Bathroom Remodeling Tustin, CA
We help you to love your bathroom again.Most bathroom remodels in Tustin start with one of three problems: a shower that has started to leak, a layout that never worked, or a room that simply looks its age. Each one leads to a different scope of work, and the age of the house usually decides what we find once the old tile comes off.
City Tile & Cabinets has remodeled bathrooms across central Orange County since 1998. Our family-owned showroom on State College Boulevard is about 6 miles from Old Town Tustin and about 8 miles from The District at Tustin Legacy. You choose tile, vanities, countertops, and shower glass in one place, and our own crew does the demolition, waterproofing, and installation.
What We Find in Tustin Bathrooms
Old Town Tustin. The bungalows and Craftsman homes around El Camino Real and Main Street often still have original or decades-old bathrooms with cast iron tubs, mortar-bed tile, and galvanized supply lines. These rooms are small, so every inch matters. Wall-hung vanities, a tub-to-shower conversion, and a niche set between studs can make a 5 by 8 foot bathroom far more usable without moving a wall. Much of Old Town is documented in the City of Tustin Historic Resources Survey; interior bathroom work generally goes through the standard permit, while a new or enlarged window facing the street can bring design review.
Tustin Ranch. Homes built in the 1980s and 1990s around Tustin Ranch Golf Club and up toward Peters Canyon tend to have a primary bath with a large drop-in tub nobody uses and a fiberglass or cultured marble shower. The most common project here is pulling out the tub, building a larger walk-in shower with a bench, and adding a double vanity. The plumbing is usually in decent shape, which keeps the budget in materials.
Tustin Legacy. Homes near The District and the blimp hangar on Warner Avenue went up from 2006 on, so these bathrooms are not failing. Owners are usually replacing builder-grade pieces: small-format floor tile, basic vanities, and framed shower doors. In condos and townhomes, check your HOA rules before work starts, since many associations set working hours and require notice for plumbing work that could affect a neighbor below.
North Tustin. Lemon Heights, Cowan Heights, and the rest of North Tustin are unincorporated, so permits go through OC Development Services at the County of Orange rather than the City of Tustin.
Waterproofing Is the Part You Never See
Tile and grout are not waterproof. Water passes through grout lines and into whatever sits behind them, so a shower depends on the layer under the tile: a sheet or liquid-applied membrane over cement board, tied into a properly sloped pan and drain. When that layer is missing or done wrong, the damage shows up years later as loose tile, stained drywall in the next room, or a soft subfloor.
We build every shower with a continuous membrane on the walls and floor, flood test the pan before tile goes in, and slope the floor to the drain. The EPA’s guide to mold and moisture is clear that the fix for mold is controlling the water source, and in a bathroom that means the shower assembly and an exhaust fan that actually vents outside.
How a Tustin Bathroom Remodel Runs
- Showroom visit. Compare tile, vanities, countertop remnants, and glass options in person. Bring photos and rough measurements.
- In-home measure. We come to your Tustin home, measure, and check the plumbing, subfloor, and ventilation.
- Written scope and estimate. Materials, sequence, and timeline in writing before anything is ordered.
- Demolition. Old tile, tub or pan, and vanity come out. We inspect framing and subfloor for water damage.
- Rough plumbing and waterproofing. Valves and drains set, then backer board, membrane, and a flood test.
- Tile and fixtures. Floor and wall tile set and grouted, then the vanity, countertop, fixtures, and glass.
- Walkthrough. We test every fixture with you and go over care for the tile and stone you chose.
Most full bathroom remodels take one to two weeks of work once materials are on site. Permits and custom glass lead times add to that.
Permits and Older Homes
The City of Tustin requires a permit for alterations and for new or replacement electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work, which covers nearly every bathroom remodel beyond a vanity swap. We plan the schedule around plan check and inspections.
Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint on trim, doors, and walls. Under the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, a contractor paid to disturb painted surfaces in those homes must be a certified firm using lead-safe practices. That applies to most of Old Town and many North Tustin homes.
If you are replacing a toilet, faucets, or a showerhead, look for the EPA WaterSense label, which marks fixtures that use less water while still meeting performance standards.
Choosing Materials for a Tustin Bathroom
Floor tile. Porcelain handles water and daily cleaning best. In the shower, smaller tile or a mosaic gives more grout lines and better footing, and it follows the slope to the drain more easily than large format. See our tile and stone page for options.
Wall tile. Large-format porcelain on shower walls means fewer grout lines to clean. Natural stone looks warmer but needs sealing; our natural stone page covers the tradeoffs.
Vanity and countertop. A quartz vanity top needs no sealing. If you want marble, choose a honed finish, which hides etching from toothpaste and cleaners better than polished. Our shop fabricates vanity tops in house, including from remnants, which can lower the cost of a small top.
Glass. Frameless glass makes a small bathroom look larger and has fewer places for mildew to collect than a framed door.
Why Tustin Homeowners Come to Tile Row
Our showroom at 1535 S State College Blvd sits on the stretch locals call Tile Row, one mile from Angel Stadium. From Tustin it is about 6 miles from Old Town, about 7 from Tustin Ranch, and about 8 from Tustin Legacy. You can lay floor tile next to a vanity sample and a shower wall tile under the same light before you commit. We are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Most showrooms sell materials and leave the installation to someone else. We supply the materials and install them with our own crew, so one company answers for the job from the first sample to the final walkthrough. If the kitchen is next, see our Tustin kitchen remodeling page.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Tustin?
In most cases, yes. The City of Tustin requires permits for alterations and for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical work. Swapping a vanity or toilet in the same location may not, so ask us at the measure.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
Most full remodels take one to two weeks of work. Permits, custom glass, and special-order tile add lead time before work starts.
Can you convert my tub to a walk-in shower?
Yes. It is one of the most requested upgrades in Tustin Ranch homes. We remove the tub, build a new pan and waterproofed walls, and install the tile and glass.
Do you come to Tustin to measure?
Yes. After a showroom visit, we schedule an in-home measure in Tustin, North Tustin, or Tustin Legacy and give you a written estimate.
What is the best tile for a shower floor?
Porcelain mosaic or small-format tile. The extra grout lines give better footing when wet and make it easier to follow the slope to the drain.
Can I stay in my home during the remodel?
Yes. If it is your only bathroom, we sequence the work to keep the time without a working toilet as short as possible.
Plan Your Tustin Bathroom Remodel
Visit our showroom at 1535 S State College Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92806, call 714-278-3576, or request a free quote to schedule an in-home measure in Tustin.
