A bathroom remodel is the highest-stakes room in the house per square foot: plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile, and ventilation all packed into a small space, where a shortcut hides behind the wall until it becomes a rot problem. RC Builders Inc (CSLB License #1081425) builds bathrooms the way they have to be built on the Central Coast — waterproofed to modern standards and ventilated for a climate that lives in fog half the year.
From a straightforward tub-to-shower conversion to a full gut remodel of a primary bath, we handle demolition, rough plumbing and electrical, waterproofing, tile, fixtures, vanities, and paint with our own crew. We remodel bathrooms in Seaside, Salinas, Monterey, Marina, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Pebble Beach, and Carmel Valley.
What we build
- Full bathroom renovation — gut remodel down to the studs, rebuilt with modern waterproofing.
- Walk-in showers — curbless and low-curb showers with frameless glass and linear drains.
- Tub-to-shower conversions — the most requested upgrade in older Peninsula homes.
- Custom tile work — shower surrounds, niches, floors, and accent walls.
- Vanity and countertop installation — stock to custom, with plumbing reconnection.
- Toilet, faucet & fixture installation.
- Ventilation upgrades — properly ducted exhaust fans sized for the room, critical in coastal fog.
- Aging-in-place upgrades — grab bars backed with blocking, comfort-height fixtures, and zero-threshold entries.
What a bathroom remodel costs here
On the Monterey Peninsula and in the Salinas Valley, a realistic range for a full remodel of a standard 5×8 hall bathroom is roughly $25,000–$45,000. Primary bathrooms with custom showers, double vanities, and higher-end tile typically run $45,000–$80,000, and expanding the footprint or moving fixtures pushes beyond that. A simple tub-to-shower conversion with new surround and glass generally lands between $15,000 and $30,000.
Labor is the majority of a bathroom budget in this market — tile setting and waterproofing are craft trades, and they are exactly where cheap bids cut corners. Our estimates itemize labor and materials so you can see where every dollar goes.
Permits, waterproofing, and doing it right
Like-for-like fixture swaps usually do not need a permit, but moving plumbing, altering framing, or adding circuits does — and in every jurisdiction we work in, an inspected remodel protects you at resale. More important than the paperwork is what goes behind the tile: modern sheet or liquid-applied waterproofing systems, sloped pans, and sealed niches. Tile is not waterproofing; the membrane behind it is. That distinction is the difference between a 30-year bathroom and a five-year callback, and it is non-negotiable on our jobs.
How long it takes
A straightforward hall-bath remodel typically takes 2–3 weeks on site once materials are in hand. A full primary-bath gut with custom tile runs 3–5 weeks, and projects that move walls or fixtures can run 6 weeks or more. We order tile, fixtures, glass, and vanities before demolition so your bathroom is out of service for the shortest possible stretch — and if it is your only bathroom, we sequence the work to keep a working toilet and shower available as long as possible.
Our work
Bathroom Remodeling services we offer
- Full bathroom renovation
- Walk-in shower construction
- Tub-to-shower conversions
- Custom tile installation
- Vanity & countertop installation
- Toilet & fixture installation
- Bathroom ventilation upgrades
- Aging-in-place modifications
Frequently Asked Questions
A full remodel of a standard 5×8 bathroom typically runs $25,000–$45,000 locally. Primary baths with custom showers and double vanities usually land between $45,000 and $80,000, and tub-to-shower conversions between $15,000 and $30,000. Tile scope and fixture grade drive most of the spread.
Plan on 2–3 weeks for a standard hall bath and 3–5 weeks for a primary bath with custom tile, once materials are on hand. Moving walls or plumbing adds time. Material lead times — especially shower glass — are the hidden schedule item, so we order everything before demolition.
Not for like-for-like swaps such as replacing a vanity or toilet in place. A permit is required when plumbing moves, framing changes, or new electrical circuits are added. We pull and manage the permit and all inspections when the scope requires one.
Hidden moisture damage — rotted subfloors and framing behind tile that was installed over drywall with no waterproofing membrane, made worse by the coastal fog and under-sized exhaust fans. We plan for it in the estimate and price the repair honestly if we open the wall and find it.
In most cases, yes. A curbless entry requires recessing the shower pan into the floor framing, which we evaluate during the site visit. It is one of the best upgrades for both looks and long-term accessibility.
Both. Tub-to-shower conversions, tile repairs, vanity swaps, and fan installations are all work we take on across the Peninsula — and small jobs done well are how many of our full-remodel clients found us.