Bathroom Remodeling in Waukesha, WI
Bathroom remodeling in Waukesha by T and J All In Remodeling, the owner-led Brookfield contractor run by father and son Teli and John Karampetsos. Walk-in shower installs, tub-to-shower conversions, vanity and tile installation and full bathroom renovations for prewar and postwar Waukesha homes, with permit drawings handled and one fixed written price before demolition.
eTRAKiT filing handled · Flood-tested shower pans · Fixed written price · No deposit
4.9 ★
60+ Google reviews
A+
BBB Accredited
30+
Years combined experience
Bathroom remodeling services
Waukesha Bathroom Remodeling and Renovation Services
One T and J crew runs the whole bathroom renovation: demolition, subfloor, supply and drain lines, shower pans, tile, vanities, exhaust fans, GFCI wiring, lighting and glass. Most Waukesha projects are a prewar single bath or a 1970s fiberglass tub unit. More on our bathroom remodeling service.
Showers
Tub-to-Shower Conversions and Walk-In Showers
Pulling a cast-iron tub from a 5 by 7 prewar bath frees a 60-inch alcove for a walk-in shower. The rotted subfloor at the drain is rebuilt, the trap moves on the plumbing permit, and the pan is sloped, membraned and flood-tested before tile.
Pans
Sloped bed, bonded membrane
Walls
Porcelain, ceramic, stone
Glass
Frameless and semi-frameless
Vanities
Bathroom Vanity Installation
Prewar Waukesha baths were plumbed for a wall-hung or pedestal basin, so a vanity usually means moving supply and drain lines. Quartz and cultured marble tops are templated after the cabinet is set and scribed to out-of-square plaster walls.
Cabinets
Single, double, wall-hung
Tops
Quartz, cultured marble
Basins
Undermount, integrated
Tiling
Bathroom Tile and Flooring Installation
Shower tile goes over cement board or a bonded membrane, never bare plaster. Prewar joists are checked for deflection before large-format porcelain, and radiant mats can go in the setting bed for Wisconsin winters.
Floors
Porcelain, ceramic, vinyl plank
Walls
Subway, large format, mosaic
Heat
Radiant mats in the bed
Full rebuild
Full Bathroom Remodel, Down to the Studs
Studs-out is the one chance to replace galvanized supply, lead bends and an unvented cast-iron stack instead of tiling over them. Everything is rebuilt and inspected before walls close.
Depth
Framing and subfloor
Services
Supply, waste, vent, wiring
Filings
Plumbing rough-in inspection
Accessibility
Accessible and Aging-in-Place Bathroom Remodels
Curbless entries, comfort-height toilets, handheld showers and benches. Many prewar Waukesha homes have their only bath upstairs, so a first-floor accessible bath often means an addition. Blocking behind the tile takes grab bars any time.
Entry
Curbless and low-threshold
Support
Blocking behind the tile
Fixtures
Comfort height, handheld, bench
Fit-out
Exhaust Fans, Lighting and Fixtures
Many prewar Waukesha baths vent only through a window, so paint peels and mildew spots the ceiling each winter. T and J ducts a room-sized fan outdoors, adds GFCI protection and wet-rated shower lighting.
Ventilation
Ducted out, sized to the room
Lights
Vanity, recessed, wet-rated
Wiring
GFCI on its own permit
Finished work
Recent Bathroom Remodels by T and J
Bathroom remodels designed and built by T and J across Waukesha County, photographed on completion.
Prewar single bath
Only bathroom in a 1920s house, rebuilt in nine days
Cast iron out
Original tub replaced with a tiled walk-in shower
Upstairs bath
Sloped-ceiling bath fitted under a prewar roof
Fiberglass gone
1970s one-piece unit replaced with tile
Wall-hung basin
Pedestal swapped for a vanity with storage
Duplex bath
Rental bathroom turned around between tenants
Powder room
Half bath rebuilt under the stairs
Tile detail
Niche set into a rebuilt prewar surround
See more bathroom remodels, shower conversions and vanity installs across Waukesha County.
Before you price it
What Shapes the Cost and Timeline of a Waukesha Bathroom Remodel?
Three things set the scope: the age of the house, how many baths it has, and whether plumbing moves. Waukesha spans the 1850 to 1932 houses of the College Avenue Historic District near Carroll University and postwar ranches and duplexes across 53186, 53188 and 53189. T and J prices all three into one fixed quote. See what older Waukesha walls hide.
Housing age
Pre-1980
Just over half of Waukesha homes, so galvanized supply, cast-iron drains and window-only ventilation are common.
