Process
How a shower project runs with us
Six stages, in the order that keeps a shower project predictable — and the commercial terms that sit around them: pricing factors, written scope, exclusions, change orders, permits and warranty.
Short answer
A shower build runs best when decisions are made in the right order: consultation and measure, then layout and a written scope, then selections and scheduling, then demolition and rough-in, then waterproofing and tile, then glass, inspection and handover. Most cost and schedule problems come from making a later decision before an earlier one.
- 01
Consultation
We visit the room, measure, look at what is behind the current finishes where possible, and talk about how the household uses the space. You will get an honest read on what is straightforward and what is not.
- Measurements and photographs
- Discussion of goals and constraints
- Early flag on structural or plumbing limitations
- 02
Layout and written scope
Layout options come before any finish talk. Once a layout is chosen, we write a scope of work that states what is included and, just as importantly, what is excluded.
- One or more layout options
- Written scope with exclusions listed
- Identification of permit-triggering work
- 03
Selections and scheduling
Finishes, fixtures, glass and cabinetry are chosen and ordered. Long-lead items are identified so they do not stall the build later.
- Tile, grout and fixture selection
- Lead-time review
- Confirmed start window
- 04
Demolition and rough-in
Protection goes in before anything comes out. Once the room is open, we verify conditions against the scope and raise anything unexpected in writing before proceeding.
- Dust control and floor protection
- Plumbing and electrical rough-in
- Framing corrections and blocking
- 05
Waterproofing and tile
The waterproofing system named in the scope is installed as a complete system. Slope, corners, curb and drain detailing are done before any tile is set.
- Continuous membrane installation
- Pan slope verification
- Tile layout set to minimise awkward cuts
- 06
Finish, inspection and handover
Fixtures, glass, cabinetry and hardware are installed, inspections completed where required, and the room is cleaned. You get a punch list walkthrough and written care guidance.
- Punch list walkthrough
- Product documentation
- Cleaning and maintenance summary
Preparing for the build
Before the first day, clear the bathroom and the route to it, take anything off the walls that shares framing with the shower, and tell us which bathroom stays in use and where the crew can park. We bring floor protection, door containment and dust control, isolate the water supply at a point we show you, and clean the work area at the end of each day.
- Selections — tile, grout, valve trim, drain and glass — are confirmed before demolition so a lead time cannot stall the build.
- In a single-bathroom home we sequence the work so the shower is out of service for the shortest possible stretch, and we say up front how long that is.
- Pets and children are kept clear of the work area; there are open drains, power tools and wet membrane in there for days.
Timeline and site conditions
Most single-shower projects run roughly two to three weeks on site once materials are on hand: protection and demolition, framing corrections and blocking, plumbing and electrical rough-in, the complete waterproofing system with its cure and flood test, tile setting, grout, then glass. Glass is templated after tile is set, so the panel often arrives a week or two after the shower already looks finished. Your written scope carries the schedule for your specific shower rather than a stock number.
Conditions found after demolition change that schedule more often than anything else — rot at the base of a wall, a drain that is not where it should be, framing out of plane, or an older pan with no membrane behind it. We photograph what we find, price it, and get your agreement before we carry on.
What drives the price of a custom shower
Estimates are written after we have seen and measured the shower. We do not publish prices, because a shower quoted sight-unseen is a guess. These are the factors that move the number most, in roughly the order they matter:
- Size of the wet area and how high the tile runs — square footage of tile and membrane is the base of the estimate.
- Whether the drain and valve stay where they are. Moving either means opening the floor or the wall and coordinating a licensed plumber.
- Floor structure. A joisted floor lets a curbless pan be recessed; a slab often means either a ramped approach or cutting concrete.
- Tile choice. Large-format panels, mosaics, natural stone and any pattern that needs mitred or mapped joints all add setting time.
- Waterproofing system specified, and whether a linear drain, bench, niche or steam enclosure has to be integrated into it.
- Glass — a fixed panel, a door, low-iron glass or a custom radius each price differently.
- Conditions behind the old shower, which is why nothing is quoted before we have seen it.
Written scope, exclusions and change orders
Every project is built from a written scope that names the waterproofing system by manufacturer, the drain type, the tile and its layout, the glass, the schedule and the price. It also lists what is excluded, because that is where disputes come from.
Typically included
- Protection, containment, demolition and disposal
- Framing corrections and blocking for benches, niches and grab bars
- Plumbing and electrical rough-in for the valve, drain and any light or fan in the wet area
- The complete waterproofing system, flood test and pan slope verification
- Tile setting, grout, sealing where the material requires it
- Glass templating and installation, final clean and a punch-list walkthrough
Typically excluded and stated as such
- Work outside the shower: vanities, mirrors, bathroom flooring, paint beyond patching
- Hidden rot, mould remediation or structural repair discovered after demolition
- Moving walls, windows or the room's ventilation route
- Whole-house water treatment, though we will tell you when hard water is the real problem
- Owner-supplied materials, which we install but do not warrant
Anything that changes the scope becomes a written change order with its price and schedule effect, agreed before the work is done. Nothing is carried out on a verbal instruction.
Permits and inspections
A like-for-like tile shower replacement often needs no permit, while relocating a drain, altering supply plumbing, changing framing or adding electrical usually does. Jurisdiction follows your address, and the Treasure Valley has several — Boise, Meridian, Eagle and Star each issue their own permits, and county addresses go through the county. We identify permit-triggering work in the written scope and confirm the requirement with the authority for your address before work starts, rather than assuming.
Warranty and aftercare
Our craftsmanship is covered by a 1-year warranty, alongside the manufacturer warranties that come with the waterproofing system and materials specified in your scope.
Idaho contractor registration RCE-57919. Bonded and insured, with the current certificate of insurance provided in writing with every estimate. At handover you get the product documentation for the waterproofing system and tile, plus written cleaning guidance suited to the surfaces we installed and to Treasure Valley water. If something is not right, tell us and we will come back. Request an estimate or call (208) 891-1890.
Questions about working together
Ready to plan your shower?
Tell us about the shower and what is not working. We will follow up, arrange a visit and put a written scope and price in front of you.