Bathroom Remodel Contractors Serving Greater Boston
Essex is a bathroom remodeling contractor serving Boston and the surrounding towns. For more than 30 years, our own carpenters and project managers have taken homeowners from the first plan to the finished bathroom, with every cost on the table.
No vague promises. No budget surprises three months in.
What Our Bathroom Remodeling Covers
Our own carpenters and project managers do the bulk of the work and are on site every day, and we coordinate every other trade the job needs. From a fresh layout in a guest bath to a full bathroom reconstruction down to the studs, the work can include:
- New layouts. Moving the shower, tub, toilet or vanity to make better use of the space.
- Showers, tubs and tile. Installed over a properly prepared, waterproofed base so the finish lasts.
- Plumbing, electrical and lighting. Updated supply lines, drains, wiring and lighting, permitted and inspected.
- Ventilation and healthier air. Proper ventilation to control moisture, and low- and zero-VOC finishes, part of our focus on healthier, high-performance homes.
- Accessibility. Details like reinforced walls for future grab bars and wider doorways, built in now instead of retrofitted later.
Already working with an architect? We work alongside architects all the time. Don’t have one yet? We can introduce you to one.
Planning a Bathroom Remodel? Here’s Where to Begin
Most people begin a bathroom remodel by picking tile and a vanity. That is usually the wrong end. Here is the order we recommend:
- Start with how the room gets used. Who uses it, and when? Is it the one bathroom the whole family shares? What doesn’t work today? Those answers shape the layout.
- Check what’s behind the walls. Old pipes, drains, venting and wiring decide what is possible, especially in older Boston-area homes.
- Decide early on the layout. Keeping the toilet, shower and drains where they are keeps the work simpler. Moving them means more work behind the walls and under the floor.
- Get a line-item budget before you pick finishes. Knowing what the structure and systems need first tells you how much is left for the parts you see.
- Then choose finishes. With the plan and budget set, tile, fixture and vanity decisions get much easier.
Our Weston Bathroom Remodel, Inside a LEED Platinum Home
These bathrooms were part of a whole-house renovation of a late-19th-century Victorian farmhouse in Weston, with Essex as the general contractor. The home has eight full and half bathrooms, including:
- A light-filled primary bath, paired with a walk-in dressing room
- A full bath attached to the study
- A bedroom suite over the garage with its own bath, set up to work as an in-law or au pair apartment
- Full baths on the third floor and the lower level
- EPA WaterSense water-saving fixtures
The home, developed by Green Phoenix and designed by LDa Architecture & Interiors, earned LEED Platinum certification.
Why Boston Homeowners Choose Essex for Bathroom Remodeling
Most general contractors operate with opaque pricing. Since 1995, Essex has completed more than 500 projects across Greater Boston on a different model:
- Open-book contracting. You see exactly what we see. No hidden markups.
- Weekly financial reports. Actual costs against the budget, line by line, every week.
- Our people, on your site. Our carpenters and project managers do the bulk of the work and are on site every day.
- A clean, safe job site. It matters more when a bathroom is out of service and you are still living in the house.
That approach has earned us industry recognition, including a Gold PRISM Award for Best High Performance / Energy Efficient Home from the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston. We are also members of BRAGB, NARI and the National Association of Home Builders.
Bathroom Remodeling FAQs
Picking tile and fixtures before checking what’s behind the walls, skimping on ventilation in a room full of moisture, and changing decisions once construction has started. A clear plan and a line-item budget up front avoid most of them.
Planning and permits come first. Then demolition, any framing or layout changes, and rough plumbing, electrical and ventilation, followed by inspections. After that come walls and waterproofing, tile, the vanity, toilet and fixtures, lighting, and a final walkthrough.
Usually, yes. Boston uses a short-form permit for renovating an existing bathroom with no structural changes, and a long-form permit for work like expanding the bathroom, adding a window or creating or removing a doorway. Plumbing and electrical work need their own permits. We handle permitting as part of the project.
Yes. We know Eastern Massachusetts housing stock, including homes dating back to the 1700s. We update older bathrooms for how you live today while keeping the character of the house.
Yes. Reinforced walls for future grab bars, wider doorways and single-level access are worth building in during a remodel rather than adding later.
Often, yes. Your home stays a safe, organized environment throughout the work, and we plan the schedule with you up front so you know how long the bathroom will be out of service.
Ready to Start Your Bathroom Remodel in Boston?
Every bathroom remodel starts with a conversation. Tell us how you use the room and what isn’t working, and our bathroom remodeling team will give you an honest read on scope, budget and schedule for your Boston-area home.
Call 978-658-6300, Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM, or send us a message online.
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Contact Us
Ready to start your remodeling project? Our team is here to answer your questions, discuss your ideas, and provide the guidance you need to move forward with confidence. Whether you’re in the early planning stages or ready to schedule a consultation, we’re just a phone call away.
Start Your Project With Us
We believe a clean job site is a visible signal of a professional project. Our approach ensures that your home remains a safe, organized environment throughout the duration of the build.
- Discovery & Feasibility: We review your goals, site conditions, and budget expectations.
- Pre-Construction & Planning: Detailed budget forecasting and scheduling to mitigate risks.
- Execution & Reporting: Weekly meetings and financial actuals keep the project on track.
- Post-Construction Support: We stand by our work long after the dust has settled.
John and Walter, We are so happy! Can’t begin to tell you what a pleasure it has been to work with Essex, you and all your crew, all wonderful people. Any time you would like a rave review just say the word.
We couldn’t be happier with the work! We can certainly attest to your flexibility, ‘can do’ approach, and innovative solutions. Thanks again for a great job that was on time, on budget and exceeded expectations!
Walter and John unfailingly put in the time and effort needed to ensure that I understand my options and can choose those that meet my needs best. Essex staff are true professionals, from their craftsmanship to their project management and communication with me as a client. I will not hesitate to use them for home improvements in the future.
Never in all my years of home remodeling projects have I experienced the work ethic your group displayed. From your timeliness, quality of workmanship, and right down to the end of the day clean up. Everything by Essex was top notch and I am pleasantly surprised by how the team came together to get the job done.
Thanks for everything Walter. It is a pleasure to work with a true professional like you – you are a dying breed, I am afraid.
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed having them work here. I know it’s a weird thing to say, but they are all perfectly delightful, so professional, talented and knowledgeable gentlemen.
Walter, I felt a great need to let you know what a great group of guys you have hired.
Walter. You and your team are the best!!
You took good care of me! I liked working with you and the crew a great deal, and even two years later still get compliments on the excellent quality of the workmanship.
Thank you for the phenomenal job. The patience, attention and professionalism that you displayed made what we thought would be a stressful and uncertain experience seamless and stress-free. You returned our calls, showed up on time, and you completed the project on schedule.
Walter and John have led their company in highly successful projects with Torrey Architecture. Our firms have collaborated to provide design-build capabilities to realize our clients’ dreams to transform their homes. I recommend Essex as a capable and trustworthy builder who is a pleasure to work with.
