Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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AfterFast, Reliable Bathroom Remodeling Across San Marino
Bathroom remodeling in San Marino typically runs $9,000 – $28,000 for a full gut-and-replace, with smaller projects like a tub-to-shower conversion landing closer to $3,500 – $10,000. The number moves because San Marino’s 1920s – 1940s Period Revival homes hide things behind lime plaster that newer houses don’t: galvanized supply lines, cloth-wrapped wiring, and framing that predates modern plumbing codes. We schedule a real arrival window, hand you a written price before demo starts, and put the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing on every job. Call (936) 259-2607 for a free estimate from Trevor Nash and the Penhallow Remodeling team.
Why Penhallow Remodeling Is San Marino’s Preferred Bathroom Remodeling Company
San Marino homeowners call us because we know what’s behind the walls on Lorain Road, St. Albans Drive, and Huntington Drive before the first tile comes off. A 1931 Spanish Colonial off Lorain Road taught us exactly how far a “simple” bathroom can go: our crew opened a hall bathroom expecting tile and a vanity, then found galvanized supply lines furred into lime plaster, a 2×6 subfloor with dry rot at the toilet flange, and cloth-insulated knob-and-tube feeding the vanity wall. We brought it all to current code, wrote a change order that was priced and signed before we set a single tile, and cleared inspection on the first pass because the rough-in was scheduled before the walls closed.
Every technician on a San Marino job is background-checked and arrives in uniform. That’s a standing practice at Penhallow Remodeling, not a selling point. We work under The Kingswell Way, which since 2004 has meant one thing: say the price before the work, show up in the window we gave, leave the place cleaner than we found it.
One Day Bath Remodel in San Marino
A One Day Bath Remodel in San Marino works best when the existing footprint stays put and the bones are sound: new tub or shower pan, new valve and trim, new surround, new fixtures, new caulk and sealant, demo and haul-away, all wrapped in a single visit. For a pre-war home where the subfloor is still square and the supply lines were replaced in a prior remodel, it’s a clean way to refresh a hall bath without living through a two-week tear-out. Expect $3,000 – $8,500 depending on whether you’re replacing the shower or converting a tub to a shower. Call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll tell you if your bathroom qualifies after a quick look.
What We Check Before We Quote It
We don’t quote a one-day bath over the phone. Trevor or a lead tech checks the valve location, the floor framing underneath, the age of the supply lines, and whether the existing waterproofing is sound. If it isn’t, we tell you before the job is booked, not after demo.
When a One-Day Bath Makes Sense
A guest bath that sees weekend use, a powder room, or a hall bath that’s functionally fine but cosmetically dated are all good candidates. If you’re in a 1930s Tudor with original plumbing, a one-day bath probably isn’t the right call, and we’ll say so plainly.
Bathroom Remodeling Contractor in San Marino
A Bathroom Remodeling Contractor in San Marino has to do more than set tile and hang a vanity. The city’s Design Review Commission doesn’t typically review interior remodels, but the building permit does trigger code upgrades the moment a wall comes open, and that’s where our process differs from a tile crew’s. We quote the systems work as an allowance, line-itemed in the contract, so the number on day one is the number that sits in front of you at close. A full remodel runs $9,000 – $28,000; a small bathroom in a 1950s ranch off Huntington Drive can run $5,000 – $12,000. Call (936) 259-2607 for a written estimate.
Permit Navigation, Not Just Tile Setting
San Marino’s building department is rigorous, and Period Revival homes are not forgiving of shortcuts. We pull the permit, schedule the inspections ourselves, and keep the rough-in exposed until the inspector signs off. A bathroom above a first-floor load-bearing wall can trigger framing and seismic correction that was never in the original scope, so we flag that risk before you sign.
Waterproofing That Survives a Santa Ana Summer
The inland heat here, routinely above 95°F in August, bakes the moisture out of cheap backer boards and causes grout to crack. We use cement board substrate (the moisture-resistant layer behind your tile) with proper seams and membrane, and we budget for the wall plane not being square, because lime plaster from the 1920s never is. Failing to account for that is how showers fail within a year.
