Full Bathroom Remodel - Elbaz Construction and Remodeling

The ServiceSection 02 of 15

The one project that reaches everything.

A full remodel strips the room to bare studs — often to the slab — and rebuilds every system inside it: plumbing, electrical, ventilation, waterproofing and every finish surface.

It is a different project from swapping a vanity or converting a tub. Once the walls are open, every downstream decision gets made at once instead of patched around later: where the drain sits, how the fan is ducted, what is actually behind the tile. Most South Florida homes are slab-on-grade, so moving a toilet or shower drain means cutting concrete rather than repositioning a stud wall — which is why the layout gets locked early rather than adjusted mid-build. It is also the one opportunity to deal with cast-iron drain lines, undersized exhaust ducting and water-resistant board hiding behind decades-old tile, instead of sealing them back up.

Backer boardASTM

Cement, fibre-cement or glass-mat gypsum to C1178, C1288 or C1325. Standard water-resistant gypsum is not permitted where it will see direct water.

Permit carve-outHB 803

Florida’s homeowner permit waiver excludes plumbing, electrical, structural and mechanical work regardless of cost — and a full remodel touches all four.

Licensed GCCBC1265280

Elbaz Construction holds the certified building contractor licence and pulls the building, plumbing and electrical permits.

ScopeSection 03 of 15

What a strip-to-studs remodel covers.

Everything in the room, plus everything behind it.

01Survey and layout decisionWhether the shower, vanity and WC stay where they are, and what moving any of them costs on a slab.

On slab-on-grade, relocating a drain means saw-cutting and re-pouring concrete. That single decision drives cost, programme and permit scope more than any finish choice, so it is settled before demolition rather than during it.

02Demolition to studsEvery fixture, finish, vanity, enclosure and often the subfloor or slab surface removed.

This is what makes a full remodel different. Nothing is worked around, and anything found behind the old finishes is dealt with while it is reachable.

03Condition assessmentCast-iron drain lines, framing condition, exhaust ducting and any existing moisture damage.

Old cast-iron waste lines and undersized or unducted extract fans are common in this housing stock. Both are cheap to fix while open and expensive to reach afterwards.

04Plumbing rough-inSupply and waste set to the approved layout, including any slab work required to move a drain.

Rough plumbing is inspected before anything closes. Where a drain moves, the concrete is cut, the line run, and the slab made good and inspected.

05Electrical and ventilationNew circuits, GFCI protection, lighting layers and an exhaust fan ducted to outside air.

A fan that discharges into a soffit or roof void moves the moisture problem rather than solving it. Ducting to outside is part of the scope, not an upgrade.

06WaterproofingCompliant backer board, then a separate sheet or liquid membrane over it, with corners and penetrations detailed.

Backer board is water-resistant, not waterproof. Without a membrane over it, vapour still reaches the studs and condenses — the mechanism behind most hidden mould in older Florida bathrooms. Some jurisdictions inspect this before walls close.

07Tile and stoneFloor and wall tile, shower pan or linear drain, niches, benches and trim.

Large-format tile needs a flatter substrate than mosaic does; the levelling happens before setting, not with extra adhesive.

08Fit-outVanity, basin, WC, shower enclosure, mirror, lighting, accessories and glass.

Glass is templated after tiling, because it is cut to what was actually built rather than to the drawing.

09Inspection and closeoutRough plumbing, rough electrical and final inspections called, attended and closed out.

One contractor holds all three permits, so there is no gap between trades when an inspector asks who is responsible.

ProjectSection 04 of 15

A bathroom rebuilt from the studs out.

Completed full bathroom remodel · South Florida

Completed bathroom remodel with a marble-look tiled shower, floating wood vanity and backlit mirror — 01The completed bathroom

Walk-in shower with sliding glass panels, a rain head and matt black fittings — 02Walk-in shower with sliding glass

Vanity run with a backlit mirror cabinet and open shelving alongside — 03Vanity, mirror cabinet and shelving

Shower enclosure showing the tiled wall run and a linear drain at the threshold — 04Shower wall run and linear drain

Project RecordSection 05 of 15

What this bathroom shows.

