What the two lines say

Both lines usually sit in the optional add-ons list, next to items like the shower niche, recessed lights and grout sealer. Our guide to optional add-ons in a bathroom remodel covers that list as a whole. Here we look at just these two.

The toilet line. Many of our contracts list it as “Advanced toilet with GFCI power outlet” or “Advanced toilet with GFCI outlet.” Others word it as a smart toilet with a power outlet, and some add the word “behind” to say where the outlet goes. One contract adds “if needed” after the outlet.

The mirror line. Most of our contracts that list it say “LED mirror with power outlet,” sometimes followed by the word “installation.” In a few contracts the same line offers a recessed medicine cabinet as the alternative, which makes sense: that is another thing that may need power inside the wall.

Notice what the wording is built around. The toilet line is not “install this toilet.” It is “an advanced toilet with an outlet.” The line prices the outlet, the part that has to be done while the wall is open.

What the lines leave out

Read either line again and ask what it does not tell you.

• The product. No brand, no model. The contracts do not say what an “advanced toilet” is, and neither line mentions a bidet seat.
• The wiring. Nothing about a circuit, how the cable runs, or how it connects back to the electrical panel.
• The spot. Most lines do not say where the outlet goes. Where a line does say, it says only “behind.”
• The mirror’s power spot. Most mirror lines do not say where the power comes out; a couple say “hidden” or “behind.”
• Who buys the product. Many of the contracts that list these lines label the main price as labor only, so the product itself may not be part of the price. Our guide on who buys the materials explains how that split works.

A contract that is silent is not a contract that says “no.” It means the page cannot answer your questions, so you need to ask them and get the answers written down.

Why timing matters

Both outlets live inside a wall, so they have to be placed while the wall is open. After drywall, adding one means cutting into the finished wall again.

That is why we suggest choosing the toilet and the mirror before the electrical work starts. Products differ in where they want power. Some toilets want an outlet low and close behind them. A mirror may want power at a specific height, hidden behind the glass. If the outlet goes in first and the product is chosen later, the two may not line up.

Bathroom outlets also usually need ground-fault protection, which is what “GFCI” stands for. Your electrician and your town’s inspector confirm what applies to your bathroom. Electrical work often needs a permit; our guide to what needs a permit when you remodel in Massachusetts shows how to check. The exhaust fan guide covers the other electrical piece of a bathroom, the fan and its switch.

Questions to ask before you say yes

These are general suggestions, not standards from our contracts:

• Which toilet or mirror is this outlet for? Can you give the model before the wall closes?
• Where exactly does the outlet go, and can you see the spot marked on the wall?
• Does this outlet have ground-fault protection, and is it on its own circuit or shared with the lights?
• For the mirror: at what height does the power come out, and is the cable hidden behind it?
• If you change your mind about the product later, what happens to the outlet?
• Does it change the electrical scope or the permit?
• Is the product itself in the labor price, or do you buy it?

If the answers are good, ask for the key ones to be added to the contract. A few written lines turn a name on a list into defined work.

Checklist

• Choose the toilet and the mirror before electrical work starts
• Get the model, or at least the power needs, in writing
• Mark the outlet locations on the wall and look at them
• Ask about ground-fault protection and the circuit
• Ask whether a permit is involved
• Confirm who buys the products
• Put the answers in the contract

FAQ

Is an outlet for a smart toilet included in a bathroom remodel contract? In most of our contracts it is listed as an optional add-on, not part of the standard scope. If you want it, say so before the contract is signed.

Can I add an outlet behind the toilet after the walls are closed? It is possible, but it usually means opening the finished wall. It is much easier to decide before drywall.

Does the contract say which toilet or mirror it covers? The lines we use do not name a brand or model. Ask which product the outlet is planned for and get the answer in writing.

Does a bathroom outlet need to be GFCI? Bathroom outlets usually need ground-fault protection. Ask your electrician and your town’s inspector what applies to your bathroom.

