Fast, Reliable Bathroom Remodeling Across Highland
Bathroom remodeling in Highland typically runs $18,000 to $42,000 for a full gut-and-replace, with smaller updates landing between $8,000 and $15,000. The bigger variable in Highland isn’t tile choice or fixture brands. It’s what’s hiding behind the walls of homes built between 1955 and 1975. Our team works in Highland every week, and we know exactly what those walls reveal when they come down. If you’re planning a bathroom remodel in the 92346 area, call (855) 594-0655 and we’ll walk you through what to expect before anyone swings a hammer.
Why Sapphire ADU Builders Is Highland’s Preferred Bathroom Remodeling Company
Sapphire ADU Builders isn’t a general contractor that occasionally takes a bathroom job. We’re a specialty builder, and our Bathroom Remodeling team does interior remodels as part of complete ADU delivery or as standalone projects. That specialty focus means we’ve opened up enough Highland bathrooms to know the plumbing and framing issues before we even cut into the drywall. Nelson Avery, our owner, has walked dozens of Highland properties and understands how the foothill lots off Boulder Avenue and the flatter neighborhoods north of Baseline differ in terms of access, drainage, and foundation behavior.
Highland homeowners call us because we quote honestly. When a mid-century bathroom hides galvanized supply lines or a cracked cast-iron drain, we don’t act surprised when we find it. We plan for it. That’s why reviews from Highland customers consistently mention the same thing: the number we quoted was close to the number they paid, and every adjustment came with a written change order before any extra work started.
Our Bathroom Remodeling Services in Highland
Full Bathroom Gut and Remodel
A full gut remodel in Highland means taking the room down to studs and subfloor. For a 1960s or 1970s home with original plumbing, that’s not a luxury extra. It’s the only way to see what the galvanized supply lines actually look like from the inside. We handle demolition, rough-in, waterproofing, tiling, fixtures, lighting, and finish work. One crew owns the whole thing.
Tub-to-Shower Conversions
Highland’s mid-century homes often have original cast-iron tubs sitting on undersized framing. Converting to a walk-in shower usually means rebuilding the floor structure and addressing drainage slope before waterproofing. We do this regularly in neighborhoods from the East Highlands down to the 210 corridor, and we quote the structural work up front, not as a surprise mid-job.
Half-Bath to Full-Bath Conversions
Half-baths in older Highland homes were typically added cheaply, sometimes in converted closets or laundry alcoves. Making one into a functional full bath means running larger drain lines, adding a vent stack, and often upgrading the electrical circuit for a properly vented exhaust fan. We figure out where the new plumbing can tie in before we quote the job, so you know the path the pipes will take.
Shower Waterproofing and Repair
When original tile showers in Highland start leaking, the cause is almost always the waterproofing system. Old mastic and greenboard rot behind the tile, and by the time water shows up on the ceiling below, the framing damage is already done. We strip to the studs, replace compromised wood, and rebuild with a bonded waterproofing membrane system. Tile is the last step, not the first.
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 Highland
We work with materials that hold up to Highland’s hot, dry summers and the occasional winter freeze at higher elevations. For bathroom remodels we regularly install James Hardie backer board behind tile, and we specify plumbing and waterproofing systems from manufacturers whose components we can source locally without waiting on long-lead shipments. When we build ADUs with bath fixtures, we handle the full interior scope, including kitchen and bath finishes, so nothing gets handed off to a second contractor. That matters in Highland, where a project that stalls waiting on a sub can stretch across a whole season.
Common Bathroom Remodeling Problems We See in Highland Homes
- Galvanized supply lines failing pressure tests. Homes built in the 1950s through 1970s across Highland used galvanized steel for water supply. After 50 to 70 years, those pipes are internally corroded and often fail the pressure test required after demo. We include a re-pipe allowance in our Highland quotes so the cost doesn’t blindside you.
