Question: Good evening, Robert. I’ve seen commercials on TV about same-day bathroom remodels, specifically with jacuzzi baths. They claim to be able to give you a new shower/bath in one day. Is this really a possibility? It looks inviting but seems impossible, though I don’t know the details of remodeling anything. Do you know about this?
— Mason B.
Answer: Mason, no. What they’re telling you is that they can install in one day. This is possible under the best circumstances, but what they’re not telling you in the commercial is the time it takes to demo the old materials and prep the area adequately for a proper install.
Depending on location in the home, existing materials and plumbing, plus any damage to structure below that may be found during demo, the demo itself plus potential repairs and prep could take a lot more time than they are alluding to.
I do recommend, however, if you are still interested in getting something like this done, that you have a list of very specific and thorough questions to ask during a job walk, and be sure that their proposal for the job is very specific, including their timeline. Ask for the insurance carrier, and go direct for a certificate of insurance. This is proof that they carry current liability insurance.
At the end of the day, I’d not use such a company, myself. Best of luck to you.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
