Elusive Construction logo Elusive ConstructionLic #1112902
Tiled bathroom remodel with a properly waterproofed shower surround

Remodeling, By A Builder

Bathroom Remodeling

The part of a bathroom that decides whether it lasts fifteen years or leaks in three is the part you never see.

  • Licensed CA General B #1112902
  • Fully Insured
  • Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties
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Waterproofing is the whole job

Every failed bathroom we've opened up failed the same way: water got behind the tile because the substrate and the waterproofing were wrong. Tile is not waterproof. The membrane behind it is, and that is where cheap bids save their money.

We take bathrooms to the studs so the framing and subfloor can actually be inspected, fix what the water already did, then rebuild with the substrate and waterproofing done to spec. It costs more than a surface refresh. It also doesn't come apart.

Scope

What a bathroom remodel involves

Demolition to the studs

So framing, subfloor and any existing water damage can be seen rather than guessed at.

Structural repair

Rotted subfloor and framing replaced before anything new goes over it.

Plumbing & electrical

Supply, drain and venting brought to current code while the wall is open, with GFCI protection and proper exhaust.

Waterproofing

Correct substrate and a continuous waterproofing membrane at the pan and surround. The invisible part that decides everything.

Tile & fixtures

Set on a surface that was made flat first, with slope to drain that actually drains.

Finishes & walkthrough

Vanity, glass, paint and trim, then a punch list walked together.

Common Questions

Straight answers

What does a bathroom remodel cost in San Jose?
$20,000 is our floor, and a typical full bathroom runs $22,000–$30,000 depending on size and finish level. We don't bid the $10,000 version, and that is deliberate rather than a pricing accident — at that number the money has to come out of the substrate and the waterproofing, which is the part that decides whether the room lasts fifteen years or leaks in three. If a bid comes in far under ours, ask specifically which waterproofing system it includes and who inspects it.
How long does a bathroom take?
A few weeks for a standard bathroom, and it isn't continuous work — there are inspection holds and material lead times. We give you a realistic schedule rather than an optimistic one.
Can you just re-tile without the demolition?
We generally won't. Tiling over a substrate we can't verify means warrantying work built on something unknown. If the existing waterproofing is sound we'll tell you — but we won't assume it.
Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
Yes — California General Building (B) license #1112902, a $25,000 contractor bond, and an active workers' compensation policy with The Hartford. Verify the license on the CSLB registry. Certificates of insurance are available on request.
Do you handle the design?
We build your vision — we're not designing the place with you. If you already have plans, we price and build from them. If you need real design work, you need a designer, and we'll say so up front rather than three weeks in.
How do allowances work?
An allowance covers work nobody can honestly price until something is opened up. Those are billed at actual cost, and whatever isn't spent comes off your final invoice. We'd rather show you the unknowns than bury them in a padded fixed price.

Service Area

Where we build

Permit process, plan check and utility requirements change at every city line. Each page covers what's actually true where you're building.

Tell us about your project

Book a 30-minute discovery call and we'll tell you what's realistic — scope, budget and timeline — whether or not we're the right builder for it.