Trusted Brands We Service in San Marino
We install and service cabinetry from KraftMaid and Wellborn, countertops from Cambria, Silestone and Caesarstone, and fixtures from Kohler and Moen. These are the product lines we trust to back our own guarantee with theirs. Cambria quartz carries a lifetime warranty alongside ours. If you have an existing brand we didn’t list, ask us; we’re happy to work with what’s in your home, and we stock common repair parts for San Marino jobs to keep turnaround short. Scheduling is coordinated from our Los Angeles office, and crews serve San Marino locally.
Common Bathroom Remodeling Problems We See in San Marino Homes
- Galvanized supply lines inside lime plaster walls. These corrode from the inside out and restrict flow, and once a wall is open, the permit almost always requires replacement. We write this as an allowance in the contract so it doesn’t ambush you at demo.
- Cloth-wrapped knob-and-tube wiring behind the vanity. It’s a fire risk and a code fail. A bathroom remodel permit will trigger replacement of the branch circuit feeding the room, and we line that cost into the estimate before work starts.
- Dry rot at the toilet flange and under the tub. Decades of slow leaks eat 2×6 subflooring. We repair the framing, replace the flange, and proof the floor before any finish material goes down.
- Out-of-square walls breaking the tile plane. Lime plaster and steel casement windows settle unevenly over 90 years. We shim and true the substrate first so the tile set doesn’t show lippage or a cracked grout line six months later.
Pricing for Bathroom Remodeling in San Marino, CA
Here’s the honest San Marino pricing, and it’s the same table we use when we hand you a written estimate:
| Project | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Full Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Small Bathroom Remodel | $5,000 – $12,000 |
| Walk-In Shower Installation | $4,500 – $12,000 |
| Tub-to-Shower Conversion | $3,500 – $10,000 |
| Shower Replacement | $3,000 – $8,500 |
| Bathroom Vanity Installation | $800 – $3,000 |
What moves the number up in San Marino specifically: the age of the plumbing, the condition of the framing, the presence of an original load-bearing wall under the bathroom, and whether the tile substrate needs to be rebuilt. A written price before any work starts means the number on day one is the number on the invoice, and any change order is priced and signed before we touch it. Call (936) 259-2607 for your free estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near San Marino
Penhallow Remodeling serves San Marino and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley, including San Gabriel, Alhambra, Pasadena and South Pasadena. If you’re in a neighboring city and want to see more of our Bathroom Remodeling work, call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll set up a visit.
Serving San Marino, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Marino area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Bathroom Remodeling in San Marino
Yes. Any work that opens a wall, moves a fixture, or alters plumbing or electrical requires a city permit in San Marino. Once the wall is open, the permit almost always triggers replacement of galvanized supply lines and cloth-wrapped wiring if they’re still present, because current code won’t let the wall close over them. We pull the permit ourselves and schedule inspections as part of the job. Call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll tell you what your specific home is likely to trigger before you sign anything.
For an interior remodel that doesn’t change the exterior footprint or roofline, typically nothing. The DRC reviews exterior alterations, additions, and new construction for architectural compatibility with the Period Revival character of the city. Where they can become involved is if a bathroom remodel includes a new window or vent opening that changes the exterior wall plane, and in that case we prepare the design-review submittal ourselves. Call (936) 259-2607 for specifics on your project.
Usually not. Tree-protection plans are triggered by ground disturbance, like foundation work, pool excavation, or pipe trenching that encroaches on a protected sycamore, oak or deodar cedar. A bathroom remodel that stays inside the existing footprint rarely needs one. If your project does involve cutting into a slab or excavating near a mature tree, we’ll let you know and build the arborist review time into the schedule up front. Call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll check the property before quoting.
We write a line-item allowance into the contract for exactly the systems work San Marino’s pre-war homes tend to hide: galvanized supply lines, cloth-wrapped wiring, undersized framing, failed waterproofing. When we open the wall and find something, the allowance covers it at a pre-agreed rate. If the find exceeds the allowance, we bring you a written change order that is priced and signed before we touch it. You never pay for work you didn’t approve in writing. Call (936) 259-2607 for an exact quote; estimates are free.
We install Kohler and Moen fixtures, Wellborn and KraftMaid cabinetry, and Cambria, Silestone and Caesarstone countertops. These are the lines we stand behind because their warranties stack with ours: Cambria quartz, for example, carries its own lifetime warranty alongside the 365-Day Done Right Promise. Call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll spec your job with products you can actually go see in a showroom.
Written by Trevor Nash, Owner at Penhallow Remodeling, serving San Marino, CA and the San Gabriel Valley.