The room

A complete bathroom rebuild: walk-in shower behind sliding glass, a floating timber vanity with a backlit mirror cabinet, wall-hung storage and a separate WC area. The layout keeps the shower on its existing wall, which on a slab is usually the difference between a straightforward programme and a concrete saw-cut.

Surfaces

Large-format marble-look porcelain runs the walls with minimal grout lines, which reads calmer and gives water fewer joints to sit in. The shower floor switches to a fan-pattern mosaic — smaller units take the fall to the drain without lipping, and the pattern change marks the wet zone without a kerb.

Drainage

A linear drain set at the threshold lets the floor fall in a single plane rather than four, which is what keeps large-format tile viable near a shower. The pan is pre-sloped and tested before any tile is set.

Fittings and storage

Matt black throughout — rain head, mixer, basin tap and hardware — against warm fluted timber on the vanity. A backlit mirror cabinet and open shelving carry the storage, which matters in a room where nothing can be left on a worktop.

Rain shower head and matt black mixer set against large-format marble-look tile — 05Rain head and black fittings

TypeFull bathroom remodel, stripped to studs

ShowerWalk-in with sliding glass and rain head

Wall finishLarge-format marble-look porcelain

Floor finishFan-pattern mosaic to the wet zone

DrainageLinear drain at the threshold

VanityFloating fluted timber with backlit mirror cabinet

ImageryGenuine Elbaz Construction project photography

Presented asOne completed bathroom, photographed in a single visit

StandardsSection 06 of 15

A bathroom fails behind the tile, not on it. The membrane decides how long the room lasts.

Six things we hold to on a full bathroom remodel.

01Durability

Membrane over compliant backer, always

Backer board to ASTM C1178, C1288 or C1325, then a separate sheet or liquid membrane over it. Grout is not a waterproofing layer.

02Design

Layout settled before demolition

On a slab, moving a drain is concrete work. We fix the plan before the room opens so the programme does not change halfway through.

03Function

Ventilation treated as structural

An exhaust fan sized for the room and ducted to outside air, not into a soffit or roof void.

04Planning

Three permits, one contractor

Building, plumbing and electrical. We pull all three and sequence the inspections.

05Craftsmanship

Flat substrate before large-format tile

Large tile shows every deviation. Levelling happens before setting rather than being buried in adhesive.

06Quality control

Fix what is found while it is open

Cast-iron waste, damaged framing and undersized ducting get dealt with once, not sealed back up behind new finishes.

South Florida adds three constraints a bathroom cannot design around: slab-on-grade construction makes drain relocation a concrete job, sustained humidity makes the vapour side of waterproofing as important as the water side, and the age of the housing stock means cast-iron waste lines and non-compliant backer board are found regularly once walls open.

Recessed shower niche lined with fan-pattern mosaic tile and a metal trim edge — 06Recessed niche with fan-pattern mosaic

Surfaces & FittingsSection 07 of 15

The finish decisions, close up.

The same bathroom in detail. Tile format, drainage, fittings and storage are where a full remodel is judged once it is finished.

Vanity and WC area

Fluted timber vanity unit

Shower floor laid in fan-pattern mosaic tile falling to a linear drain

Fan-pattern shower floor and drain

Large-format marble-look wall tile

Close view of a matt black basin tap on a white countertop basin

Basin and tap detail

Shower threshold where the mosaic floor meets the large-format wall tile — 12Threshold between floor and wall tile

Wall tileLarge format, minimal grout lines

Wet-zone floorFan-pattern mosaic taking the fall

DrainageLinear drain, single-plane fall

FittingsMatt black rain head, mixer and basin tap

StorageBacklit mirror cabinet and open shelving

MaterialsSection 08 of 15

What the specification decides.

The six line items that determine how the room performs, not just how it looks.

