Bathroom Remodeling in Delray Beach
A Bathroom Renovation Here Is Rarely a Tile Job
A bathroom renovation in a Delray Beach home rarely stops at tile and fixtures. The bathrooms in older homes are built on infrastructure that is, in most cases, original to the home: cast-iron drain stacks, lead-bend vent connections, waste lines running through slabs. By the time we finish a bathroom renovation in a 1950s home, we have almost always rebuilt the systems behind the walls along with everything in front of them. The visible work is a fraction of the actual scope.
Palmhouse Design & Build has been doing this work for 20+ years. We are based at 801 Maplewood Dr, Suite 25, Jupiter, FL 33458. Our Florida General Contractor license is CGC1537109. Consultations are by appointment. Call 561-831-4170 to schedule.
What We Find When We Open the Walls
Six conditions we typically encounter. Some are expected. Some surface only when demolition starts.
Cast-iron drain stack (unexpected scope addition). Original 1940s-1960s drain stacks at the end of their useful life. Replacement requires opening the stack from the basement or crawlspace up through the roof. The work is unavoidable once cracks show, and a bathroom renovation is the right moment to do it.
Vent stack location (often unexpected). Older bathrooms vent through the roof in locations that do not work with the new layout. Vent relocation requires opening walls and ceilings beyond the bathroom footprint, then re-tying into the existing vent network upstream.
Waste line in slab (expected on older homes). Toilet and shower drains often route through the slab. Layout changes require cutting and rerouting the slab waste line, then re-pouring. This is planned scope when we know the homeowner wants to move fixtures.
Active moisture damage (unexpected on roughly half the projects). Hidden moisture damage from old shower-pan failures, leaky drain connections, or roof leaks above. We assess and remediate before rebuilding. Skipping this step means rebuilding the same problem on top of the original.
Asbestos-containing materials (unexpected on some 1940s homes). Pre-1980 floor tiles, vinyl backing, or pipe insulation may contain asbestos. We test before cutting. Abatement is handled by a licensed specialist when required and documented for the homeowner’s records.
Subfloor decay (expected on older homes near plumbing). Original plywood subfloor saturated by years of low-grade leakage. We replace decayed sections during demolition, before the new tile assembly goes down.
Slab Modifications and Layout Changes
Why bathroom layout changes are more involved than they look from the floor plan: moving the toilet three feet requires cutting the slab, rerouting the waste line, and re-pouring. Moving a shower drain has the same problem. The cabinetry, the tile, the fixtures are the visible part of the work. The slab modification and waste-line rerouting are the part that drives the schedule and a meaningful portion of the budget. We discuss these realities during the design phase so the homeowner can decide whether the new layout is worth the scope addition. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes the better answer is a layout that respects the existing waste-line locations, with the savings put toward higher-tier finishes or a steam shower assembly that would not have fit in the budget otherwise. We give the homeowner the information to make that call before drawings are committed.
A Modern Bathroom Inside an Older Home
Working through original-home constraints to deliver a current bathroom: framed shower glass, dual vanities, modern fixtures, walk-in shower with proper drainage and pan assembly, current ventilation sized for the room volume. The interior reads as new while the home’s character from the street remains unchanged. Where the home sits in or near a historic-character overlay, we coordinate with the City’s review requirements during design rather than after demolition. Window proportions on exterior elevations get preserved. Original trim profiles get documented and replicated where new walls go in.
The opportunity in an older-home bathroom renovation is to build in current accessibility features so they read as luxury, not as medical equipment. Curbless showers with level drainage. Grab-bar blocking in walls (wood blocking pre-installed behind tile so bars can be added later without re-cutting). Reinforced bench seating in walk-in showers. Lever (not knob) handles. Lighting designed for low-light navigation. These features cost almost nothing to build in during construction. Adding them later means tearing out finished tile. We build the blocking and the lever fixtures into every primary bath we touch, whether the homeowner asks or not, because the cost difference is negligible and the future flexibility is significant. The discipline is real, not a marketing line. Browse our bathroom design portfolio for examples of how the finished interior reads.
Our Team and Process
Palmhouse Design & Build holds Florida General Contractor license CGC1537109. 20+ years of South Florida construction experience. Jonathan Barrig and Gabriel Barrig hold Certified General Contractor credentials. Jason Vassalotti, our OSHA-certified project manager, brings 20+ years of construction experience. Read our full design and build process, browse our aging-in-place renovation work, meet the Palmhouse team, and learn about Palmhouse Design & Build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle cast-iron drain stack replacement during bathroom renovations?
Yes. Almost every bathroom renovation we do in an older Delray Beach home includes cast-iron drain stack replacement, vent stack relocation as needed, and full re-plumbing of supply lines in the bathroom. Doing this work while the walls are open is the only time it makes sense.
Do you cut slabs and reroute waste lines when bathroom layouts change?
Yes. Layout changes that move toilets or shower drains require cutting and rerouting the waste line in the slab. We coordinate this work in-house and discuss it during design so the homeowner understands the full scope.
Do you handle moisture damage and subfloor repair found during demolition?
Yes. Hidden moisture damage and subfloor decay are common in older bathroom renovations here. We assess what we find during demolition, document it for the homeowner, and remediate before rebuilding.
Do you serve all of Delray Beach, including downtown, beachside, and country-club neighborhoods?
Yes. We renovate bathrooms throughout Delray Beach, including downtown and historic-character homes, beachside properties, and country-club communities. Consultations are by appointment.
Do you work with snowbird homeowners on bathroom renovations during the off-season?
Yes. Many of our local clients are seasonal. We schedule bathroom renovations during the summer months when clients are typically north, coordinate selections by video, and keep a single point of contact throughout. Call 561-831-4170.
Start a Conversation
Bathroom remodeling in Delray Beach, gut-to-stud older-home scope. By appointment. Florida General Contractor license CGC1537109. Call 561-831-4170 to schedule a consultation.