This job was a full gut renovation—down to the studs. Jim and Mary first reached out to us in May of 2025 after Jim found himself in over his head on a DIY bathroom remodel. Three years earlier, he had taken a sledgehammer to the space with ambitious plans to expand their half bath into a full one. But between life, work, and the complexity of the job, progress stalled—and the room sat untouched for years.
Originally, the space featured a standard half bath: toilet, vanity, and mirror—all packed into a narrow 3.5-foot by 11-foot footprint. Tight, but functional. Jim’s plan was to add a shower and create a fully functional bathroom, but by the time Bath Pros owner Tom Wolff arrived for the initial inspection, the entire space had been stripped bare. A rough hole had been jackhammered into the slab in an attempt to prep for a new shower drain, but it led nowhere.
Understandably, Mary had run out of patience. She’d spent over three years looking at a dirt pit inside their home—and to make matters worse, the area (like much of Upstate NY) had naturally occurring radon emitting from the ground. Leaving an open hole in the foundation that long wasn’t just an eyesore—it posed a health risk.
Situations like these aren’t uncommon. With enough research and time, many homeowners can handle renovation work themselves. But what most underestimate is just how much time and energy a proper remodel demands. What starts as a well-intentioned DIY often turns into years of slow progress and frustration. Jim and Mary were ready to bring in professionals and finally see their vision through.
The plan we put together was comprehensive: First, we’d break up more of the slab to access the main stack, replacing the undersized 1.5″ vanity drain with 2″ PVC for better drainage. From there, we’d handle all plumbing and electrical rerouting, install proper ventilation, and complete the finish work to turn the room into a beautiful, fully functional full bathroom.
Our usual recommendation for wet space materials is The Onyx Collection—American-made cultured stone slabs manufactured in Kansas. It’s a premium product that balances luxury, durability, and value. But in this case, Jim and Mary had their hearts set on the Samuel Mueller collection. While the material is manufactured overseas and subject to higher tariffs, they were happy to cover the added cost. We were happy to accommodate.
To meet their tight timeline, as family was arriving soon, we also made a rare exception: Rather than wait on a custom Onyx shower pan, the homeowners opted for a high-end acrylic pan that was readily available. We’re usually lukewarm on acrylic due to durability concerns and limited aesthetic options, but it got the job done under the circumstances.
Lead install technician Vincent Aponte arrived early Monday morning to get started. The first day consisted mostly of jackhammering the slab, laying new PVC, and setting the pan. By the third day, the shower was fully installed and functional. The remaining work—drywall, paint, LVP flooring, new elongated toilet, floating in-wall sink, Kohler medicine cabinet, recessed lighting, and a new vent fan—wrapped up over the next five days.
Of course, no remodel is ever without hiccups. In this case, the rear wall of the room was severely out of plumb. The existing framing was bowed and uneven, and since it was load-bearing, we couldn’t simply tear it down and start fresh. Instead, we brought in our go-to drywaller, Nick Schermerhorn, who spent five separate visits carefully correcting the issue.
Despite the delay, the job went smoothly overall. Jim and Mary were thrilled with the final result and grateful we were able to expedite our schedule to fit them in.
If you’re a homeowner in Central or Upstate NY sitting on a stalled renovation project, give Bath Pros a call at (315) 217-1151. We’ll pick up where you left off—and get the job done right.