Bathroom Remodeling
in Gladwyne, PA

The bathroom in the 1927 stone colonial

A family in a stone colonial on one of the older lanes in Gladwyne had a primary bath last touched in the 1970s: a cast-iron tub under a window, a 32-inch shower stall, a single vanity, and pink tile that had outlived three owners. What the house hid behind that tile was a cast-iron drain stack eighty years past its design life, plaster that had to be repaired by someone who knows plaster, a wall that leaked because the original window was never flashed, and galvanized supply lines that explained the water pressure. In a 2005 colonial in Blue Bell those items would have been close to zero.

What we built was a custom vanity in stained white oak with a honed quartzite top, a freestanding tub under the original window with the surround rebuilt in solid stone so water has nowhere to go, a 66-inch walk-in shower with a bench and a linear drain, and large-format porcelain floors over electric radiant heat. The stack and the supply lines were replaced while the walls were open, which is the only sensible time to do it.

Lower Merion permits, historic review, and timing

Lower Merion Township has detailed code requirements and a thorough inspection schedule for plumbing, electrical, and structural work, and it enforces them. Historic or architecturally significant properties, which describes a good share of Gladwyne, add a review submission we prepare. We file, meet the inspectors, and close out inside our standard scope; you never deal with the township yourself.

Design and selections take six to ten weeks because custom vanities, stone, and steam equipment have lead times. Construction runs 6–8 weeks for a primary suite in a stone home, and longer on estate projects where a second bath or a dressing room is part of the same scope. We book six to ten weeks out.

Where the money goes in a Gladwyne bathroom

Spend on the vanity and the stone, because in a Gladwyne home the finishes have to carry the room’s proportions. Primary baths in pre-1950 stone homes run $65,000–$100,000+, spa suites with steam, a freestanding tub, and heated stone throughout $85,000–$150,000+, and hall baths done properly $38,000–$55,000. The $10,000–$20,000 that goes to the stack, the plaster, the window, and the supply lines appears as its own lines in our estimate rather than inside an allowance.

Master suites and spa baths worthy of Gladwyne’s homes come from hand-laid tile, custom vanities, thermal bath systems, and fixtures from the world’s premier brands, all sourced through our 60+ supplier partners at trade pricing. The consultation is free and the estimate is fully itemized before any work begins.