The single biggest cost driver is whether plumbing moves. Keeping fixtures in their existing locations and replacing surfaces sits at the low end. Relocating a toilet or shower, reframing walls, or converting a jetted tub area into a full walk-in shower moves the number substantially higher. AMG Proline gives a fixed written price after measuring the actual room, with allowances itemized for tile, fixtures, and stone, so you're comparing defined scope rather than a per-square-foot average.

Yes, and it's one of the most common requests we get in Burr Ridge. A corner jetted tub typically sits on a raised tiled deck that consumes far more floor area than the tub itself. Removing the deck usually frees enough space for a properly sized walk-in shower with a bench and niche, often without touching the exterior walls. The main technical requirement is building the shower pan with correct slope and waterproofing, which the original tub deck did not need.

Sometimes, but it depends on your septic system's rated capacity rather than on the bathroom itself. Septic capacity is generally calculated by bedroom count, and adding fixtures can require health department review in addition to a standard building permit. If the existing system is already at capacity, the options are a system upgrade or a design that adds fixtures without increasing rated load. We confirm which system serves the property before any design work starts.

Bathroom remodels consistently rank among the better returns in residential improvement, though the figure varies by market and scope. Mid-range remodels typically recover a larger percentage than luxury ones, because high-end finishes rarely return their full cost at resale. In practice, the strongest return comes from fixing something buyers actively dislike, such as a dated jetted tub or a bathroom with no usable shower, rather than from upgrading a room that already functions.

The common warning signs are loose or hollow-sounding tile, grout that keeps cracking in the same spot, a musty smell that doesn't clear, discoloration on the ceiling of the room below, and soft or springy flooring just outside the shower. Any of those suggests water is getting past the tile into the substrate. Tile itself is not waterproof, so once the membrane behind it has failed, resealing grout only delays the problem rather than solving it.

Porcelain tile is the most reliable choice for most bathrooms, because it absorbs almost no water, handles temperature swings, and works over heated floor systems. Natural stone looks excellent but needs periodic sealing and can stain. Luxury vinyl plank performs well and costs less, though it doesn't add the same value at resale. Whatever the surface, what matters more is the substrate and waterproofing underneath it, which is where most bathroom floor failures actually begin.

Yes. Exhaust fans should be sized by room volume rather than floor area, so a bathroom with a vaulted or two-story ceiling needs significantly more airflow than the same footprint with an eight-foot ceiling. A standard builder-grade fan in a high-ceiling room is a frequent cause of persistent fogged mirrors, peeling paint near the ceiling, and mildew. Correct sizing during a remodel resolves it permanently rather than managing the symptoms.

Glass block was popular in 1990s construction for privacy with light, and it's usually the first thing homeowners want gone. The typical replacement is either an obscured or frosted window that actually opens, or a solid insulated wall with the light picked up elsewhere. Because glass block is often set into a structural opening, replacing it means framing work and exterior finishing, which should be priced into the project rather than treated as a small change.

Plan on three to four weeks of on-site work for a standard bathroom, and six to eight for a primary suite with relocated plumbing, custom glass, and stone surfaces. Selections and material ordering happen before demolition begins, which adds two to four weeks up front but prevents mid-project delays. If the bathroom is the only full bath on that floor, tell us at the estimate so the schedule can be compressed and sequenced around it.