Custom Tile Showers, Vanities and Full Renovations

A bathroom remodel done correctly lasts for decades. Done incorrectly it shows you exactly why within the first year — tile grout that cracks, shower pans that leak, vanity installations that come loose, flooring that lifts at the edges. Bathroom construction requires waterproofing expertise, precise tile work, and proper sequencing of mechanical and finish trades. Recon Reconstruction of Alabama manages custom bathroom renovations throughout Clanton and Central Alabama to the standard that holds up under daily use for the long term.

Bathroom Remodeling Services

Bathroom Remodeling Services We Provide
in Clanton and Central Alabama

Every bathroom remodeling scope we manage — from a targeted shower replacement to a complete gut remodel — follows the same substrate-first, waterproofing-first standard. Here is the full range of what we provide for homeowners throughout Clanton and Chilton County.

Custom Tile Shower Installation

A custom tile shower is the centerpiece of most bathroom remodels and the component that most directly determines how long the remodel performs without problems. We build custom tile showers from the substrate up -- shower pan, waterproofing membrane, cement board backer, and tile installation with proper layout planning, consistent spacing, and complete grout and sealant application. Custom shower work includes niches, built-in benches, multiple shower heads, and any configuration the design calls for. Every shower we build is waterproofed at the substrate level before tile installation begins.

Shower Tile Replacement

When an existing shower tile has failed -- cracked grout, loose tiles, persistent leaks, or dated material -- the correct approach is not to grout over the problem or tile over existing tile. It is to remove the existing installation, assess the substrate beneath, address any waterproofing failures or substrate damage, and rebuild from the proper foundation. We perform shower tile replacement throughout Clanton and Chilton County as a standalone project and as part of broader bathroom remodeling scopes.

Vanity Design and Installation

Vanity installation involves more than setting a cabinet and connecting a faucet. Proper vanity installation requires level and plumb placement, secure anchoring to wall framing, correct countertop height, precise plumbing connection, and appropriate caulking and sealing at all transitions. We manage vanity installation as part of full bathroom remodel scopes and as standalone projects throughout Clanton and Central Alabama. Custom vanity design and fabrication is handled through our sister company McRae Cabinet and Design.

Bathroom Flooring Installation

Bathroom flooring takes daily exposure to moisture, cleaning products, and foot traffic. Material selection and installation quality both matter for long-term performance. We install porcelain tile, ceramic tile, and luxury vinyl plank flooring in bathrooms throughout Clanton and Chilton County -- with proper subfloor preparation, membrane application in wet areas, and installation techniques appropriate for the moisture exposure levels specific to bathroom environments.

Bathroom Tile Floor Installation

Tile floor installation in bathrooms requires attention to layout planning, grout joint consistency, and proper waterproofing at the floor-to-wall transition. A tile floor that looks great on installation day but develops grout cracking within a year is almost always the result of inadequate subfloor preparation or movement at transitions that were not properly managed during installation. We install bathroom tile floors with the substrate preparation and detail work that determines long-term performance -- not just day-one appearance.

Drywall and Moisture-Resistant Substrate Installation

The wall substrate behind tile in wet areas is one of the most critical and least visible components of a bathroom remodel. Standard drywall behind tile in a shower or wet wall is not appropriate -- moisture that penetrates grout joints over time will degrade standard drywall and compromise the tile installation above it. We install cement board or appropriate moisture-resistant substrate in all wet areas as a baseline standard, not an upgrade. In non-wet bathroom areas we install moisture-resistant drywall appropriate for the humidity environment of a bathroom space.

Bathroom Layout Redesign

Many bathrooms suffer from layouts that were functional in a different era but do not serve the way people actually use a bathroom today. A single sink where two are needed. A standalone tub that no one uses taking up space that a larger shower could occupy. A toilet placement that creates awkward traffic flow. We redesign bathroom layouts to improve functionality, storage, and daily usability -- managing plumbing rough-in relocation as part of the project scope where layout changes require it.

Bathroom Fixture and Plumbing Connection Repair

Bathroom remodeling frequently involves repair or replacement of faucets, showerheads, drain systems, toilet connections, and water supply lines. We repair and replace bathroom plumbing fixtures as part of broader remodel scopes and as standalone projects. Fixture repair work that involves supply line relocation or new rough-in connections is coordinated with licensed plumbing as required by Chilton County code.

