I contacted Vision Remodeling for a full bathroom remodel after meeting them during a home show in Pasadena. They were competitively priced among the other contractors I called. I met with Asher (owner) for the initial meeting and it took about an hour while we went over what I wanted to do in the bathroom (gut everything, replace with everything new, changing the tub/shower combo to shower only). Then we went over everything that was required from them and myself and the rough schedule (3 weeks). They were willing to start almost immediately.
At this point, I wished I slowed down and gathered everything I needed to gather, as this was my first major remodel. If I were to do it over again I would recommend the following tips for any new remodeller:
1) Know the schedule of when and what is being installed.
Try and match the information between management and the workers. For example, I didn't know and wasn't informed that I needed to provide certain materials until the day before they were needed. This would lead to rushed to Home Depot in search of items that may not be in stock.
2) Have an understanding the relationship of rough materials and finished materials.
As I said before, this was my first remodel and I didn't know the difference between rough and finished. For example, I initially wanted a shower handle that was unattached to the shower head. I didn't know that this required a 'rough in' (in the walls) diverter and was needed to pass 'rough in' inspections. I had to forgo this nicety because 'rough in' diverters are special orders at HomeDepot. In addition, I didn't know (was not informed) that my toilet drain was a 'rough in' distance (from the wall) of 14 inches. This was most likely due to the age of my bathroom (1970s built). By the time I knew it, the tile and toilet was already installed. Having bought a standard 12 inch rough-in toilet led to my toilet being away from the wall about 3 inches.
3) Get your head around city codes.
City codes demand that the toilet be a certain distance from everything else (16 inches out from the drain). This needs to be considered when selecting a vanity, which in turn affects the position of the mirror, which affect the position of lights and the wiring to those lights. My project required 3 different city permits (building, plumbing and electrical. If you are replacing fan, you may need a mechanical one too), with inspections during different phases (rough-in, final, etc). These fees differ from city to city and can get pretty high.
4) Prices vary greatly from place to place. Do your wallet a favor and shop around. Custom shower doors can vary by hundreds of dollars. Tile stores will match or beat other tile stores for your business. Many tile stores do not have tiles in stock and need a couple of days to order/deliver. Some places charge for delivery to their store. Once you find a tile, take a picture and show it to the contractors. He told us that our first choice for the shower floor area would cause unevenness due to the odd shapes and slope required for proper water draining.
5) Be available and double check the work. The electrician to install new recessed lights switches but installed the polarity of the light switch incorrectly. I only found this out by testing the placement of my mirror lights and turning them on, only to realize they were on in the off position.
The job was completed on schedule and Asher was helpful and friendly throughout the process. Overall, I was satisfied with the work. read more