Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Fast, Reliable Bathroom Remodeling Across Highlands
Bathroom remodeling in Highlands, TX runs $9,000 to $28,000 for a full remodel, with a tub-to-shower conversion typically falling between $3,500 and $10,000. We work throughout Highlands, from Wallisville Road down to the neighborhoods near the San Jacinto River, and we know what opening up a 1960s pier-and-beam bathroom actually turns up. Every project starts with a written price before any work begins. Call (254) 272-5240 and we will walk you through it.
Highlands is unincorporated Harris County, so your bathroom remodel falls under county permitting rather than the stricter municipal codes you would find in Houston or Baytown. That often means faster approvals, but it also means your contractor needs to understand Harris County’s floodplain and drainage regulations, especially on streets that have taken on water from the San Jacinto. We do. Our crews know which Highlands blocks sit low, which homes have flooded before, and what that means for the materials and methods inside a bathroom.
You want a crew that shows up when they say they will, names the brands going into the room, and leaves the floors clean at the end of the day. That is the standard we hold to on every Highlands job.
Why Elmstead Remodeling Houston Is Highlands’s Preferred Bathroom Remodeling Company
We earn the work one bathroom at a time. Highlands homeowners keep our number because we are specific about what happens inside their house. Shoe covers go on at the door. Drop cloths go down on the floors, including the hallway outside the bathroom. Quiet tools are used during nap and school hours where possible. Pet-safe products are selected where there is a choice. None of that is an add-on, and none of it is negotiable.
Bathroom Remodeling with our team means a background-checked, uniformed technician arrives at the door, and you know exactly who is walking through your home. Graham Stein leads the Elmstead Remodeling Houston team, and the crew follows the Cedarwell Care Promise on every job: clean up like it is our own home, ask before we move or touch anything, respect your time, and explain the price before the work. A live person answers our phone 24/7, not a recording.
Homeowners in Highlands call us because a neighbor had their bathroom done and the finish held up, the price held firm, and the hallway was cleaner afterward than it was before. We photograph the clean-up before the crew leaves every day. That photo is part of the job.
Beyond the work itself, the 365-Day Done Right Promise covers every completed project. If it is not done right after the job is complete, we make it right. Written into your contract, not a marketing line.
Styles & brands we work with
Tub to Shower Conversion in Highlands
A Tub to Shower Conversion in Highlands is one of the smartest moves for an older bathroom, particularly in homes from the 1950s through the 1980s where the original tub has become hard to step into, hard to clean, or simply no longer matches how your family lives. We remove the tub, inspect what sits underneath and behind it, and build a walk-in shower in the same footprint. The typical cost in Highlands runs $3,500 to $10,000, depending on what the framing and subfloor look like once the tub comes out.
This job matters here because many Highlands homes sit on pier-and-beam foundations. That means the subfloor can hide moisture damage from decades of small leaks around an old tub. We check for soft spots, dry rot, and drainage problems before any tile goes down. If there is damage, you get a written change order with a price before we touch it.
Low-Threshold Shower Bases
Where the floor framing allows, we install low-threshold shower bases from brands like Kohler. These make the shower easier to enter while keeping the water where it belongs. For families with older parents or anyone planning to age in place, this detail is worth asking about early in the design conversation.
Waterproofing for High-Humidity Bathrooms
Highlands heat and humidity mean the waterproofing layer matters more than it does in drier climates. We use Schluter waterproofing systems on shower walls and floors in most conversions. It costs slightly more than traditional cement board, and it is the difference between a shower that stays dry behind the tile for two decades and one that fails in five years.
One Day Bath Remodel in Highlands
A One Day Bath Remodel in Highlands is designed for the bathroom that needs a surface-level refresh: new tub or walk-in shower surround, new fixtures, maybe a vanity, but no major structural work. For a Highlands home where the subfloor is solid and the plumbing is serviceable, we can often complete the job in a single day. Pricing aligns with the Shower Replacement and Walk-In Shower Installation ranges, typically $3,000 to $12,000 depending on scope.
The qualifier is real: hidden damage changes a one-day job. You will not know if the subfloor is rotted until the old tub comes out. If it is, the job becomes a two or three day project, and the price changes accordingly. We tell Highlands homeowners this up front because nobody should be surprised at 2 p.m. on a one-day job.
What We Can and Cannot Do in a Day
We can remove an old tub or shower, replace the surround, install new fixtures, swap a vanity, and button the room back up. We cannot sister rotted floor joists, rewire a bathroom circuit, or repair structural framing inside a day. If your Highlands home is pier-and-beam and the crew finds soft flooring, the one-day timeline ends and honesty takes over.
The Written Change Order
Any additional work discovered during a One Day Bath Remodel gets a written change order with a hard price before we start that portion of the work. You approve it or you do not. The crew does not proceed on a handshake. That is how disputes get avoided entirely.