Full Bathroom Gut and Remodel

A complete bathroom gut removes everything down to the studs and subfloor -- tile, fixtures, vanity, flooring, drywall, and all plumbing trim -- and rebuilds the bathroom from scratch. This is the right approach for bathrooms where the existing layout needs fundamental redesign, where the substrate has been compromised by water damage or years of inadequate waterproofing, or where a homeowner wants a completely new bathroom rather than an updated version of an existing one. We manage full bathroom gut remodels throughout Clanton and Chilton County from structural assessment through final finish installation.

Waterproofing The Most xImportant Work Happens Before the First Tile Goes Up

This is the section most bathroom remodeling contractors do not want to talk about, because proper waterproofing takes more time and costs more than skipping it.

A tile installation is only as watertight as the waterproofing behind it. Grout is not waterproof. Tile is not waterproof. The surface you see when you look at a tile shower is not what keeps water out of the wall assembly and the framing behind it. What keeps water out is the waterproofing membrane applied at the substrate level before a single tile goes up.

When that membrane is missing, inadequate, or improperly applied, water that penetrates grout joints — which it will, over time — reaches the substrate and the framing behind it. The result is substrate degradation, framing moisture damage, mold growth behind the tile, and eventually tile failure as the compromised substrate moves and cracks the grout above it. By the time the tile starts to fail visibly, the damage behind it is significant.

Recon Reconstruction applies waterproofing membranes to all shower and wet wall areas on every bathroom project. This is our baseline standard — not something we offer as an upgrade or discuss as an option. It is required for the installation to perform the way it should.

We also apply appropriate waterproofing at the shower floor pan, at all floor-to-wall transitions in wet areas, and at all penetrations through the tile assembly. Every waterproofing application is completed and inspected before tile installation begins.

If you have received bathroom remodeling estimates that do not specifically address waterproofing and substrate preparation, ask what is included. The answer will tell you whether the installation will look right for a year or perform correctly for twenty.

Custom Tile Work in Clanton Bathrooms What Separates Good from Great

Tile installation is a trade where the difference between acceptable and excellent is visible every time you walk into the room.

Layout planning is where tile work quality starts. A properly planned tile layout centers the visual focal point of the installation, avoids narrow cut tiles at visible edges, accounts for out-of-square walls and floors, and creates a result that reads as intentional rather than improvised. Layout planning happens before the first tile is set — not adjusted on the fly as installation proceeds.

Grout joint consistency is the detail that most immediately distinguishes professional tile work from amateur work. Consistent joint spacing, maintained throughout the installation, produces a finished surface that looks precise and deliberate. Inconsistent joints — varying in width, wandering out of alignment — produce a finished surface that looks exactly like what it is.

Substrate preparation determines how tile performs over time. Tile installed over a substrate that has movement — a deflecting subfloor, an inadequately prepared wall surface, a transition between two different substrates with different movement characteristics — will crack at the grout joints as that movement occurs. We address substrate preparation before installation begins, not after cracking appears.

Grout and sealant application completes the installation. Proper grout density, uniform tooling, thorough cleaning before grout hazes, and appropriate sealant application protect the installed work and determine how it holds up to daily cleaning and moisture exposure over years of use.

We install tile in bathrooms throughout Clanton and Chilton County to a standard that addresses all of these details — because a tile installation that looks great on day one and develops problems within a year or two is not a successful project.

Vanity Work Our Sister Company, McRae Cabinet and Design

Custom vanity design, fabrication, and installation for bathroom remodeling projects is handled by McRae Cabinet and Design, our sister company operating out of Clanton.

McRae Cabinet and Design builds and installs custom bathroom vanities, double vanity configurations, floating vanities, and specialty vanity designs that standard stock products cannot accommodate. Their open-to-the-public showroom in Clanton allows homeowners to review vanity styles, door profiles, hardware options, finish selections, and countertop materials before committing to a design direction.

