Tacoma, WA · by White Saber
Bathroom remodeling for the houses Tacoma actually has.
An honest local guide to remodeling a bathroom in Tacoma: costs, permits, old-house surprises and what each neighborhood tends to hide behind the tile.
Tacoma has some of the oldest housing in the South Sound, and its bathrooms show it. A remodel here is rarely just new tile. It is old pipes, tired framing, damp air with nowhere to go, and a room that was sized for a clawfoot tub in 1922. This guide walks through what that means for your project, neighborhood by neighborhood, with real planning numbers and the permit route for your address.
Four eras of Tacoma housing
The decade your house was built decides the job.
Craftsman, Victorian, foursquare
Plaster walls, galvanized supply lines, cast iron drains, sometimes original knob-and-tube wiring. Small rooms, sloped ceilings upstairs.
North End, Proctor, Stadium, Hilltop, Old Town
Bungalow, rambler, minimal traditional
Original mud-set wall tile, cast iron tubs, early fans or no fan at all. Single story on a crawlspace makes plumbing easier to reach.
South Tacoma, Fircrest, parts of the East Side
Split-level, two-story, early condos
Fiberglass tub-showers, builder vanities, fans vented into the attic. Sound structure, tired finishes.
University Place edge, West End, Northeast Tacoma
Townhomes and infill
Plain but solid. Owners want better tile, lighting and storage rather than a structural fix.
Hilltop, Stadium, near the light rail
Services
Six ways to fix a Tacoma bathroom.
Full remodel
A full bathroom remodel in Tacoma means taking the room back to framing, fixing what decades of moisture and old repairs left behind, and rebuilding it with modern waterproofing, plumbing and tile.
Shower remodel
A shower remodel replaces the walls, the floor or pan, the valve and the trim of an existing shower while leaving the rest of the bathroom alone.
Tub to shower
A tub-to-shower conversion removes your bathtub and builds a walk-in shower in the same space.
Walk-in shower
A walk-in shower is a shower you step into without climbing over a tub wall, usually with a low curb or no curb at all.
Small bathrooms
A small bathroom remodel in Tacoma is mostly about subtraction: removing bulky storage, recessing what can be recessed, and using fewer, larger surfaces so the room reads as one space.
Bathroom tile
Bathroom tile done well looks simple: straight lines, even grout, cuts you never notice and no lippage between tiles.
Permits
Tacoma, Fircrest or UP? It matters.
Each city and the county run their own permit counter. If your remodel needs a permit, we handle it.
Inside Tacoma city limits
City of Tacoma Planning & Development Services (PDS) runs the permit process for Tacoma addresses, including the online permit portal and inspections.
Fircrest
Fircrest is its own city with its own building department, even though it sits inside Tacoma's footprint.
University Place
University Place is a separate city with its own permit desk. Some addresses near the line have a Tacoma mailing address.
Unincorporated Pierce County
Addresses outside any city limit go through Pierce County Planning & Public Works.
Planning numbers
What Tacoma remodels tend to cost.
Shower or tub-wall retile
Same layout, new waterproofing and tile on the walls and pan
$8,000 to $16,000Tub-to-shower conversion
Tub out, new pan, valve and drain moved as needed, tiled walls
$12,000 to $25,000Hall or guest bath, full remodel
Studs-out rebuild of a typical 5x8 to 5x10 room, layout mostly kept
$20,000 to $40,000Primary bath with layout changes
Walls or fixtures relocated, larger shower, double vanity, heated floor
$40,000 to $80,000+Estimates only, for planning. Not a quote. Your written estimate is the real number.
In clients' words
“shows up exactly when he says”
“no hidden fees or surprise charges”
“I have never seen a contractor clean up so well!”
Excerpts from public White Saber reviews. Read them in full on the main company site.
Visit whitesaberbaths.comTacoma guides
Before you call anyone, read these.
Remodeling a Bathroom in an Old Tacoma House
What is behind the walls of a pre-1940 Tacoma bathroom, and how to plan for it.
Galvanized Pipe and Cast Iron Drains in Tacoma Bathrooms
How to tell if your old bathroom plumbing should be replaced during a remodel.
Bathroom Fans and Moisture in Tacoma's Damp Climate
Why so many Tacoma bathrooms grow mildew, and how venting fixes it.
How to Hire a Bathroom Remodeling Contractor in Tacoma
A checklist for comparing Tacoma remodeling contractors fairly.
How Long a Bathroom Remodel Takes in Tacoma
Realistic timelines for retiles, conversions and full remodels in Tacoma.
Questions
Tacoma homeowners ask us.
Is White Saber actually based in Tacoma?
White Saber is based just east in Edgewood and works across Tacoma and Pierce County. This guide focuses on Tacoma homes; the main company site is whitesaberbaths.com.
What does a bathroom remodel in Tacoma cost?
It depends on scope, but our Tacoma cost guide lists planning ranges for retiles, conversions and full remodels. Every number on it is an estimate until we see the room.
Do you work on old houses?
Yes. A lot of Tacoma's housing is older, from craftsman bungalows in the North End to mid-century ramblers in South Tacoma, and this guide is written with those homes in mind.
How do I get a price?
Call or text 253-269-8610 or use the estimate form. Aleksey sets up a walkthrough, then sends a written scope and price.
Every old Tacoma bathroom has a story.
Let us read yours. Walkthroughs and written estimates are free.