permit acquisitions, and those can have some significant delays just depending on which locality we are working in and the backlog that they have. Demolition, rough carpentry, plumbing rough-in, electrical rough-in, HVAC rough-in, tile backer installation, drywall hanging and finishing, tile installation, cabinet installation, interior trim installation, a countertop template, fabrication and installation, shower door template, painting, plumbing and electrical trim-outs, accessory installation, shower door installation, final punch list, and professional cleaning. So, for most people, they don’t realize what goes into that bathroom. It may be a smaller space, but just about every trade to build a house is in that space. You have to supply adequate HVAC. With our projects now, we’re even installing heated floors. The electrical work takes a little bit longer, and given that it’s a smaller space, I can only get so many guys in there at one time, whereas if you’re building a whole house, they can kind of spread out. So it’s really important to keep the sequence of events to prevent everyone from bumping into each other and getting in each other’s way.

Nora Duran: Got it.

Leo Lantz: Got it.

Nora Duran: Great information. Thank you so much for your perspective. How long should a bathroom remodeling take from start to finish? I’m sure it varies, but what’s a reasonable timeline someone can expect?

Leo Lantz: For a fully custom bathroom remodel, you should expect a 10 to 12-week duration. That does not mean a crew is in your home every day. The countertop and shower door templates, fabrication, and installation average about three weeks each, and those have to be staggered separately. The shower door template usually follows the countertop installation because our projects typically call for a stone curb, seat, or knee wall. If there are any holidays or seasonal events, you could extend that time frame by a week or two. Just working around the holidays when everyone is off and people have personal lives. Weather-related delays like snow or illnesses can also affect the schedule. But typically, our normal duration for a project of this scope is about 10 to 12 weeks.

Nora Duran: And speaking of value, what adds the most value to a bathroom? Are there any specific upgrades or features that really make a difference in your opinion?

Leo Lantz: In our market, we are removing tubs and converting the bathing space to functional showers with seats, low or no curbs, recessed niches for storage, LED lighting and mirrors, proper ventilation, and hand showers. A beautiful and functional shower better serves the needs of modern living, thus increasing the home value significantly. In some of our exquisite projects, the elements that really make the bathroom pop are decorative mirrors and lighting. Lighting is a very key component of all our projects.

Nora Duran: Now, for those considering a walk-in shower, there’s often a concern about home value. Do walk-in showers lower the value of a home? Or can they actually add value?

Leo Lantz: In our market, we are removing tubs and converting the bathing space to functional showers with seats, lower or no curbs, recessed niches for storage, LED lighting and mirrors, proper ventilation, and hand showers. A beautiful and functional shower better serves the needs of modern living. Increasing the home value significantly. So not only does the home value increase, but your enjoyment of using the space every day dramatically increases. Most of the design that we do is for universal living, so people of all ages and abilities enjoy the new showering spaces. As we age, trying to get up and out of or step into that tub is a challenge for a lot of people, so it has become a hazard. We can install a beautiful, functional walk-in shower with a seat and proper safety rails, which is a significant value improvement for the home.

Nora Duran: And speaking of value, what adds the most value to a bathroom? Are there any specific upgrades or features that really make a difference?

Leo Lantz: Well, elegant design and functionality add the most value to a bathroom. You can remodel a bathroom, but if it doesn’t have a cohesive flow and design, it is not going to have the return on your investment that you would want. Modern amenities and features that we install include hand showers and rotor valves that allow you to have two shower heads going at once. Not only does the hand shower allow you to sit down and bathe, but it’s a practical item for cleaning the shower. Shower doors have shower guard glass treatment applied to the glass before it’s tempered. What that does is seal the pores in the glass so that you don’t get soap scum and buildup on the glass of traditional doors. That’s been so hard to clean. After a certain age, you just can’t clean them anymore. Glass is naturally porous, so what this treatment does is fill in all the micro fissures in the glass. Any water or soap just bubbles up and can be easily removed with a squeegee. Having safety rails, recessed niches in the wall—many old molded showers would have corners or shelves that protrude beyond the wall and you would always bump your elbow into them or they were just water catchers that would collect mold. Minor updates with things like LED lighting in the shower space are also important. Traditionally, you’d have a shower curtain covering the bathtub, which would obstruct the light into the showering space. Now, with lighting over the space, it illuminates the area, whether you have a shower curtain or a shower door, it doesn’t matter. Those are some basic upgrades that we feature in all our projects currently.