Backer board

Cement, fibre-cement or glass-mat gypsum

Compliant to ASTM C1178, C1288 or C1325. Standard water-resistant gypsum is not permitted where it will see direct water or continuous high humidity.Confirm the board type before tiling starts.

Waterproofing membrane

Sheet or liquid-applied

Applied over the backer, with corners, changes of plane and penetrations detailed. This is the layer that actually keeps water off the studs.Ask to see it before the walls are closed.

Shower pan and drain

Pre-sloped pan; point or linear drain

A linear drain lets the floor fall in one plane, which is what makes large-format tile workable near a shower. Point drains need four falls.The pan is flood-tested before tile.

Wall tile

Large-format porcelain or stone

Fewer grout joints, calmer appearance, but it demands a flatter substrate and shows any deviation in the wall behind it.Budget for levelling, not just tile.

Floor tile

Mosaic or small-format in the wet zone

Smaller units take the fall to the drain without lipping and give more grout line for grip underfoot.A pattern change can mark the wet zone without a kerb.

Ventilation

Sized exhaust fan, ducted to outside

Sized to the room volume and ducted through to outside air. Discharging into a soffit or roof void relocates the moisture rather than removing it.Check the existing duct actually terminates outside.

Provenance note: the photographs on this page are genuine Elbaz Construction project photography of one completed full bathroom remodel, taken in a single visit. The wet-wall build-up drawings in section 11 are illustrative diagrams we produced, not photographs of this bathroom.

ProcessSection 09 of 15

Nine stages, one contractor.

Consultation

What fails about the room now, and whether the layout needs to change or only the finishes.

Survey

Dimensions, drain positions, framing type, panel capacity and the existing extract route.

Layout decision

Whether any fixture moves — and on a slab, what that costs in concrete work.

Specification

Tile, sanitaryware, fittings, glass and lighting fixed in a written scope.

Permitting

Building, plumbing and electrical permits applied for together.

Demolition

Room stripped to studs, with protected routes and controlled debris removal.

Rough-in

Plumbing and electrical set, slab cut and made good where a drain moves, then inspected.

Waterproofing and tile

Backer, membrane, pan test, then tile. Inspected before closing where the jurisdiction requires it.

Fit-out and closeout

Sanitaryware, vanity, glass and accessories, then final inspection.

PlanningSection 10 of 15

Permits and inspections, in order.

Scope definition

Whether fixtures move determines the permit scope. A like-for-like refit and a relocation are materially different submissions.

The HB 803 carve-out

Florida’s homeowner permit waiver for small projects excludes plumbing, electrical, structural and mechanical work regardless of cost. A full bathroom remodel touches all four, so the waiver does not apply.

Building permit

The primary permit covering the remodel scope, submitted to the local building department.

Plumbing permit

Required where waste or supply is altered, including any slab cutting to relocate a drain.

Electrical permit

Required for new circuits, GFCI protection, lighting changes and fan replacement.

Rough inspections

Rough plumbing and rough electrical inspected before any board goes up.

Waterproofing verification

Some jurisdictions inspect tile backing and waterproofing before walls are closed. Where they do, it is scheduled rather than worked around.

Final inspection

Fixtures set, ventilation operational and the room complete.

Closeout

Permits closed and documentation handed over.

Requirements, review times and fees differ across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach and can change; condo buildings add their own approval layer. Nothing here is a guaranteed approval timeline. We will confirm what your address and building actually require and keep the submission moving.

Wet-Wall Build-UpSection 11 of 15

What sits behind the tile.

Drawings, not photographs. The layers that decide whether a bathroom lasts twenty years or grows mould behind the wall in five.

Framing

Studs inspected and corrected while open — the only time twisted or damaged framing can be dealt with properly.

Backer board

Cement, fibre-cement or glass-mat gypsum board to ASTM C1178, C1288 or C1325. Standard water-resistant gypsum is not permitted where it sees direct water.

Membrane

A separate sheet or liquid waterproofing membrane over the backer. Backer board is water-resistant, not waterproof.

Pan and fall

Pre-sloped pan or linear drain set to fall, tested before tile goes anywhere near it.