When a Recon Reconstruction bathroom remodel includes custom vanity work, we coordinate directly with McRae Cabinet and Design as part of the integrated project scope. The vanity design, fabrication timeline, and installation sequence are managed within the full project schedule — no waiting on a separate cabinet company that does not know what the tile contractor needs or what the plumber has roughed in.

For bathroom remodels using stock vanities, Recon Reconstruction manages selection, delivery, and installation directly as part of the project scope.

Bathroom Remodeling Timeline What to Expect at Each Scope Level

Bathroom remodel timelines depend almost entirely on scope. Here is a realistic breakdown of what to expect.

Cosmetic update — two to three weeks. New tile in an existing layout, vanity replacement, and fixture updates in a bathroom where the substrate is in good condition and no layout changes are required. This assumes materials are selected and on-site before work begins.

Mid-range remodel — three to five weeks. Complete tile replacement including shower and floor, new vanity, new fixtures, and updated lighting in an existing layout. Timeline is driven by custom vanity fabrication lead time from McRae Cabinet and Design if custom cabinetry is specified.

Full gut remodel — five to eight weeks. Complete demolition down to studs and subfloor, full substrate rebuild, new plumbing trim, new tile throughout, custom vanity, new flooring, new lighting, and complete finish work. Permit approval and custom vanity lead time are the primary schedule variables.

Full gut with layout changes — seven to ten weeks. Full gut scope plus plumbing rough-in relocation, which requires a permit and inspection before any substrate or tile work begins. Layout change projects require the most thorough pre-construction planning to keep the construction sequence moving without stops and waits.

The most effective thing a homeowner can do to stay on schedule is complete all material selections — tile, grout color, vanity, fixtures, flooring — before demolition begins. We enforce this in our pre-construction process on every bathroom project.

Common Bathroom Remodeling Mistakes and How We Avoid Them

These are the problems we see most frequently when homeowners call us to fix a previous contractor’s bathroom remodel..

Tiling over existing tile. Installing new tile over an existing layer adds thickness that affects fixtures, transitions, and door clearances. It also means the new tile is only as sound as the bond between the old tile and the substrate beneath it — a bond that is frequently compromised. We remove existing tile on every shower retile and full remodel. The extra labor cost is real. The alternative is a retile that fails within a few years.

Skipping the waterproofing membrane. As detailed above. The single most common source of shower failure. We waterproof every shower at the substrate level, no exceptions.

Incorrect substrate in wet areas. Standard drywall behind tile in a shower will fail. It is a matter of when, not if. We use cement board or appropriate moisture-resistant substrate in all wet areas on every project.

Grouting over cracked existing grout. Grout cracks because something moved. Applying new grout over cracked grout does not address what moved — it just delays the reappearance of the same crack. We identify and address the cause of grout cracking before any tile work begins.

Improper subfloor preparation for tile floors. Tile floors require a rigid, stable subfloor. A subfloor that deflects under foot traffic will crack tile and grout joints over time. We assess subfloor condition and rigidity before tile floor installation begins and address deflection issues before the first tile goes down.

Setting tile before plumbing rough-in is finalized. Tile set before supply line locations are confirmed creates tile cutting and patching when rough-in locations change. We complete and confirm all plumbing rough-in before any tile installation begins.

Bathroom Renovation ROI in Central Alabama

Bathroom remodeling delivers consistent return in the Central Alabama residential market, particularly in primary bathrooms.

A dated primary bathroom is one of the most common points of discount in a home evaluation by buyers. Buyers cannot unsee a bathroom from 1990. The amount they discount in their offer frequently exceeds the cost of a competently executed remodel. A renovated primary bathroom with updated tile, fixtures, and a modern vanity removes that discount and in many cases commands a premium over comparable homes with dated bathrooms.

A mid-range primary bathroom remodel in the Central Alabama market typically returns 60 to 70 percent of its cost in added resale value at the time of sale — while also delivering daily quality-of-life improvement throughout the years between the remodel and any eventual sale.

Secondary bathroom remodels deliver lower but still meaningful returns, particularly when outdated tile and fixtures create a condition that buyers identify as a required update.

As with kitchen remodeling, execution quality is as important as scope. A bathroom remodel with poorly installed tile, grout that has already cracked, or fixtures that are not plumb and level does not deliver the return a properly executed one does. The contractor and their waterproofing and tile standards are the most important variables in the outcome.