Eric Zhang is the owner of Sun Shore Construction, a general contractor in Greater Boston founded in 2020. He has more than a decade of hands-on renovation experience.

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

Is the wall load-bearing?

You can often spot clues yourself, but clues are not an answer.

• Which way the floor joists run. Look in the basement or attic. A wall running across the joists, especially near the middle of the span, is more likely to carry load than one running alongside them.
• What sits above it. A wall directly under another wall, or under a post, deserves extra suspicion.
• What sits below it. A beam, a post or a foundation wall under the same line is another clue.

Older homes can be harder to read. Past renovations may have moved loads around, and what you see from the basement may not match what is hidden upstairs. Treat every clue as a reason to ask, and have a structural engineer confirm it before anyone cuts.

What replaces a load-bearing wall

The load does not go away when the wall does. A beam takes over what the wall carried, and the load has to travel down through posts to something solid. So the questions go beyond the beam itself:

• What size and type of beam does the span need?
• Where will the posts land, and what is underneath them?
• Can the beam sit up inside the ceiling, or will it hang below it? This decides how the finished room looks, so settle it before cabinets and lighting are planned.
• How will the structure be held up while the wall is out?

These are design questions for the engineer, and the answers belong on the drawings.

What is inside the wall

Kitchen walls are often busy. Before demolition, find out whether yours holds:

• A plumbing vent or drain
• Water or gas lines
• Ducts or returns
• Wiring, switches and outlets

Some of these are easy to reroute, and some change the plan. Opening a small inspection area can answer the question early. Work on these systems belongs with licensed tradespeople, under their own permits where required.

When Massachusetts requires a permit

The Massachusetts residential code lists work that needs a permit, including “the substantial cutting away of any wall, partition or portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any structural beam or load bearing support,” among other work. (780 CMR R105.2.2)

The trades are separate:

• Plumbing and gas: work cannot be installed, altered or removed until the inspector issues a permit. (248 CMR 3.05)
• Electrical: permits go through the local Inspector of Wires. (527 CMR 12.00)

For the wider picture, see What Needs a Permit for a Remodel in Massachusetts.

Do you need stamped drawings?

It depends on where you live and what the building official asks for. The state code says construction documents must be prepared by a registered design professional when the law requires it, and the building official can ask for them in special circumstances. (780 CMR R107.1)

Local permit processes vary. Boston, for example, has a Long-Form permit for major alterations that change a building’s structure or use; its required documents include design plans stamped by a Massachusetts registered engineer or architect and a certified plot plan. Boston also has a Short-Form permit for minor work, and the city’s Inspectional Services decides which one fits, so ask your own building department before you assume either way.

Who can pull the permit?

It depends on who is doing the work. In Boston’s Long-Form process, owners of owner-occupied one- and two-family homes doing their own work can apply. When a contractor does the work, the applicant must be that contractor.

If a contractor suggests you pull the permit in your own name, ask what that changes: in Boston, the contractor doing the work is the applicant. Massachusetts also requires a licensed construction supervisor for most of this kind of work, with an exception for owner-occupants doing work on their own home. If you hire people to do the work under that exception, you take on the supervisor’s role yourself. (780 CMR 110.R5.1)

The usual order of work

1. Investigate the wall, above and below it.
2. Get engineering and drawings if the job needs them.
3. Plan the kitchen around the new opening, including lighting, cabinets and the floor.
4. Pull the permits.
5. Protect the rest of the house and seal off the work area.
6. Put temporary support in place if the wall is structural.
7. Remove the wall.
8. Install the beam and posts.
9. Rough in plumbing, gas, electrical and ducts.
10. Pass the inspections your permits call for.
11. Close up the walls and ceiling, then finish.

Which inspections will you have?

Your building official tells you when the permit is issued, so go by the inspection points listed on your permit. The state code’s list includes a framing inspection after the plumbing, mechanical and electrical rough inspections pass, a gypsum board inspection before the joints are taped, and a final inspection. (780 CMR R110.3)

The practical point: nothing should be closed up before it has been inspected.