Nora Duran: When it comes to design, what are some popular colors for a bathroom remodel? Are there any timeless options that you recommend?

Leo Lantz: By far, the highest percentage of our bathroom remodels have various combinations of whites and grays, and those would be your traditional designs, kind of like marbles that have some gray veining or even touches of almost black. We see a lot of that. The colors that coordinate with that are various shades of gray. We also see some blues that complement that color scheme. We’re also seeing from some of our designers pastel colors, especially in the tile. We’ll do vertical 2×8 tiles for a more contemporary touch on the design in showers. We’ll also see some bold greens and blacks that are very popular now. The blacks are more in the fixtures, like faucets, but we’re also seeing it in the tile itself. There’s even a trend toward gothic color schemes where the showers are very deep earth tones and almost black, but the only way to bring those elements together is to have sufficient lighting to make the colors pop without making the space appear too dark.

Nora Duran: Golden information. Thank you very much. We all just want to know what comes first in a bathroom remodeling project. Is there a specific element or area that should be tackled before everything else?

Leo Lantz: In any project, you need a plan to remain on track and focused. Closely tied to that is the budgeting process to be able to fine-tune the plan. These almost work hand in hand because you have to have a visual plan for everyone to be on the same wavelength. If you were to go out and get estimates from multiple contractors and just have a verbal conversation to convey what you want, you will get three totally different concepts of what your project looks like. It’s very important to use some type of 3D CAD or design software that can give you a visual representation of what the space will look like so that everyone is on the same page and trying to achieve a common goal for your beautiful new bathroom.

Nora Duran: And what type of materials are used in the bathroom?

Leo Lantz: The best products we use are those that are low maintenance and visually appealing, making them an excellent choice for your bathroom remodel. We use materials like Schluter for our tile substrate systems, elegant porcelain tile, and quartz countertops. The advantage of porcelain tile is that they are digitally imprinted to have the consistency and beauty of a natural product, whereas natural products cannot produce the same pattern consistently. Porcelain is very user-friendly in that it’s easy to clean and very difficult to damage. Natural marble is subject to staining, and it’s very soft and gets scratched or nicked, which will change color. Porcelain does not need to be sealed and has very practical and aesthetic features that we use all the time. Quartz has similar features in a bathroom, especially with all the different chemicals and nail polish removers. You’re not going to stain that stone like you would natural granite, travertine, or quartzite. You don’t have to seal it. Once set, the material is just impervious and much harder. Quartz has come a long way. Years ago, when quartz first came out, it was actually ugly, and nobody wanted it because they hadn’t figured out how to make it pretty. Well, now it’s beautiful and has all the original features of hardness that people wanted, along with beauty.

Nora Duran: Now, Leo, I want to talk about something very popular for the DIY enthusiasts out there. What are the pros and cons of each approach?

Leo Lantz: Typically, a professional will complete your project in a much more efficient timeframe than you will yourself. They will have the resources and contacts to efficiently design and schedule your project. The quality of workmanship will be superior. The DIYer will need to educate themselves on the sequence of the construction elements. They are also taking on all the liability if something goes wrong. DIYers might save money by doing it themselves, but they take on greater risk. They must consider whether their time is more or less valuable to do the project themselves. They may find it enjoyable, and there is a very high level of pride in having completed a beautiful project yourself.

Nora Duran: True.

Leo Lantz: True.

Nora Duran: And when planning a remodel, what are some key things to keep in mind to avoid common pitfalls?

Leo Lantz: You really need to have a realistic schedule, factoring in the human element. People have lives, they get sick, their kids get sick, they have accidents, they take vacations. So, all that has to be factored into your schedule. Add time for unforeseen delays, such as materials shortages or backlogs. One big pitfall you need to avoid is not modifying the plan or design midstream, as that could lead to needing to reorder custom cabinets, waiting for new tile to come in, rescheduling contractors, and it just creates an avalanche of delays at that point if you do decide to get sidetracked.

Nora Duran: And before we wrap up, what’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting their bathroom remodel? What’s crucial to know before diving in?

Leo Lantz: Given I’m a time tracker, I would say the first piece of advice would be to call Leo Lantz Construction. But beyond that, like any other investment, do your homework. I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a tangible vision of your project in place. If you need help starting the design, there are resources like Houzz and Pinterest to get your creative juices flowing.

Nora Duran: Great, fantastic tips. Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your expertise. I’m sure our listeners have found this incredibly helpful. Until next time, happy remodeling.

Leo Lantz: Thank you, Nora.

Nora Duran: Thank you, Leo.