Out of service
1–5 weeks
Tile, glass and fixtures arrive before demolition, so a one-bath house loses the room only while the crew works.
Plumbing permit
Licensed only
The City of Waukesha issues plumbing permits to licensed plumbers only. The inspector signs off rough-in before walls close.
What it costs
How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost in Waukesha?
Waukesha bathroom remodels run $12,000 for a surface update to $45,000 and up for a full rebuild, with most T and J jobs at $20,000 to $32,000. Galvanized supply and unvented drains push prewar baths higher. One fixed written price, no deposit. See the Waukesha bathroom cost guide.
7 to 10 days
Surface update
$12k–$18k
- Vanity and top
- Toilet and faucets
- Surround resurfaced
- Floor, paint, lighting
Most Waukesha jobs
About a month
Standard rebuild
$20k–$32k
- Tub-to-shower conversion
- Tiled walls, floor and niche
- New vanity with stone top
- Ducted fan and GFCI
3 to 5 weeks plus review
Full Rebuild
$45k and up
- Back to framing
- Galvanized supply replaced
- Waste and vent rebuilt
- Curbless or wet room
Price your Waukesha bathroom
Enter the room size and finish level, then bring the figure to a free measure at the house.
Surfaces and vanities
Which Tile and Vanity Materials Suit a Waukesha Bathroom?
Waukesha’s 2023 switch to softer Lake Michigan water means less scale on shower glass, grout and faucets. These are the tile, countertop and vanity options T and J installs in small, high-use bathrooms.
Porcelain tile
Low absorption, the default on shower walls and floors.
Ceramic tile
Lighter and cheaper on surrounds and wainscot.
Natural stone
Marble and granite looks, resealed every 6 to 12 months.
Solid surface
Seamless panels with no grout to scrub.
Quartz tops
Non-porous, never needs sealing.
Cultured marble
Cast top with the bowl built in, no seam.
Shaker vanities
Classic door style for prewar and postwar Waukesha homes.
Wall-hung vanities
Buys back floor space in a small prewar bath.
Wet-area surfaces compared
| Material | Water resistance | Fits a small prewar bath | Upkeep | Typical Waukesha use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porcelain tile Most chosen | Very low absorption | Large format needs a flat floor | Seal grout only | Shower walls and floors |
| Ceramic tile | Low absorption on walls | Small format forgives old plaster | Seal grout only | Tub surrounds and wainscot |
| Solid surface | Non-porous panels | Seamless in a tight corner | Wipe clean, no grout | Fast single-bath turnarounds |
| Cultured marble | Non-porous, cast | Bowl and top in one piece | Avoid abrasives | Rental and duplex vanities |
| Quartz top | Non-porous slab | Scribes to a crooked wall | Never sealed | Vanities in daily-use baths |
| Natural stone | Porous, needs sealer | Heavy on old joists | Seal every 6 to 12 months | Larger postwar primary baths |
Bathroom sizes
What Fits in a Small Waukesha Bathroom Remodel?
Prewar Waukesha baths are often 5 by 7 feet or smaller. Code clearances set the layout: 15 inches from the toilet centerline to any side wall, 21 inches clear in front, and a shower at least 30 by 30 inches. More small bathroom layouts for Waukesha County homes.
Under 5 by 7
Common in prewar houses. Usually a tub-to-shower conversion and a wall-hung basin to keep floor space.
5 by 7 prewar bath
The standard single bath. Tub on the short wall, basin opposite, little room to move a fixture without opening the floor.
5 by 8 postwar
An extra foot, usually spent on a 60 inch vanity or a longer walk-in shower with a bench.
Attic or dormer bath
Sloped ceilings over the fixtures. Head height at the shower decides the layout before anything else.
Duplex or rental bath
Tight footprint, shared stack, and a turnaround window between tenants.
Waukesha permits
Do You Need a Permit for a Bathroom Remodel in Waukesha?
Yes, once plumbing moves, circuits are added or a wall opens. Swapping a vanity, toilet or tile in place usually needs no permit.
The City of Waukesha issues plumbing permits to licensed plumbers only, never to homeowners, and the inspector checks the piping at rough-in before walls close. Applications run through the City’s eTRAKiT portal with dimensioned drawings, reviewed by the Community Development Department at City Hall, 201 Delafield Street, (262) 524-3750. T and J prepares the drawings, coordinates the filing and meets the inspector on site. See when Wisconsin requires a bathroom plumbing permit.
Required
Moving a toilet, tub or drain
Plumbing permit and rough-in inspection.
Required
Adding or moving circuits
Electrical permit, GFCI protection.