Things people forget to plan

• The floor. Where the wall stood, there is often a gap in the flooring, and the two rooms may not match in height or direction.
• The ceiling. The two rooms may not line up either, especially if a beam stays exposed.
• Lost wall space. That wall may be holding cabinets, the fridge or a range. Check that the new layout still works.
• Hood venting. If the layout moves the range, the duct route moves with it.

Five questions to ask a contractor

1. How will you confirm whether this wall is load-bearing?
2. If it is, who designs the beam and posts, and will I see the drawings?
3. Which permits does this job need, and who pulls each one?
4. What happens if we open the wall and find something unexpected? (See what the contract should say when walls open.)
5. Which inspections are on the permit, and will the work stay open until they pass?

For more on choosing someone, see Questions to Ask a Contractor Before You Hire in Massachusetts.

How we handle it

Sun Shore Construction is licensed and insured, with proof available on request. You get a written scope that lists the work before anything is signed. When the work needs a building permit, we file it. Licensed tradespeople we partner with handle the plumbing and electrical work and permits where your contract includes them.

Questions people ask

Can I just check the wall by looking at it? You can gather clues, but the decision to cut should rest on a structural engineer’s review.

Does a non-load-bearing wall still need a permit? It can. The code’s wording covers substantial cutting of any wall or partition, not just structural ones. Ask your building department, and remember that wiring or plumbing in the wall may need its own permit.

Can part of the wall stay? Often that is an option, such as a wide opening or a half wall. Whether it works depends on what the wall carries and what runs through it.

Is this different in Boston? Local departments run their own process. Boston’s Long-Form permit has its own document list, so check with the department in your town.

Thinking about opening up your kitchen?

Send us photos of the wall and the basement or ceiling below and above it, or ask for a walkthrough. See our kitchen remodeling services.

What the contract line says

Heated flooring is not part of the standard bathroom scope in these contracts. It is an add-on, sitting in the optional list with items like “Moisture protection for shower wall” and “Niche installation.” Most of our contracts that list it use the same words: “Heated flooring installation.” One contract words it slightly differently, with the room named in brackets. Some of the lists are set up per bathroom.

Where it is listed, it is one line, and the word “heated” does not appear anywhere else in the contract. It is not in the tiling line, and it is not in the flooring line. For what those two lines do cover, see what the contract’s tiling line covers.

The contracts that list it also share a pricing note. Many of them label the main price as labor only or as excluding materials, and a couple label the add-on list the same way. So the line tells you someone will install a heated floor. It does not tell you who buys the heating product.

What the line leaves out

Read the line again with a planner’s eye. It does not name:

• the type of heating. There is no mention of a cable, a mat, or any other kind of system.
• the control. There is no thermostat in the line, and nothing about where it goes on the wall.
• the power supply. There is nothing about a circuit, or about how the floor connects to the electrical panel.
• the area. The line does not say whether it covers the whole floor, or only the part you walk on.
• the order of work. There is no note on when it happens relative to the tile.

None of that means the details are skipped on the job. A contract that is silent is not a contract that says “no.” It means the page cannot answer your questions, so you need to ask them out loud and have the answers written down.

Why timing matters more than price

A heated floor lives under the tile. That puts it in the group of decisions that need to be made before the walls and floors close. Once the tile is set, adding heat generally means taking the tile back up.

It also touches the electrical side of the job. A control on the wall and a supply to the floor are part of the same wiring conversation as the exhaust fan and the lights. Electrical work often needs a permit, and your town has the final word. Our guide to what needs a permit when you remodel in Massachusetts explains how to check.

