What a TWS Bathroom Remodel Actually Looks Like, Start to Finish
It starts with a walkthrough, not a sales pitch. Tyler or a member of the TWS team comes out, looks at what you've got, asks what you want, and tells you what's realistic. Then comes demo. On most remodels, that's the part that reveals what's actually there: subfloor condition, whether the existing waterproofing ever held, how old the plumbing stub-outs are. We don't skip that step or hide what we find. After demo, rough work happens in sequence, plumbing, electrical, cement board or backer, waterproofing membrane. Tile, fixtures, and finishes come last. We don't rush the wet work. If a waterproofing layer needs 24 hours before tile goes down, it gets 24 hours. The jobs that leak are the jobs where somebody skipped the sequence.
Shower Replacement vs. Full Bathroom Remodel, What You Actually Need
Honestly, not every aging bathroom needs a full remodel. If your layout works, your plumbing is sound, and the only issue is cosmetics, you might get 90% of the result from a shower replacement, new vanity top, and updated tile floor. That's a shorter job and a smaller number. But if the floor flexes when you step on it, if there's discoloration around the base of the toilet, or if you've got a 36-inch shower in a bathroom you share with three people, those aren't cosmetic problems. Those need real work. We'll tell you which category you're in before you commit to anything.
Why Bathroom Waterproofing Fails in Minnesota Homes
Minnesota's freeze-thaw cycle is hard on everything, but it's especially hard on bathrooms. Grout cracks. Caulk shrinks. Old fiberglass surrounds develop micro-gaps at the seams that aren't visible until there's water damage behind them. Homes built in Minnesota before 1990 often have fiberglass tub surrounds installed over greenboard drywall, which was standard practice at the time and is no longer acceptable because greenboard isn't actually waterproof. When we demo a bathroom like that, there's usually some degree of damage to address before new tile can go in. It's not a scare tactic. It's just what's there. The right fix is a waterproofing membrane, Schluter Kerdi or equivalent, installed before any tile touches the wall.
TWS Remodeling Has Served Minnesota and the Northwest Metro for 25 Years
The business is licensed in Minnesota, BBB accredited, and has over 1,000 Google reviews with a 4.5-star average, not from one job type, but from two and a half decades of kitchen, bathroom, window, roofing, siding, and addition work across Minnesota, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Champlin, and the broader northwest metro. That track record matters when you're handing someone the keys to your house. We don't send whoever's available. The crew that builds your bathroom is the crew that's done this job hundreds of times. Financing is available at 0% interest for 12 months with $0 down for qualified customers.
Fixtures, Tile, and Materials, What's Worth Spending On
The shower system and the tile waterproofing are worth spending on. The towel bar is not. That's the honest version of this conversation. Mid-grade fixtures from manufacturers like Kohler, Delta, or Moen hold up for 15 to 20 years without issue. Buying up into a premium tier is mostly aesthetic, you're paying for looks, not longevity. Where the money matters is substrate and waterproofing: a properly set tile floor over a solid, waterproofed substrate will outlast the house. A tile floor set over a compromised subfloor will crack inside of five years. We use materials we'd put in our own homes, and we don't push upgrades that don't serve the job.
