Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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AfterFast, Reliable Bathroom Remodeling Across Truckee
A bathroom remodel in Truckee typically runs between $9,000 and $28,000 depending on the size of the space, what’s behind the walls, and whether the permit triggers structural or electrical upgrades. That’s the honest range we’ve seen across Tahoe Donner, Glenshire, and downtown Truckee, and it’s the number you should have in your head before anyone hands you an estimate. We’re Barrett & Sons Construction, and we’ve been remodeling homes in mountain country long enough to know that a Truckee bathroom is never just a bathroom. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll walk the space with you, open the walls if needed, and put every number in writing before a hammer swings.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Truckee’s Preferred Bathroom Remodeling Company
Tom Barrett put his name on this company in 1998, and his sons run the crews. That’s not a marketing line. When we remodel a bathroom in Truckee, the people on-site are the same ones you talked to during the estimate. Tom’s name, address, and license number are published, and you can look them up before you sign anything. We’d want you to. The permit inspector works for you, not for us, and we like it that way.
Customers in Truckee call us because word travels up here. Ask anyone on Donner Pass Road or in the 96160 ZIP about contractors who pull permits without being told, write change orders before touching a job, and come back when something isn’t right. We answer our own phone, live, 24 hours a day. No call center, no voicemail queue. When you call about a bathroom remodel in Truckee, you get a person who knows the altitude, the frost depth, and the building department.
We also carry a written 90-Day Done Right Promise on every contract. If something’s not right, Tom comes back. One call. That’s not buried in fine print. It’s the first page.
Our Bathroom Remodeling Services in Truckee
We handle the full range of Bathroom Remodeling work, but in Truckee three jobs dominate the calls: walk-in showers, tub-to-shower conversions, and small bathroom remodels in older cabins. Here’s how each one goes.
Full Bathroom Remodeling
A full bathroom remodel in Truckee means taking the room down to studs and rebuilding it for year-round use, not ski-weekend use. That usually means replacing fiberglass surrounds with properly waterproofed tile, upgrading the exhaust fan to handle winter moisture, and making sure the floor framing can carry a soaking tub plus snowmelt traffic. We pull permits on every eligible job. If the inspector flags a code issue behind the wall, we write it up as a change order and you approve it in writing before we proceed. No surprises at the end.
Walk-In Showers & Shower Remodeling
Walk-in shower installation in Truckee homes often begins with a question: what’s the existing waterproofing? In 1970s Tahoe Donner cabins, the original shower pans were frequently built without a proper membrane, and two decades of freeze-thaw has cracked the grout, let water behind the tile, and rotted the subfloor. We use Schluter waterproofing systems and install Kohler fixtures because they hold up to -20°F winter lows without the tile popping. A typical walk-in shower install here runs $4,500 to $12,000, and the spread depends on what we find when the old pan comes out.
Tub-to-Shower Conversion
Tub-to-shower conversion is the most popular job for Truckee homeowners over 60 who want a zero-threshold entry without losing the footprint. A standard 60-inch tub bay converts cleanly to a walk-in shower, and we can do it without moving walls or chasing plumbing through frost-sensitive exterior cavities. The job starts at $3,500 for a basic conversion and reaches $10,000 when we’re adding frameless glass, custom tile, and a bench. We’ll tell you which end of that range your specific bathroom lands on before you sign.
Vanities, Tile & Fixtures
Vanity installation, tile work, and fixture swaps in Truckee have to be chosen for the climate. Porcelain tile handles the temperature swings better than ceramic. Vanity cabinets need moisture-stable construction, because even a well-ventilated Truckee bathroom sees humidity spikes during winter when windows stay closed. We bring material samples to your house so you can see how they look under your actual lighting, not a showroom’s. And every allowance is written into the contract so there’s no guessing later.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Truckee
We install brands you can look up and verify, not mystery stock off a van. For windows and doors that touch a bathroom exterior wall, we use Andersen and Marvin, and for impact-rated openings we work with PGT and Simonton. For fixtures and surfaces, we rely on Kohler, Delta, and Schluter waterproofing systems because we’ve pulled enough failed subfloors in Tahoe Donner to know what holds up. We don’t stock parts for these brands in Truckee, but we can order and receive anything you need within days, and we’ll tell you the lead time before the job starts, not after.
