Bathroom Remodel Final Stage: Fixtures, Baseboards, Paint and the Walkthrough

Short answer: The last stage of a bathroom remodel is a run of small jobs: set the vanity and the toilet, mount the mirror and hardware, put in baseboards, paint, clean up and walk the room together. They are small, but they are the part you see and touch every day. Before the work starts, read the end of your contract: which items are on the list, who supplies them, whether paint is included and what “walkthrough” means.

What the end of our contracts says

Many of our bathroom contracts close their numbered list with the same few lines. The wording differs from contract to contract, but the pattern is steady:

Vanity. “Installation of a new vanity,” often with new plumbing, faucets and drain.
Accessories. New bathroom hardware, including towel holders and a toilet paper holder, alongside a light fixture. In some contracts a mirror is named here, in others it sits on its own line.
Toilet. The wording varies. One contract says “Installation of a new toilet,” another says “Install new toilet and verify proper operation / no leaks,” and a third says “Reinstall the toilet after the floor tile installation.”
Baseboards. In several contracts: “to frame the space neatly and protect walls from moisture and damage.” One contract asks for new two-part wooden baseboards, painted to match the moulding in the bedroom.
Painting. “A final coat of paint will be applied to the ceiling, walls, doors, and trims/molding.” Another contract writes it as “paint bathroom walls/ceiling/trim as needed (color by client)” and adds the bathroom door, interior side only.
Ceiling. Some contracts have a separate line for plastering the ceiling smooth, then sanding and painting it.
Cleanup and walkthrough. One contract ends with “Final cleanup and walkthrough.”

Not every job has every line. A contract can leave painting out, or name only some of the hardware. That is why the end of the list is worth reading line by line.

Why the order matters

A contract list is not a schedule, and we do not read it as one. But a few lines in our contracts say what comes before what:

The toilet goes back after the floor tile. One contract says: “Reinstall the toilet after the floor tile installation.” Anything that sits on the floor waits for the floor.
Paint waits for the repairs. One contract has a line to “patch/repair ceiling openings from prior locations and prep for paint” and another line to patch drywall “as needed (including cabinet removal and lighting changes).” Both come in the list before the painting lines.
Caulk comes with the tile. The same contract asks for the tile in the tub and shower area to be grouted and for “all required transitions” to be sealed with silicone or caulk. Ask where those joints are and who seals them.

The practical point: pick the things that need a decision before the last stage starts. Mirror size and height, towel bar spots, light fixture, paint color. A mirror with a power outlet, a recessed medicine cabinet and a grout sealer all show up in our contracts as optional add-ons, and some of them need wiring or framing inside the wall. The add-ons guide covers which choices are easier before the walls close.

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Who supplies what

Contracts we use say the contractor may help buy some materials, and that the client pays for them against receipts. In one of them, the vanity and countertop are “client-supplied unless otherwise noted,” and the hardware is marked “client-provided.” So the last stage is also the day you find out whether the faucet, the towel bar or the mirror is on site. Who buys materials, and what to order first goes through that.

The final walkthrough

Some of our contracts tie the last payment to the walkthrough. Several say the same thing: “After Contractor completes all work listed above and Client approves the work (final walkthrough), Client shall pay the remaining balance to Contractor.” How each payment is tied to a stage is in the payment schedule guide. Read it before the walkthrough, because the walkthrough is the moment you approve the work.

Here is what you can check. This is a suggestion, not a standard from our contracts.

Water. Run the shower and every faucet. Flush the toilet. Look under the vanity with a flashlight, then look again later in the day.
Fan and lights. Switch on the exhaust fan and every light. The exhaust fan guide explains where the air should go.
Seams. Look along the caulk lines at the tub or shower, the floor and the vanity, and at the grout.
Walls and trim. Check paint along the ceiling edge, the door and the baseboards. Daylight and a lit room both help.
The door and the hardware. Open and close the door, check the latch, and tug the towel bar.
Cleanup. Look at the floor, the drain and the inside of the tub or shower.

Write what you find down, with a photo of each item, and agree on who fixes it and by when. Then read the warranty section of your contract, so you know how to report a problem later.

Questions to ask before the last stage

Which items are on the contract list for this stage: vanity, toilet, mirror, hardware, baseboards, paint?
Who supplies each of them, and will they be on site before the stage starts?
Is painting included? Which surfaces: ceiling, walls, door, trim?
Who chooses the paint color, and when?
Is there a line for patching the ceiling or walls where lights or cabinets moved?
What does “final walkthrough” mean in the contract, and when is it?
What happens to the leftovers, such as spare tile or paint?

Checklist

Contract end-of-list read line by line
Hardware, mirror, vanity and light fixtures on site before the stage
Mirror height and towel bar spots marked on the wall
Paint color and surfaces agreed
Walkthrough date set
Water, fan, lights, seams, trim and cleanup checked
Problems written down, with photos, a name and a date
Spare tile and paint kept

FAQ

Is painting always part of a bathroom remodel contract? Not always. In our contracts it is usually a line near the end, but a job can leave it out. Check the list and ask which surfaces it covers.

Does the toilet go in before or after the tile? After. One of our contracts says the toilet is reinstalled after the floor tile installation, so anything that sits on the floor has to wait for it.

What is a final walkthrough? It is the moment you and the contractor go through the finished room together. Some of our contracts tie the remaining balance to your approval after it, so use it to check the work and write down anything that needs fixing.

Liang Yu works in marketing at Sun Shore Construction and has been with the team for three years.

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