GNG Roofing & Construction logo
Composite deck and stairs construction in Northeast Indiana

Home / Services / Remodels & Additions / Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom Remodeling in Fort Wayne & Grabill, Indiana

Composite deck and stairs construction in Northeast Indiana

// Bathroom Remodeling

Built To Actually Hold Up

A bathroom remodel that skips waterproofing or ventilation causes problems years down the line. GNG handles the plumbing, electrical, and tile work behind the finishes, not just what's visible on the surface.

Bathrooms are one of two rooms we cover in detail under remodels and additions. Homeowners frequently do both at once, so see kitchen remodeling too. When a remodel calls for structural changes, such as recessing a floor for a curbless shower or moving a wall, the same crew handles it.

// What We Handle

Bathroom Remodels We Build

Full gut renovations
Walk-in shower and tub conversions
Plumbing and electrical updates
Tile and waterproofing
Ventilation
Aging-in-place and accessibility options

// Definition

What Makes A Shower Waterproof

The tile is not what keeps the water out.

Tile and grout are not waterproof. They are the wear surface. Every tiled shower depends on a waterproof layer behind or under the tile to keep water out of the framing, and that layer is either a bonded sheet or liquid membrane installed over cement board, or a foam board system with sealed seams and corners. Drywall behind a shower is not a waterproofing method, and it is the most common thing we find wrong in older bathrooms.

The other half is the floor of the shower, which has to slope evenly to the drain and be waterproofed continuously into the walls, with no break at the corners or the curb. Most shower failures start at a corner, a curb, or a niche, because those are the three places where the membrane has to turn and the installer has to actually detail it rather than run a flat sheet.

None of this is visible once the tile is on, which is exactly why it gets skipped on cheap jobs. A shower that was built wrong looks identical to one that was built right for the first several years.

// Straight Answers

Bathroom Remodeling Questions, Answered

How long does a bathroom remodel take?

A full gut runs through demolition, plumbing and electrical rough-in, inspection where required, waterproofing, tile, fixtures, and finish. Two steps set the pace: the rough-in inspection, which has to pass before anything closes up, and the tile work, which needs cure time between setting and grouting. A cosmetic refresh that leaves the plumbing where it is moves far faster. Your written estimate carries a specific schedule for your bathroom.

Can you convert a tub to a walk-in shower?

Yes, and it is one of the most common bathroom remodels we do. The scope depends on how far you take it. A standard curbed shower in the old tub footprint is straightforward. A curbless entry means recessing the floor framing so the shower pan sits flush, which is structural work rather than a fixture swap. We will price both so you can see the difference before deciding.

Why does bathroom ventilation matter so much?

A bathroom makes more moisture than any other room and has the least air movement. An exhaust fan sized for the room and ducted to the outside is what keeps that moisture out of the drywall, paint, and framing. The failure we see most is a fan venting into the attic rather than through the roof or a wall. That does not remove the moisture, it relocates it into the coldest part of the house, where it condenses on the sheathing.

Can you build in accessibility now for later?

Yes, and the cheapest time to do it is while the walls are open. Solid blocking behind the tile lets grab bars be added anywhere on that wall later, at any load, without opening anything back up. A curbless entry, a wider door opening, and a bench are the other three decisions that are simple during a gut and expensive afterward. We will ask about them before demolition, not after.

Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel?

It depends on what the work touches, and the rule comes from the city or county rather than the state. Swapping a vanity, a toilet, and tile in place generally does not require a permit. Moving plumbing, adding or relocating circuits, adding a fan where there was none, and altering framing generally do. We pull whatever the local jurisdiction requires and schedule the inspections as part of the job.

What is the most common bathroom remodel mistake?

Spending the budget on what shows and cutting the waterproofing behind it. The second most common is ventilation: no fan, an undersized fan, or a fan ducted into the attic instead of outside. Both mistakes look completely fine at the final walkthrough and both produce the same result several years later, which is a wall or a ceiling that has been quietly wet the whole time. Those are the two line items not to negotiate down.

// Who Does The Work

One Crew, Rough-In Through Grout

Bathrooms get subcontracted more than almost any other room, which is how a bathroom ends up with good tile over bad waterproofing. Different trades, different days, nobody responsible for the layer underneath. GNG runs the whole scope with one crew: demolition, framing changes, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, tile, and finish.

GNG Roofing & Construction is an Amish-owned family business in Grabill, Indiana, licensed and insured, building in Northeast Indiana for more than 34 years, and Google reviewers rate us 4.9 out of 5 across 30 reviews. The work carries a 10-year craftsmanship warranty. On a bathroom that warranty is worth reading, because the parts most likely to fail are the parts you cannot inspect.

Doing more than one room? See kitchen remodeling and the rest of our remodels and additions work, or read about the family behind GNG.

Whole-home exterior remodel with new siding and roof in Northeast Indiana

// FAQ

Bathroom Remodeling Questions

Do you do full gut renovations or just cosmetic updates? ▾

Both. We'll scope the project to what you actually want, from a full gut to swapping fixtures and tile.

Can you convert a tub to a walk-in shower? ▾

Yes, tub-to-shower conversions are one of the most common bathroom remodels we do.

Do you handle waterproofing and ventilation? ▾

Yes, proper waterproofing behind tile and adequate ventilation are part of every bathroom remodel, not an upsell.

What is behind the tile that actually matters? ▾

Waterproofing. Tile and grout are not waterproof, they are the wear surface, and every tiled shower relies on a waterproof layer behind or under the tile to keep water out of the framing. That layer is either a bonded sheet or liquid membrane over cement board, or a foam board system with sealed seams. Standard drywall behind a shower is the most common failure we find in older bathrooms.

Why does bathroom ventilation matter so much? ▾

A bathroom generates more moisture than any other room and has the least air movement. An exhaust fan sized for the room and ducted to the outside keeps that moisture out of the drywall, paint, and framing. The failure we see most often is a fan venting into the attic instead of through the roof or a wall, which does not remove the moisture, it relocates it into the coldest part of the house.

GNG Roofing completed metal roof project

Tell Us What You're Building

Contact Us ↗