Bathroom Tile Remodeling in New Britain, CT

Plan on the tile portion taking six to nine working days for a standard hall bathroom: one to two days of demolition and substrate repair (longer for mortar-bed walls), a day for waterproofing and flood test, two to three days of setting, then grout, silicone and the punch list. Plumbing rough-in by your plumber happens between demo and waterproofing.

Yes. In two- and three-family houses we treat each apartment as its own job site: zip-wall at the apartment door, floor protection on the shared stairs, and daily removal of debris so common areas stay clear. Water is shut off only for the plumber's connection windows, which we schedule in advance.

Usually, and slope is normal in a house from the 1920s to 1950s. We check the joists for notching and rot first, then correct the surface with a self-leveling underlayment or a mortar screed before tile. What we do not do is bury a soft or cut-through joist under new tile. If we find one, you see it and it gets fixed first.

Not for the tile itself. The 2022 Connecticut State Building Code exempts tiling, cabinets and countertops that do not involve structural changes or alterations. Replacing the tub valve, moving a drain or adding an outlet or exhaust fan does require a plumbing or electrical permit from the Department of Licenses, Permits and Inspections at 27 West Main Street, pulled by that licensed trade. We flag those items before work starts.

We build the pan, then go over it with a bonded waterproofing membrane such as a Schluter-KERDI style sheet or a liquid-applied one where the geometry calls for it. The membrane runs over the pan, up the walls, around the curb, and over every seam, corner and valve penetration, and we hold a twenty-four-hour flood test before any tile goes down. If a drop moves, we find it while it is still inexpensive to fix.

Only sometimes, and only when the old tile passes the checks: solidly bonded everywhere when you tap it, flat, and structurally sound, with enough give at the outlets, counters and doors to absorb the added thickness. When it fails any of those, tiling over it locks the problem in. On a wet area we almost always take it down to the substrate instead.