Common Bathroom Remodeling Problems We See in Truckee Homes
Mountain houses fail differently than valley houses. Here’s what we regularly find when we open a Truckee bathroom:
- Notched load-bearing walls from original plumbing. Decades ago, builders cut through studs to run cast-iron drain lines, and the wall has been carrying weight it was never meant to carry. We sister the framing and reframe the wall correctly before any rough-in begins.
- Interior-grade drywall behind tile. Thousands of Truckee cabins have standard gypsum board behind shower surrounds, and the first hard winter pushes frost behind the tile and blows the grout. We strip it, install proper cement board, and waterproof before tile goes up.
- Undersized electrical panels. That heated floor you want? It draws real power, and in older Truckee homes the panel is often full or under-rated. If the permit inspector won’t sign off on rough-in until the panel’s upgraded, we write that change order and you approve it before we proceed.
- Snowmelt-damaged subfloors. In cabins where the bathroom sits next to a garage or a mudroom, decades of snow boot traffic has soaked the subfloor from the top down. We catch it during demolition, price the repair in writing, and handle it before the new tub or shower goes in.
Pricing for Bathroom Remodeling in Truckee, CA
Here’s what Truckee actually costs, not what a San Jose crew would quote you. The ranges below reflect what we’ve seen across 96160, 96161, and 96162 in the last few years.
| Service | Truckee Price Range |
|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 - $28,000 |
| Small Bathroom Remodel | $5,000 - $12,000 |
| Walk-In Shower Installation | $4,500 - $12,000 |
| Tub-to-Shower Conversion | $3,500 - $10,000 |
What moves a Truckee bathroom remodel toward the top of that range? Structural upgrades when snow-load code triggers wall or rafter replacement. Electrical panel upgrades for heated floors. Water-damaged subfloor repair. What keeps it at the bottom? A straightforward fixture swap with good existing framing and a panel that still has room. We’ll show you the line items and let you decide. Every estimate is free, and every change order is written before work proceeds.
We Also Serve Cities Near Truckee
Our crews work throughout the Sierra foothills, so if you’re in Alta Sierra, Placerville, Auburn, or Diamond Springs, we can help you with Bathroom Remodeling in Truckee and the surrounding area. We know the mountain roads, the building departments, and the housing stock. Give us a call and tell us where you are. We’ll bring the same written pricing and the same face to every job.
Serving Truckee, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Truckee area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Bathroom Remodeling in Truckee
Yes, you need a permit for any bathroom remodel in Truckee that moves walls, changes plumbing, adds electrical, or replaces structural framing. A fixture-only swap, like changing a faucet or a toilet without moving pipes, usually doesn’t require one. But most bathroom remodels in Truckee trigger at least one permit, and we pull them on every eligible job. The inspector works for you, not for us. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll tell you exactly what your project needs before you sign.
The most common discovery is a load-bearing wall that was notched for original cast-iron drain lines and has been carrying the ceiling for fifty years. Truckee’s design snow loads can exceed 300 psf in some zones, so the wall that held up fine for a seasonal ski cabin becomes a code problem the moment a year-round remodel starts. We also find rotted subfloors from snowmelt, undersized exhaust venting, and interior-grade drywall that never should have been behind tile. All of it is fixable, and all of it gets priced in writing before we touch it.
First, we tell you in person and show you what we found. Then we write a change order with the exact scope and price, and you approve it before any repair work begins. An allowance that isn’t on paper is a surprise waiting for a date. If we open your bathroom and find a sponge for a subfloor, you’ll know the cost to fix it before the new shower goes in. No guessing, and no final invoice that looks nothing like the original estimate. We’ve been doing this long enough to know exactly where Truckee bathrooms hide their damage.
Yes. A standard 60-inch tub bay converts cleanly to a walk-in shower without moving walls or stealing square footage from the rest of the bathroom. For smaller cabins in Tahoe Donner and Glenshire, we’ve installed walk-in showers in spaces as narrow as 48 inches by using a curbless design, a linear drain, and a frameless glass panel to keep the room feeling open. You don’t need to sacrifice a closet or bump out an exterior wall. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll measure what you’ve got and show you what fits.
An allowance is a dollar amount we agree on up front for materials or conditions we haven’t fully seen yet, like the condition of the subfloor under a tub or the exact tile you’ll choose. A change order is written documentation of a change to the original scope, including the price, that you sign before the work proceeds. In Truckee, where opening a wall can trigger a roof structural upgrade you didn’t expect, those two tools keep the job honest. We write both into every contract, and you never pay for a change order you didn’t read and approve first.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Truckee and the Sierra Nevada since 1998.