Trusted Brands We Service in Highlands
We specify fixtures and materials from Kohler, Moen, and Grohe because those names carry manufacturer warranties you can verify independently. For shower systems and waterproofing, we use Schluter. For windows in a bathroom addition or replacement, we install ES Windows and ECO Window Systems, both of which hold up to the coastal humidity that defines Highlands weather. When a bath remodel includes a window near the tub or shower, Mr-Glass is one of the suppliers we trust for glazing that resists the constant moisture load. We keep the most-used parts for these brands readily available for Highlands jobs, which shortens the wait on a replacement cartridge or a specific trim kit.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterCommon Bathroom Remodeling Problems We See in Highlands Homes
- Rotted subflooring around tubs and toilets. Years of small leaks sink into pier-and-beam subfloors before anyone notices. By the time tile is pulled, the wood underneath can be saturated. We replace it before new flooring goes down, not over it.
- Aluminum wiring and undersized circuits. Homes built in the 1960s and 1970s often have aluminum branch wiring that a modern bathroom, with its GFCI requirements and heated floors, can outpace quickly. We rewire to current Harris County code whenever the walls are open.
- Failed waterproofing behind old tile. Humidity is constant here, and older bathrooms rarely had effective waterproofing. Mold and softening drywall behind the tile are common. We tear out the affected area, treat the surface, and install a modern waterproofing membrane.
- Flood-risk choices that were never addressed. Some Highlands homes have flooded before, and the bathroom still has drywall and flooring that soak up water. We recommend water-resistant materials and, where relevant, elevations and flood vents that align with Harris County drainage rules.
Pricing for Bathroom Remodeling in Highlands, TX
Highlands sits inside a Houston metro market where labor and material costs track close to the city average, with a slight premium for the extra care pier-and-beam work requires. Here is what a bathroom project in Highlands costs, broken out by project type.
| Project Type | Typical Range in Highlands |
|---|---|
| Full Bathroom Remodel | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Tub-to-Shower Conversion | $3,500 – $10,000 |
| Walk-In Shower Installation | $4,500 – $12,000 |
What moves a Highlands project toward the top of the range is usually what the crew finds after demolition: rotted subfloor, outdated drains, framing that needs sistering. What moves it toward the bottom is a clean subfloor, good plumbing, and a simple layout. We give you a written price before any work starts. If a surprise appears, you get a written change order with its own price before we touch it. Call (254) 272-5240 for a free estimate, and we will talk through real numbers for your specific bathroom.
We Also Serve Cities Near Highlands
Our crews work throughout Highlands and the surrounding communities, including Houston, Seabrook, Humble, and League City. If you are just outside Highlands and planning a bathroom remodel, the same written-price promise and 365-Day Done Right Promise apply. Call us and we will schedule a time to look at your bathroom.
Serving Highlands, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Highlands area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Bathroom Remodeling in Highlands
Because Highlands is unincorporated Harris County, your bathroom remodel is permitted through Harris County rather than through a municipal building department. The process is often faster than in Houston or Baytown, but the county still requires permits for plumbing, electrical, and structural work. We pull the permits, schedule the inspections, and make sure the rough-in is signed off before the walls go back together. Call (254) 272-5240 if you want to know whether your specific project needs a permit. The estimate is free.
Rotted subflooring, aluminum wiring, and failed waterproofing are the three we see most. Homes on pier-and-beam foundations hold moisture under the floor longer than slab homes, so bathroom leaks do damage quietly. We write allowances into the contract for these common finds, and any change is priced and approved in writing before we proceed.
Yes, and it shapes the material choices. Highlands streets near the San Jacinto River have flooded repeatedly, and that history matters for what we put inside your bathroom. Where relevant, we recommend water-resistant flooring, elevated cabinetry, and flood vents that match Harris County drainage rules. A bathroom remodel is also a good time to assess whether your home’s floor elevation is enough for the next heavy rain. Call (254) 272-5240 to talk through what flooding means for your specific block.
No, and we are honest about that up front. A one-day remodel works when the subfloor is solid, the plumbing is sound, and the framing needs no repair. If we open the wall and find rot or wiring problems, the job extends beyond a day and you get a written change order before any extra work starts. We would rather take an extra day and leave the bathroom right.
An inspection sign-off is the point where a Harris County inspector verifies that the rough plumbing, electrical, and structural work meet county code before the walls and tile are installed. It exists to catch problems like undersized wiring or improper drain slope while they are still visible. We schedule every required inspection, remain on site for it, and document the sign-off for your records. It is a delay, yes, and it is one of the most important protections you can have on a Highlands bathroom project.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Houston, serving Highlands and the surrounding Harris County communities.
