Master Bathroom Gut Renovation – Totowa Colonial
Project Overview
A Totowa homeowner reached out after years of putting up with a cramped, outdated master bathroom that had never been touched since the home was built in 1991. The original pink ceramic tile covered every surface floor to ceiling, the builder vanity had a broken drawer and delaminating finish, the exhaust fan had long since failed, and a persistent slow leak beneath the toilet flange had quietly rotted a section of the subfloor. What the homeowner wanted was a complete transformation — a bathroom that felt modern, spa-like, and well-built. Exterior Solutions LLC performed a full gut renovation: removing everything down to studs and subfloor, replacing the rotted decking, and rebuilding the entire bathroom from scratch with new plumbing rough-in, waterproofing, tile, cabinetry, fixtures, and finishes.
Analysis
Our pre-construction walkthrough identified three conditions beyond normal cosmetic wear. First, the subfloor beneath the toilet had a roughly 18-inch section of soft, rotted plywood caused by a slow wax ring leak — this had to be cut out and replaced with new 3/4-inch exterior-grade plywood before any other work could proceed. Second, the existing shower pan was a mortar-bed installation with failing tile grout, and the liner beneath it had cracked, meaning water had been migrating into the subfloor of the shower zone as well. We found moisture in the framing on the shared wall between the shower and the adjacent closet. That framing was dried, treated with a mold-inhibiting primer, and allowed to cure before enclosure. Third, the existing exhaust fan was completely inoperable and had no proper duct connection — it was venting into the attic cavity, which is a building code violation. A new exhaust fan was ducted properly to an exterior gable vent as part of this scope.
Process
The project began with complete demolition — tile, vanity, toilet, tub surround, and all flooring removed in one day. The rotted subfloor was immediately identified and cut out, new plywood installed and glued, and the area dried thoroughly before framing work continued. Cement board was installed on all wet surfaces, followed by full Schluter KERDI membrane in the shower zone. Tile setting began with the floor — large-format porcelain required careful prep and a self-leveling underlayment skim coat to achieve a flat enough surface for the 12x24 format without lippage. Wall tile followed, with the hex accent stripe layout planned to align with the top of the future mirror opening. The vanity was set, templated for the quartz top, and the countertop returned and installed on day twelve. Plumbing trim-out, electrical final, and exhaust fan installation followed. Painting was the last trade, followed by final fixture installation and a detail clean.
Outcome
The completed bathroom is unrecognizable from the original space. The double-sink vanity with quartz countertop replaced the cramped single-sink builder unit and now gives both homeowners their own workspace. The walk-in shower with linear drain and rain head feels genuinely spa-like in a space that previously had only a tub-shower combo. The large-format floor tile makes the room feel twice its actual size. The homeowner noted that friends and family who had seen the original bathroom were shocked — the transformation was described as looking like a completely different home. The project was completed in 14 business days with no change orders.
Project Details
Materials Used
Waterproofing: Schluter KERDI waterproofing membrane system, KERDI-BAND for corners and transitions, KERDI-DRAIN linear drain. Tile — floor: 12x24 light gray rectified porcelain in a staggered layout, Schluter RENO-T transition strips. Tile — walls: 3x12 white matte ceramic subway tile in a running bond pattern with a 2x2 matte black hex mosaic accent stripe at 48 inches. Shower pan: Schluter KERDI-SHOWER tray, pre-sloped mortar base. Vanity: 60-inch double-sink white shaker vanity with soft-close doors and drawers, Carrara-look quartz countertop with undermount rectangular sinks. Fixtures: Moen Genta collection brushed nickel throughout — widespread faucets, rain head shower system, hand shower on slide bar, pressure-balance valve with diverter. Mirror: 28x36 frameless mirrors over each sink with LED backlit perimeter. Lighting: 4 recessed 4-inch LED wafer lights, dual vanity sconces in brushed nickel. Exhaust: Broan 110 CFM exhaust fan ducted to exterior. Paint: Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray SW 7015 walls, Extra White SW 7006 ceiling.
Methods & Techniques
Full gut demolition to studs and subfloor. Rotted subfloor section replaced with 3/4-inch exterior-grade plywood. Schluter KERDI full waterproofing system in shower zone and wet walls. New toilet flange set at proper height. Plumbing rough-in for double vanity with hot/cold supply and P-trap drain assembly. Cement board backer installation. Large-format rectified porcelain tile installation with lippage-free leveling clip system. Schluter edge and transition profiles throughout. Vanity installation with countertop templating and undermount sink set. Shower valve and trim installation. Exhaust fan installation with proper exterior duct routing. Electrical: new dedicated GFCI circuits for vanity outlets, exhaust fan switch, LED lighting. Level 5 drywall finish on non-wet walls. Full paint, trim, and finish package.
Key Highlights
Full gut to studs and subfloor with rotted subfloor replacement. Schluter KERDI full waterproofing system throughout shower zone. 12x24 large-format rectified porcelain floor tile. Full subway tile wall installation with hex mosaic accent stripe. 60-inch double shaker vanity with quartz countertop and undermount sinks. Moen Genta brushed nickel fixture package throughout. Rain head shower with hand shower and linear drain. LED backlit mirrors and recessed lighting. New exhaust fan ducted to exterior per code. Completed in 14 business days, zero change orders.