The Bathroom Remodel Checklist Every Plano Homeowner Should Read

Bathroom remodels fail for a surprisingly predictable set of reasons. Water gets into the walls behind tile that wasn't waterproofed properly. Tile grout cracks because the substrate flexed. Mold grows behind a beautiful new vanity because the exhaust fan wasn't adequately sized. The new shower leaks at the pan because the plumber and the tile setter weren't coordinating with each other.

Every one of these failures is preventable. They don't happen because bathroom remodeling is technically mysterious — they happen because contractors skip steps, rush through phases, or fail to coordinate the multiple trades that a bathroom remodel requires. This checklist covers the things we do on every bathroom remodel in Plano and across the DFW area, and explains why each step matters. If you're evaluating contractors for a bathroom remodel in Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, or anywhere else in the DFW area, use this as your reference for the questions to ask. And when the project is done, our hardwood vs. LVP flooring guide will help you choose the right floor for adjacent spaces.

Proper waterproofing is the most important decision in a bathroom remodel, and it's the one that's most often done poorly by contractors trying to save time or cut costs. In a wet area — shower walls, shower floors, and tub surrounds — water infiltration behind the tile is not a question of if but when. The question is how long the waterproofing membrane holds before water reaches the wall framing.

The industry standard that we use on all CMN Construction bathroom projects is a bonded waterproofing membrane system: Schluter KERDI, Laticrete Hydro Ban, or an equivalent certified system applied to cement board or directly to framing. These systems create a continuous, bonded waterproof layer that prevents water migration regardless of how grout lines behave over time.

What we see frequently in renovation teardowns of Plano homes from the 1990s and 2000s: plastic sheeting stapled to studs, tar paper, or simply tile set directly onto green drywall. These approaches fail over time — some slowly, some quickly — and the result is mold in the wall cavity, rot in the framing, and eventually a bathroom that smells and looks wrong no matter how much you clean it. The cost difference between proper waterproofing and inadequate waterproofing on a typical Plano bathroom is $300–$800. The cost of repairing the damage from a failed system is typically $5,000–$20,000. We will never skip this step.

In any bathroom remodel that involves changing the layout — moving the shower, relocating the toilet, repositioning the vanity — the plumbing rough-in must be completed, inspected, and pressure-tested before a single piece of waterproofing membrane or tile backer goes on the walls. This seems obvious, but the number of remodels that skip rough-in inspection or rush through it to meet a tile delivery date is surprisingly high.

A proper plumbing rough-in for a bathroom remodel in Plano includes: relocating drain lines as needed (which may require cutting the slab for first-floor bathrooms — a common scenario in North Texas where most homes are slab-on-grade), installing new supply lines in the walls, setting rough-in for the shower valve at the correct height and depth, and running a rough-in for the new tub or freestanding tub filler if applicable.

After rough-in, we require a pressure test and, in the City of Plano and most other DFW municipalities, a rough-in inspection by the city inspector. This is not optional — it protects the homeowner, and it protects the integrity of the project. We pull plumbing permits on every bathroom remodel that involves drain or supply line relocation, and we schedule inspections as a standard part of our project timeline.

One specific note for Plano homeowners with slab foundations: cutting concrete to move a drain is not a minor operation. It requires a concrete saw, careful excavation, proper backfill with compacted material, and a concrete patch that's properly cured before tile goes over it. Budget $800–$2,500 for this scope depending on how far the drain needs to move and the condition of the existing slab.

Experienced tile setters will tell you that a beautiful tile installation is mostly planned before the first tile is cut. The layout determines where cuts land, how patterns align, where focal points emerge, and whether the finished room looks considered and intentional or haphazard.

For a standard shower, we dry-lay the tile before setting anything and identify: where the center line falls (we usually split the visual center of the back wall), where the cuts land at the edges and in the corners (goal: cuts larger than half a tile in visible locations), where niches and shelves are positioned (at a full-tile height, never cutting a tile at eye level across a niche), and how the floor pattern relates to the wall pattern.

For large-format tile — 24x24, 24x48, or larger, which are popular in Plano primary bath remodels — layout planning becomes even more critical. Large tiles amplify any substrate irregularity, so the floor must be screeded to an exceptionally flat tolerance (no more than 1/8" variation over 10 feet per ANSI standards) before tile is set. We use a laser level and self-leveling compound on every large-format floor installation.

North Texas has a humid summer climate that makes bathroom ventilation significantly more important than it would be in a drier region. An under-ventilated bathroom in the Plano area — even a beautifully tiled one — will develop mold on grout lines, peeling paint at the ceiling line, and moisture damage behind the mirror within a few years. We see this in renovation teardowns regularly.

The building code requires a minimum exhaust fan capacity of 50 CFM for bathrooms without a window, but this is genuinely a minimum — not a recommendation. For a primary bathroom in Plano, we typically spec 110–150 CFM exhaust fans, positioned over or adjacent to the shower enclosure, ducted to the exterior (not to the attic — another common shortcut that creates attic moisture problems).

For primary baths and large spa-style bathrooms, we also recommend humidity-sensing exhaust fans that activate automatically when humidity rises above a set threshold. This is particularly effective in households where people forget to run the fan or turn it off too quickly. The cost upgrade from a standard timer switch to a humidity sensor is $80–$150 — one of the highest return-on-investment upgrades in a bathroom remodel.

The final phase of a bathroom remodel — fixtures, hardware, lighting, mirrors, and accessories — is where the investment becomes visible. This is also where specification decisions made early in the project either harmonize beautifully or create visual discord.

One of the most common mistakes in bathroom remodels: mixing metal finishes without intention. Brushed nickel faucet, chrome towel bars, matte black hardware — each individually selected without considering how they relate to each other. Our design consultation process addresses finish selection upfront, establishing a primary finish and a system for when accent finishes are used.

For plumbing fixtures specifically, we recommend specifying brands and models before the plumbing rough-in is finalized. Shower valve rough-ins have specific depth and height requirements that vary by manufacturer. Installing a Kohler rough-in and then deciding to switch to a Grohe trim kit mid-project is the kind of mid-project change that adds cost and delay. Lock in your fixture specifications before demo day.

For a complete primary bathroom remodel in Plano, total fixture and hardware budget typically runs $3,500–$12,000 depending on brand selection — this includes shower valve and trim, tub filler if applicable, vanity faucet(s), toilet, towel bars and hooks, toilet paper holder, mirror, vanity lighting, and exhaust fan. Ready to plan your project? Request a free consultation or read our flooring guide to choose the right floor for adjacent spaces.