Why Clanton Homeowners Choose Recon Reconstruction for Bathroom Remodeling

Over 27 years of residential construction and remodeling experience in Clanton and Central Alabama
Owners Kyle McRae and Alex Price personally involved in every project from consultation through final walkthrough
Waterproofing-first standard on every shower and wet area -- not an option, not an upgrade, the baseline
Proper substrate installation in all wet areas -- cement board in showers, moisture-resistant drywall throughout
Tile work to a professional standard -- layout planning, consistent spacing, and complete detail work
Custom vanity work coordinated through McRae Cabinet and Design -- specialist-level cabinetry integrated into the project
Licensed general contractor -- every phase performed by our own team, not subcontracted
Pre-construction planning process that addresses every material selection and trade sequence before demolition begins
Locally based at 816 Center Avenue in Clanton -- accountable to this community

Frequently Asked Questions

Bathroom Remodeling in Clanton, AL

How long does a bathroom remodel take in Clanton?

Timeline depends on scope. A cosmetic update -- new tile, vanity, and fixtures in an existing layout with a sound substrate -- takes two to three weeks. A mid-range remodel with complete tile replacement and a new custom vanity runs three to five weeks. A full gut remodel runs five to eight weeks. A full gut with layout changes and plumbing relocation runs seven to ten weeks. The variable that most affects timeline beyond scope is material lead time -- all selections should be made and materials confirmed before demolition begins. We enforce this in our pre-construction process because projects that start without it consistently run longer than they should.

What does a bathroom remodel cost in Clanton, AL?

Bathroom remodel cost depends on scope, materials specified, and whether layout changes or plumbing relocation are involved. A cosmetic update runs significantly less than a full gut with custom vanity and plumbing changes. We provide written estimates on every project after a thorough site assessment and a detailed scope of work. Any estimate without a site visit and a written scope is a rough number that will change. Call us at 205-955-0807 to schedule a free assessment and written estimate.

Can you replace just the shower tile without a full remodel?

Yes -- with an important caveat. Before we retile a shower we assess the substrate behind the existing tile. If the substrate is sound and the waterproofing is intact, a shower retile is straightforward. If the substrate has been compromised by water infiltration through failed grout or inadequate original waterproofing, the substrate must be replaced before new tile goes up. A tile installation over a compromised substrate will fail in the same way the previous one did. We give you an honest assessment before the project begins.

What tile is best for bathroom floors in Alabama?

Porcelain tile is our standard recommendation for bathroom floors in the Clanton area. It is denser and less porous than ceramic tile, making it more water-resistant and more durable under daily cleaning exposure. For bathroom floors we specify tile with a slip-resistance rating appropriate for wet floor conditions -- aesthetics are important, but a beautiful tile floor that becomes slippery when wet is a safety issue. We discuss tile options during the pre-construction planning phase and match the recommendation to your design preferences and performance requirements.

Do I need permits for a bathroom remodel in Clanton, AL?

It depends on the scope. Cosmetic updates -- replacing tile in its existing location, swapping a vanity, updating fixtures -- typically do not require permits. Work that involves plumbing rough-in relocation, structural changes, or new electrical circuits requires permits from Chilton County. We handle all permit applications and inspections for work that requires them. Permits are pulled before work begins -- not as an afterthought when an inspection is required.

How do I know if my shower needs to be completely rebuilt or just retiled?

The answer requires assessment of the substrate, the waterproofing, and the shower pan condition -- none of which are visible from the surface. Signs that suggest a full rebuild may be required include persistent moisture or water staining outside the shower area, tile that sounds hollow when tapped across more than an isolated section, visible deflection or soft spots in the shower floor, and any evidence of water infiltration into the wall assembly or framing. Signs that suggest a retile may be sufficient include grout failure in an otherwise sound installation where the substrate behind the tile shows no signs of moisture damage. We assess every shower before quoting and give you an honest answer on what the installation actually needs.

Ready to Remodel Your Bathroom in Clanton or Chilton County?

Call Kyle McRae directly at 205-955-0807 to schedule a free bathroom consultation. We visit the space, assess what is there, and give you a straight assessment of what is possible, what it costs, and how long it takes.