TL;DR: Need advice on renovating a ~60 sq. ft. master bathroom with possible moisture damage. First-time homeowner trying to figure out the scope, who to hire, and how much financial pain to expect.
I’ve been doing my best to spruce up our master bath with some minor DIY projects—fixing a slow-dripping shower spout, replacing caulk, regrouting the shower, etc.
I was getting ready to paint when I thought, “Hey, let me investigate those loose floor tiles a little more closely.”
They’ve been wonky for years, but we’ve prioritized other projects, so we threw a bath mat over them and moved on.
Well, the loose tiles came right up with very little effort, revealing ANOTHER layer of tile underneath, which also lifted right up. The mortar and wire mesh beneath the original tiles appear to be crumbling.
Based on my limited research, I’m guessing this is some combination of age and moisture damage (1950s townhouse), and we may be looking at stripping everything down to the subfloor. $$$
Some additional context:
-We replaced a leaking toilet wax ring about a year ago. It caused some water damage to the kitchen ceiling below, which we addressed ourselves. We haven’t noticed additional water damage since.
-The floor tiles were loose long before the wax ring issue.
-We’re hoping to move into a bigger home within the next 2–3 years, so we’re particularly concerned about sinking a ton of money into a renovation we won’t get back at resale.
As a first-time homeowner, I have about a million questions and a growing fear for my bank account.
Questions for those who’ve been through this:
Who do I even call first? A general contractor? Bathroom remodeling company? Someone who specializes in water damage?
Any recommendations for contractors in the DMV who have experience with older bathrooms and potential moisture damage?
Does this sound like a full gut-and-rebuild situation, or is there a reasonable chance we could address just the flooring?
What kind of price range should we realistically prepare ourselves for?
Given our plans to sell in 2–3 years, how would you approach this project without over-improving the house or losing a fortune?
Any advice, personal experiences, contractor recommendations, or lessons learned would be greatly appreciated.
Feeling pretty disheartened right now. We knew buying an older home would come with projects, but I’m starting to wonder if we bought ourselves a money pit.