Tile

Setting bed and tile applied over a system that is already watertight, not relying on grout to keep water out.

DecisionsSection 12 of 15

What moves the number, and what moves the date.

We do not publish bathroom prices, because whether a fixture moves and what is found behind the walls change the total independently. These are the drivers.

What moves the number

Moving a drain

On slab-on-grade this is saw-cutting, re-routing and re-pouring concrete. It is the single largest swing in a bathroom budget.

Tile format and material

Large-format and natural stone cost more to buy, more to substrate and more to set.

Shower enclosure

Framed, semi-frameless and frameless glass differ substantially, and frameless needs a flatter opening.

Sanitaryware and fittings

Wall-hung WCs need a carrier and a deeper wall; thermostatic valves cost more than pressure balance.

What is found on opening

Cast-iron waste, damaged framing, non-compliant backer or previous water damage.

Electrical scope

Added circuits, GFCI, layered lighting and a compliant extract route.

Condo constraints

Protection, restricted hours and freight elevator scheduling add labour time.

Change after rough-in

Moving a fixture after plumbing is set and inspected means redoing work that already passed.

What moves the date

Permit review

Three permits, and the jurisdiction’s queue.

Association approval

Where a condo board is involved, on its own schedule.

Slab work

Cutting, re-routing, re-pouring and curing where a drain moves.

Inspection sequence

Rough plumbing, rough electrical, sometimes waterproofing, then final — each gates the next.

Tile and stone lead time

Large-format and natural stone are frequently ordered in.

Glass templating

Templated only after tiling is complete, then fabricated.

Bring to the first call

Whether you want the layout to change or only the finishes.
Whether the property is on a slab or has a crawl space.
Whether it is a condo, and the association’s name.
Whether this is the only bathroom in the property.
Any history of leaks, damp or mould in the room.
Whether you want a bath, a walk-in shower, or both.

CompletionSection 13 of 15

The finished bathroom.

Waterproofing closed and inspected, tile set, glass templated to what was actually built, fittings in and permits closed. Genuine photography of a completed Elbaz full bathroom remodel.

A survey that establishes whether any fixture can realistically move.
A written scope before demolition, not after.
A call the day the walls open, if anything behind them changes the plan.
One contractor holding all three permits through final inspection.

Completed full bathroom remodel with vanity, mirror, shelving and walk-in shower — 13The completed room

Questions, answered.

Scope, permits, waterproofing, drainage, ventilation and cost drivers.

What counts as a full bathroom remodel?

The room comes down to bare studs, often to the slab, and every fixture and finish is removed. That is the scope that allows layout changes — moving the shower, widening a doorway, relocating the vanity — because the framing and rough-in are exposed and workable.

Do I need a permit?

Yes. Full remodels in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach typically need a building permit plus separate plumbing and electrical permits. Florida’s homeowner permit waiver for small projects specifically excludes plumbing, electrical, structural and mechanical work, and a full remodel touches all four.

Can I move the shower or toilet?

Usually, but on slab-on-grade it means saw-cutting concrete to re-route the drain, then making good and having it inspected. It is entirely doable and it is the biggest single cost decision in the project, which is why we settle it before demolition.

Is backer board enough to waterproof a shower?

No. Code-compliant backer board is water-resistant, not waterproof. Without a separate sheet or liquid membrane over it, vapour still reaches the studs and condenses — which is the mechanism behind most hidden mould in older Florida bathrooms.

Can I use standard drywall in the shower?

No. Florida code requires cement, fibre-cement or glass-mat gypsum backer to ASTM C1178, C1288 or C1325 in tub and shower areas. Water-resistant gypsum board is not permitted where it will see direct water or continuous high humidity.

Why does the exhaust fan matter so much here?

Because sustained humidity means the vapour never really leaves on its own. A fan sized to the room and ducted to outside air removes it; one discharging into a soffit or roof void just moves the problem somewhere you cannot see.

What is a linear drain and do I need one?

