Bathroom Renovation
A complete bathroom gut-and-rebuild in Carlton County, MN — from a cramped shower stall and brick tile to a tub/shower combo with custom pine vanity.
This bathroom in Carlton County, MN needed more than a facelift. The original bathroom had a cramped shower stall, red brick-look tile flooring, pine cabinetry, and a layout that made the small space feel even tighter. We gutted the room completely and rebuilt it with new flooring, a tub/shower combo with floor-to-ceiling tile, updated plumbing, and a custom pine vanity.
- Project Type
- Full Bathroom Renovation
- Location
- Carlton County, MN
- Timeline
- 3–4 weeks
- Estimated Cost Range
- $15,000–$25,000
- Scope
- Complete gut and rebuild
- Key Features
- Tub/shower combo, pine vanity, LVP flooring
The Transformation
We took this bathroom down to bare walls and subfloor. The old brick-patterned ceramic tile came up, the shower stall was removed, and we started with a clean slate. Behind the walls we addressed a few spots where moisture had been working its way into the framing — a common issue in Northern Minnesota bathrooms where the temperature differential between a hot shower and a -20°F winter night creates condensation pressure.
The new layout includes a standard tub/shower combo with large-format gray tile surround, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, and a recessed toiletry niche. We built a custom knotty pine vanity with a granite countertop and matching medicine cabinet. The floor is waterproof LVP in a dark wood tone that holds up to bathroom humidity without the cold underfoot feel of ceramic tile.
Behind the Walls
What you can’t see matters as much as what you can. During demo we found minor moisture damage in the wall framing near the old shower. We replaced affected studs, treated the surrounding wood, and installed a continuous moisture barrier before any finish work went in. This is the kind of thing that a cosmetic refresh would miss entirely — and the kind of thing that leads to mold and rot problems down the road.
Materials & Approach
- Shower surround: Large-format gray porcelain tile with oil-rubbed bronze trim and fixtures
- Vanity: Custom knotty pine cabinet with granite countertop
- Flooring: Waterproof luxury vinyl plank in dark wood tone
- Fixtures: Oil-rubbed bronze faucet, showerhead, and accessories
- Moisture protection: Full vapor barrier behind shower walls, treated framing
- Storage: Tall pine linen cabinet with adjustable shelving
Additional Photos
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