Who Buys the Materials in a Bathroom Remodel? What to Choose and Order First

Short answer: In the seven bathroom remodel contracts we read for this article, the contract covers the work and leaves the materials out. The homeowner pays for the materials, and the contractor may help buy some of them and hands over the receipts. You usually choose the finish items yourself: tile, shower valve, vanity, toilet, mirror, lights, hardware and paint. Order early the items that hold up the work, starting with the shower valve and then the tile.

What our contracts say about materials

We read seven of our bathroom contracts. Three things are the same in all seven:

• The contract covers the work, not the materials. Each one says so in the line that states the total: “excluding materials,” “not including any materials,” or “labor only.” One of them repeats it in its notes: materials are not included.
• The contractor “may assist” with buying some materials. It says may, not will, and it says some, not all.
• Receipts come with it. The contractor provides receipts for the materials purchased, and the homeowner pays for them within 15 days of receiving the receipts.

One of the contracts adds a note that final fixture specifications and the tile layout are to be confirmed before installation. That is the point of this article: a lot of decisions have a deadline, and it comes before the tile goes up.

Whatever your contract says, it should be written down. State law asks for a detailed description of the work and the materials in a written contract; the details are in how to check a Massachusetts home improvement contractor before you sign.

Two piles: rough materials and finish items

Our renovation guide, which we send homeowners before work starts, and a materials list we sent for one bathroom job split things into two piles.

Rough materials: the contractor gets them. These are the things that end up behind the finished surface: studs, cement board, waterproofing materials, plumbing supplies and electrical supplies. That materials list says we help get them and bring the receipts. The guide adds that we handle pick-up of most rough materials, such as studs, drywall and plumbing supplies.

Finish items: you choose them. These are the things you will see and touch:

• Tile. The list asks for separate choices: wall tile in the shower or above the tub, tile for the shower floor, tile for the bathroom floor, and, when the design has a walk-in shower, a piece for its entrance. That is three or four selections, not one.
• Shower valve and faucet. The list asks for a complete valve and trim kit.
• Sink faucet. It has to fit the countertop or vanity you picked.
• Vanity. Standard or floating.
• Toilet.
• Mirror, light fixture and bathroom hardware, such as a toilet paper holder and a towel holder.
• Paint color for the walls.

For bulky items the guide suggests having them shipped to a store near the contractor, so they can be picked up. It names the shower glass door and the bathtub; our list says the same for a vanity and a toilet. The guide also asks homeowners to have bathroom hardware, mirrors and light fixtures ready at the site.

What to order first, and why

1. The shower valve and faucet kit. Our guide puts it plainly: get it early, because it is critical for the shower setup. The valve sits inside the wall, so it goes in during the rough-in stage, before the walls are closed. Different models can need different positions and depth in the wall, so the plumber usually wants the real valve in hand before then. If you change your mind about the shower fixtures after the wall is closed, it can mean opening the wall again.

2. Tile, before the tile stage. Tile can take time to arrive, and the shower walls, shower floor and bathroom floor are separate orders. Ask the contractor how much extra to order for cuts and breakage. The same advice applies to floors in the rest of the house; see which floor goes where.

3. Vanity and toilet. The vanity can decide where the drain and supply lines come out, and the sink faucet has to fit it. Pick them before the plumbing is roughed in, if you can. Both are bulky, so ask about shipping them to a store for pick-up.

4. Everything you install last. Paint color, hardware and mirror can usually wait until the finish stage. For the light fixture, settle where it goes before the wiring is roughed in; the fixture itself can arrive by the finish stage. Have everything ready at the site by then.

Keeping track of what was bought

Our guide says we share a spreadsheet link with the project balance, material costs and any optional add-on jobs. Together with the receipts, that gives you a way to check the purchases against what you owe, within the 15 days the contract sets.

Questions to ask your contractor

• Does your number include materials, or only the work?
• Which materials will you buy, and which do I buy?
• Will I get a receipt for everything you buy, and when is it due?
• Which items do you need in hand before the walls close?
• How much extra tile should I order?
• Where do bulky items go: delivered to my house, or shipped to a store near you?
• Who checks the delivery for damage?

Checklist before work starts

• Know which items are yours and which are the contractor’s
• Choose the shower valve and faucet kit first
• Choose each tile: shower wall, shower floor, bathroom floor, and any entrance piece
• Choose the vanity, sink faucet and toilet
• Have the mirror, light fixture, hardware and paint color ready by the finish stage
• Ask where bulky items will be delivered or picked up
• Keep every receipt

FAQ

Does a contractor’s quote include materials? It depends on the contract. Some contracts cover labor and materials together; the seven of ours we read cover the work and leave the materials out. Ask which kind you have, and ask for it in writing.

Can I buy everything myself? Many homeowners buy the finish items. In our contracts the contractor may help with some materials, and the guide lists what we pick up and what we ask you to have ready. Ask your contractor which items they would rather you not order yourself, and when each must arrive.

What if something arrives late or damaged? Check each delivery when it arrives and tell your contractor right away. The order of work may need to change, so the sooner they know, the better.

Should I wait until the contract is signed to order? Ask. Some items can be chosen early, and others, like the shower valve, depend on the plan. Your contractor can tell you which are safe to order before the work begins. What to bring and ask is covered in what happens at an in-home bathroom remodel estimate.

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Sun Shore Construction Team. Sun Shore Construction is a general contractor in Greater Boston, founded in 2020. We are licensed and insured, and where a project needs a building permit we file it and coordinate the inspections with your town.

Planning a bathroom remodel? Get a free in-home estimate: call us or fill out the form on sunshoreconstruction.com.