Questions to ask before you say yes

These are general suggestions, not standards from our contracts:

• What kind of heating system is it, and why that one for this floor?
• Where does the control go, and can you see the spot before the wall is closed?
• Does it need its own circuit, and does that change the electrical work or the permit?
• How much of the floor does it cover? Does it include the area under the vanity, or the shower floor?
• Will it raise the floor height, and does that matter at the doorway or next to the hallway floor?
• Is the heating product part of the labor price, or something you buy, as with other materials? The guide to who buys the materials explains how that split usually works.
• When does it get installed, and when will it be tested, before or after the tile is set?

If the answers are good, ask for them to be added to the contract. A few written lines turn the add-on from a name on a list into a defined piece of work.

Checklist

• Decide yes or no on a heated floor before tile is chosen
• Ask what type of system and where the control goes
• Ask about the power supply and whether a permit is involved
• Confirm what area of the floor is covered
• Ask who buys the heating product
• Ask when it is tested relative to tile
• Add the answers to the contract

FAQ

Is a heated floor included in a bathroom remodel contract? In our contracts it is listed as an optional add-on, not part of the standard scope. If you want it, say so before the contract is signed.

Can I add a heated floor after the tile is installed? Not easily. The heating sits under the tile, so adding it later generally means removing the tile first. Decide before tile goes down.

Does the contract say what kind of heated floor it is? The line we use does not. Ask which system is planned and ask for the answer in writing.

Does a heated floor need electrical work? It often does, because it needs a control and a power supply. Ask whether it changes the electrical scope or needs a permit in your town.

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.

Trash: the part our contracts do say

The most common mention is a single sentence tucked into the contract’s cost paragraph. Many of our contracts say “Trash removal is included in the quoted price.” Many others say “This amount includes the fee for trash disposal but does not include the cost of any materials.” Several contracts word it differently, in the sentence that sums up the work: “to include all labor and trash removal.”

Three wordings, one message: hauling away what comes out is part of the job, not an extra. It is worth noticing the second wording, which puts trash disposal and materials in the same sentence. One says what is covered, the other says what is not. The guide on who buys the materials explains how that split usually works.

Some of our bathroom contracts do not mention trash at all. A contract that says nothing is not the same as one that says “not included.” It is simply unanswered. If yours is silent, ask.

Dust and protecting the house: mostly unwritten

Demolition is one of the dustiest stages of a bathroom remodel. Tile, old drywall and plaster come out, and fine dust travels well past the bathroom door.

Most of our bathroom contracts do not mention dust. A couple open their Demolition list with a line about protecting the work area, and one of those adds dust control. Those are the exceptions. The common contract lists what comes out, and leaves how the rest of the house is protected to the crew.

One contract, for a different kind of project, has a short special-conditions section. It says dust barriers will go up but does not promise they will hold in every particle, and it says deep cleaning is either an extra or something the client can do. Whatever your contract says, the plain statement is useful: a plastic barrier slows dust down, it does not stop it.

Cleanup: usually one line near the end

Where cleanup shows up, it is generally one line, not a section. A couple of bathroom contracts put it in the last item of the work list, with finishing work or a final walkthrough. One of those also lists debris removal and jobsite cleanup inside the Demolition item itself, as something that happens throughout the job rather than only at the end. Our guide to the final stage of a bathroom remodel covers the closing walkthrough in more detail.

Notice what the contracts do not define. “Cleanup” can mean sweeping up scraps or a thorough clean of every surface, and the word alone does not say which. Nor does it say whether cleaning happens daily or only once at the end.

Questions to ask before demolition

These are general suggestions, not standards from our contracts:

• Is trash removal included in the contract, and where is it written?
• How will floors, hallways and doorways between the bathroom and the rest of the house be protected?
• Will a dust barrier go up at the bathroom door, and does the crew understand it will slow the dust but not stop it?
• Are the vents and returns for your heating and cooling covered while the tile and drywall come out?
• Who cleans up each day, and what does “cleanup” mean at the end: sweeping, or a full clean?
• If a deeper clean is wanted, is it an extra, or yours to arrange?
• Where will the trash be kept until it leaves, and does that spot work for your driveway and your neighbors?