Required
Opening a wall or enlarging the room
Framing inspection and beam sizing.
Not required
Vanity swapped in place
Existing supply and waste reused.
Not required
Retiling an existing surround
Nothing moves.
Not required
Floors, paint and fixtures
Finish work only.
The build
How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take in Waukesha?
Three to five weeks of construction for a full rebuild once materials arrive, after drawings and eTRAKiT review. Surface updates take seven to ten days.
Free visit · Drawings prepared · eTRAKiT filing handled
First visit
Measure and stack check
John Karampetsos measures the room and checks the stack, supply and subfloor, because in a prewar Waukesha house those set the scope more than the layout does.
No charge, at your house
Weeks 1 to 2
Selections and fixed price
Tile, glass, vanity and valve trim are chosen together, since the valve sets the wall layout.
No money down
Review time
eTRAKiT filing
The plumbing application goes in with the drawings, and tile and fixtures are ordered while it is reviewed.
Handled by T and J
Weeks 1 to 3
Strip out, rough-in, inspection
The room comes out to studs, rot at the flange is corrected, galvanized supply is replaced, and the inspector signs the rough-in before anything closes.
In-house crew
Last weeks
Waterproof, tile, glass, handover
The pan is sloped, the membrane bonded and flood-tested, then tile, vanity and fixtures go in and the glass is templated to the finished tile.
Signed off by the owners
Bathroom remodel reviews
4.9
4.9 from 60+ Google reviews across Waukesha County. BBB A+ accredited.
Where we work
Where Else Does T and J Remodel Bathrooms Near Waukesha?
T and J works from 985 Georges Avenue in Brookfield, about a 12-minute, 5.5-mile drive east of downtown Waukesha. See every T and J service in Waukesha.
Next door
Pewaukee, New Berlin and Brookfield border the city and share the same crew schedule.
Lake Country
Delafield, Hartland and Oconomowoc, a short run west on I-94.
South and east
Muskego, Big Bend and the Milwaukee County line.
Bathroom Remodeling Near Waukesha
Bathroom Cost Guides for Wisconsin Homes
Visit or call
Where Is T and J All In Remodeling Located?
T and J All In Remodeling works from 985 Georges Avenue in Brookfield, on the I-94 corridor between Milwaukee and Lake Country. Owners Teli and John Karampetsos hold every bathroom consultation at your house, in the room being remodeled.
T And J All In Remodeling
Brookfield, WI 53045
Monday to Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
Water emergencies
24/7
Common questions
Waukesha Bathroom Remodeling FAQ
Questions about your own bathroom remodel? Call T and J at (262) 352-9525.
Should I replace old galvanized pipes during a bathroom remodel?
The branches inside the bathroom walls, yes. Galvanized steel corrodes from the inside, so low pressure and rust-tinted water get worse with age, and reopening new tile later to reach it costs far more than replacing it now. Runs elsewhere in the house can be assessed and priced on their own, and home inspectors routinely flag galvanized supply when a house is sold.
Do Waukesha homes still need a water softener?
Often not at the old setting. City water has come from Lake Michigan since 2023 and is about 60 percent softer than the groundwater it replaced, and the City required softeners still in use to be adjusted for the softer supply by January 1, 2025, to cut chloride discharge. If yours hasn’t been reset, have it done before the new valves and glass go in.
What happens if I remodel a bathroom without a permit?
It usually surfaces at sale. The Wisconsin Real Estate Condition Report asks sellers whether they know of remodeling or repairs to the structure or mechanical systems done without required permits, and a buyer’s inspector looks for it. The City can also require an after-the-fact permit, which may mean opening finished walls so the inspector can see the piping.
What are the most durable materials for a rental bathroom?
Porcelain floor tile, a solid-surface or acrylic shower base, a quartz or cultured-marble top with an integral bowl, pressure-balancing valves with standard cartridges and sealed LED fixtures. The goal is surfaces a tenant can’t easily damage and parts a plumber can replace off the shelf. In a Waukesha duplex, matching both units’ fixtures keeps spare parts simple.
Bathroom remodeling guides
Plan Your Waukesha Bathroom Remodel
Cost ranges, small-bath layouts, walk-in shower options and contractor checks for Waukesha homes, so you arrive at your free T and J measure with a scope and a budget in mind.
More services
More Remodeling Services in Waukesha
Get started
Book a Free Bathroom Remodel Estimate in Waukesha
John Karampetsos measures your Waukesha bathroom, prepares the permit drawings and sends one fixed written price. No deposit, no charge for the visit.
Send Your Details
Reply the same working day.
No deposit · No obligation · Details stay with T and J