A long slot drain, usually at the threshold or against a wall. It lets the floor fall in a single plane instead of four, which is what makes large-format floor tile workable in a shower. You do not need one, but it opens up tile choices a point drain closes off.

How long will I be without the bathroom?

For the full working period, and longer if a drain moves or if something is found once the walls open. If it is the only bathroom in the property, tell us early — it changes how we sequence the work.

What usually gets found once the walls are open?

Most often cast-iron waste lines near the end of their life, undersized or unducted extract fans, and water-resistant board used where waterproof build-up was needed. All three are cheap to fix while open and expensive to reach later.

Can you do this in a condo?

Yes, and it adds an approval layer: plan submission, insurance certificates, work hours and freight elevator scheduling. Many buildings also restrict moving the plumbing stack, which constrains the layout before design starts.

Why Elbaz.

Licensed general contractor

Certified building contractor, licence CBC1265280, bonded and insured.

All three permits

Building, plumbing and electrical pulled and sequenced by us, not split across separate trades.

Waterproofing discipline

Compliant backer plus a membrane over it, with the pan tested before tile.

Local experience

Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — including the slab-on-grade reality that governs drain relocation here.

One point of contact

Plumber, electrician, tiler, glazier and building department coordinated by us.

Quality control

Every inspection called and attended, with corrections owned rather than passed along.

Communication

You are told what was found when the walls opened, and what it changes, before we proceed.

Financing

Financing options available through our partners.

Proof & ReadingSection 14 of 15

What South Florida homeowners say.

Reproduced verbatim from our Google Business Profile. Nothing here has been edited, merged or rewritten.

Redid my whole bathroom and kitchen. Great service - Great quality - very quick - very professional !! Highly recommended!

Adir DavidovGoogle review

They are amazing! Very professional. Met my exact requests with so much patience and knowledge. They renovated my whole house and the whole process was such a breeze. I highly recommend them!

Lee MoraliGoogle review

We hired them to renovate our investment property and they provided exceptional quality service for an affordable price!

Shir PartushGoogle review

Amazing experience with the entire company! They did a great job in my house for some work that needed to be completed, and I am extremely happy with the result. Super professional & great service. I highly recommend Elbaz Construction.

Mia ZafraniGoogle review

After I've been Looking for a good company to renovate my house , I found those guys! These people are super professional super honest super Fast !! Don't hesitate to Rent their service! They are number one!!

carmit cohenGoogle review

I highly recommend them for home improvement. They renovated my master bathroom and a few upgrades for other guest bathrooms. They are very professional, courteous and transparent. They are great at communicating and finding ways to streamline the work. Sean has impeccable project management and customer relationship management skills. Very pleased with the work!

Omri BGoogle review

Down to the studs.Waterproofed properly.Closed up once.

The one project that reaches everything.

What a strip-to-studs remodel covers.

A bathroom rebuilt from the studs out.

What this bathroom shows.

The room

Surfaces

Drainage

Fittings and storage

A bathroom fails behind the tile, not on it. The membrane decides how long the room lasts.

Membrane over compliant backer, always

Layout settled before demolition

Ventilation treated as structural

Three permits, one contractor

Flat substrate before large-format tile

Fix what is found while it is open

The finish decisions, close up.

What the specification decides.

Nine stages, one contractor.

Consultation

Survey

Layout decision

Specification

Permitting

Demolition

Rough-in

Waterproofing and tile

Fit-out and closeout

Permits and inspections, in order.

What sits behind the tile.

Framing

Backer board

Membrane

Pan and fall

Tile

What moves the number, and what moves the date.

What moves the number

What moves the date

Bring to the first call

The finished bathroom.

Questions, answered.

Why Elbaz.

Licensed general contractor

All three permits

Waterproofing discipline

Local experience

One point of contact

Quality control

Communication

Financing

What South Florida homeowners say.

Further reading.

Service Areas

Tell us about the room.

What happens next

Thanks — that came through.

Down to the studs.
Waterproofed properly.
Closed up once.