- Failed waterproofing behind original tile. Older showers used greenboard and mastic, which degrade over decades of Highland heat and humidity cycling. We find mold and framing rot behind tile that looks fine from the outside.
- Ungrounded or undersized wiring. Opening a bathroom wall in Highland frequently reveals wiring that doesn’t meet current code. A permit requires bringing that circuit up to standard before inspection, which means a GFCI-protected circuit and proper grounding.
- Undersized framing around tubs and showers. Original tub framing in mid-century Highland homes was often minimal. Modern tub and shower units need proper support, and code requires specific header and joist sizing when we modify the layout.
Pricing for Bathroom Remodeling in Highland, CA
Bathroom remodel pricing in Highland breaks down into predictable tiers. A cosmetic refresh, which means new vanity, toilet, lighting, and paint, runs $8,000 to $15,000. A tub-to-shower conversion with new waterproofing and tile lands between $14,000 and $22,000. A full gut remodel of a 5×8 hall bath runs $22,000 to $35,000. A primary bath remodel with layout changes runs $35,000 to $55,000 or higher. The gap between Highland’s lower and upper ranges comes down to what’s behind the walls. A home with already-upgraded PEX supply lines and a modern electrical panel costs less to remodel than one with original galvanized plumbing and 1960s wiring. We write allowances into our contracts for plumbing and framing repairs, and every allowance is priced and approved in writing before we spend a dollar of it. Call (855) 594-0655 for a free estimate on your specific bathroom.
We Also Serve Cities Near Highland
Beyond Highland, we work throughout the Inland Empire. Homeowners in San Bernardino, Muscoy, Redlands, and Loma Linda call us for the same reason Highland residents do: we know what’s behind the walls. Our crews are in these cities weekly, and we quote them with the same pre-inspection allowance approach.
Serving Highland, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Highland 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 Highland
Expect that it will fail a pressure test after demolition, and budget for replacement. Galvanized supply lines installed in Highland homes from the 1950s through 1970s are typically at the end of their service life, corroded from the inside. A pressure test will tell us for certain. We write a plumbing replacement allowance into every Highland quote for homes in that age range, so if the test fails, the cost is already defined and approved. Call (855) 594-0655 and we’ll explain how the allowance works before you sign.
No. A Highland bathroom remodel permit requires the work we touch to meet current code, not the entire house. That means the bathroom’s electrical circuit, plumbing runs we access, ventilation, and structural framing we modify must be brought to standard. Untouched rooms stay as they are. We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and make sure the inspector signs off.
We inspect framing before we quote, then confirm once walls are open. If we find rot or undersized framing around a tub or shower, we document it with photos and give you a written change order with a fixed price before any repair work begins. Nothing gets done on a handshake and a shrug. You approve the scope and the number, then we proceed.
Usually yes, but it depends on where the drain and vent lines can tie in. Highland’s mid-century homes on generous lots often have the space to run new plumbing, but a slab foundation can complicate drain routing. We evaluate tie-in points during the estimate visit and tell you what’s feasible before we quote. If a full bath doesn’t work without tearing up a hallway slab, we’ll tell you that too.
We use a bonded waterproofing membrane system applied directly to the substrate before tile, not a greenboard-and-mastic build-up. That’s the method we used in a 1962 ranch-style home off Boulder Avenue, where our crew found galvanized supply lines corroded shut and a cast-iron drain cracked beneath the slab. We replaced the plumbing with PEX and ABS, corrected undersized framing around the tub, and installed the membrane system before setting tile. That shower won’t leak in our lifetime.
Get Your Highland Bathroom Remodel Started
The first step is a walkthrough. We’ll inspect your plumbing, framing, electrical, and waterproofing condition, then give you a line-item quote with allowances written in for the things Highland homes typically need once walls are open. No pressure, no vague ranges, no surprises. Call (855) 594-0655 to schedule your free estimate in Highland today.
Written by Nelson Avery, Owner at Sapphire ADU Builders, serving Highland since 2016.