Service area · Glendale, CA
Bathroom remodeling in Glendale, from hillside houses to condos
In Glendale, the first planning question is often how we get materials to the bathroom. The second is what we will find once the old tile comes off.
Housing
Three kinds of Glendale bathroom
Glendale spans flat neighborhoods near downtown, older streets climbing into the foothills, and a large stock of apartments and condos. Each shapes a remodel differently.
Hillside houses
Steep driveways, long exterior stairs and bathrooms on a level well above or below the street. The design may be simple; getting a vanity, a tub and several hundred pounds of tile to the room is not.
1920s–50s homes
Spanish and Mediterranean revival houses from the early decades and post-war homes after them. Original tile, small rooms, and plumbing that has often outlived its useful life.
Condos and apartments
Mid-rise and garden-style buildings with an HOA, shared risers and building rules on work hours and access. Compact bathrooms, often with an alcove tub.
Access and staging on a hillside
A hillside remodel is planned from the curb. Before we price the work, we look at where a truck can stop, how far materials have to be carried, whether there is a flat spot to stage and cut tile, and where a debris bin can legally sit. Narrow streets can mean smaller deliveries, more trips and more labor, which is part of why the same bathroom can cost more on a hill than on a flat lot.
- Parking and delivery windows that do not block neighbors on a narrow street
- A protected path through the house, especially over stairs and finished floors
- Large items measured against doorways, landings and stair turns before ordering
- A cutting station outside or in the garage to keep dust out of living space
- Debris removal planned in small loads where a bin will not fit
None of this shows in the finished room, but it decides whether the schedule holds.
What we often find behind older walls
These are common in houses of this age generally. We do not know what is in yours until we look, and some of it only shows up during demolition.
Galvanized supply lines
Steel pipe that corrodes from the inside, narrowing over time and reducing pressure at the shower. When the walls are open, replacing the bathroom's supply lines is usually the sensible choice, and it is worth discussing how far back toward the main to go.
Cast-iron or clay drains
Often still working, sometimes cracked or scaled. We look at what is exposed and recommend a camera inspection of the line beyond the room when the signs point that way.
Mortar-bed tile and no membrane
Original showers were typically built on a thick mortar bed with a lead or tar-paper pan. Removing it is heavy work, and what replaces it should be a continuous modern waterproofing system.
Soft or patched subfloor
Decades of small leaks around a toilet or tub leave damage that needs repair before new tile goes down. Floors that flex will crack tile and grout.
This is why we price older-house remodels with clear allowances for what demolition might reveal. Our estimate process explains how we handle those unknowns.
What we work on in Glendale
The request we hear most is a shower that is easier to use. That can mean a low-threshold or curbless walk-in shower in a house, or a straightforward shower replacement in a condo where the drain location is fixed. Either way, the waterproofing is the part we spend the most care on.
For condo owners, our condo remodeling process starts with the HOA's rules and the building's shut-offs, then moves to design. For older houses, the scope is usually a complete remodel that replaces the plumbing along with the finishes.
For ideas on the shower itself, see our journal piece on walk-in shower design.
Permits in Glendale
Glendale is a separate city from Los Angeles, with its own building and safety department. Remodels that move or replace plumbing, add electrical work or alter framing commonly require a permit, and older-house projects often do.
Confirm current permit requirements for your address with the City of Glendale's building department, and in a condo, check with your HOA or management company as well. We verify both before setting a start date.
Call us
Talk to us about your bathroom
Call and tell us what isn’t working in the room. We’ll talk through scope, materials and timing, then set up a visit to measure and see the plumbing and structure.
Call for a consultation
(213) 566-7696Open daily, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Tell us whether it’s a house, condo or ADU
- Describe which bathroom and what you’d like to change
- We arrange a visit to measure and look at the room