If the answers are good, ask for them to be added to the contract. The conversation matters less than the page. The in-home estimate guide lists other questions worth raising at the first visit.

Checklist

• Trash removal found in the contract, or asked about
• Floor and doorway protection discussed
• Dust barrier plan discussed
• Heating and cooling vents covered, or asked about
• Daily cleaning and final cleaning each described
• Anything beyond basic cleanup named as extra or yours
• Answers added to the contract, not left as a conversation

FAQ

Is trash removal included in a bathroom remodel contract? In many of our contracts it says so, in the cost paragraph. Some bathroom contracts do not mention trash at all. If yours does not, ask and have the answer written down.

Does the contract say the crew will control dust? In most of our bathroom contracts, it does not. A couple mention protecting the work area, and one of those mentions dust control. It is a fair question to ask before demolition.

What does “cleanup” mean in a contract? The word alone does not say. Ask whether it means daily sweeping, a final clean, or both, and whether a deeper clean is an extra. The add-ons guide covers how to ask for options to be spelled out.

Can I stay in the house during demolition? Some homeowners stay. A gutted bathroom produces dust that can travel into the rest of the home. Ask how the crew will contain it, and how you will reach another bathroom while yours is out of use.

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

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

What demolition covers in our contracts

Many of our bathroom contracts start their numbered list with “Demolition.” The lists differ, but they typically name the tub or shower, wall and floor tiles, mirror, hardware, sink and toilet; most also name the vanity, and some add the shower valve.

That list tells you what comes out. It does not say what is found behind it. The tile and the drywall hide the framing, the pipes and the subfloor, and a problem that has been there for years looks the same from the outside as a wall with no problem. The in-home estimate guide covers what a contractor can and cannot judge on the first visit.

Three ways a contract can handle it

1. The repair is written into the scope. One of our contracts puts it inside the framing item, which includes repairing any studs or subfloor that turn out to be water-damaged. Its drywall item covers repairs where drywall was removed, and leaves the ceiling drywall alone. The repair has a place in the list of work. The contract does not say how much damage that covers, so that is a question for you to ask.

2. The contract says it will be quoted separately. Another contract says in its notes that hidden damage, rotted framing, subfloor repair that goes beyond normal patching, and unforeseen code-required upgrades will be quoted separately if needed. The same contract is specific about the framing it expects to touch: it keeps as much of the existing framing as is suitable, makes minor corrections for the new shower layout, and puts in new drywall wherever drywall was removed.

That is a clear line between work that is in the contract and work that is not. Notice the wording about normal patching in that note. Who decides where normal patching ends? That is worth asking before the work starts.

3. The contract does not mention it. Several of our contracts have one sentence on the subject: “Necessary repairs to drywall will be addressed, followed by a professional paint job…” It covers drywall only. Those contracts do list framing work for the new shower, but none says what happens if existing framing or subfloor is damaged. If your contract is silent on that, you do not have an answer in writing, and the time to get one is before you sign, not after the walls are open.

None of these is automatically better. A contract that puts repairs in the scope gives you a clearer idea of what is covered but may leave “how much” open. A contract that quotes separately tells you up front that extra work can come, and it gives you the chance to say yes or no to it. What matters is that the contract says which one applies to you.

When the walls are open

Some of our contracts tie a payment to the rough-in inspection, which they spell out as “electrical, plumbing, framing inspection.” That is a good moment to look: the framing is easiest to check while it is still visible. The list below is a suggestion, not a standard from our contracts.

• Ask to see it. Ask the contractor to show you, or send photos of, anything that looks wrong: dark staining, soft wood, a stained subfloor.
• Ask what it is. Is it old and dry, or does it come from a leak that is still active? Is the cause fixed?
• Ask what it changes. Does it change the scope, the order of the work or the schedule?
• Get the price in writing before the work. If it will be quoted separately, ask for the number and the description first.

Many of our contracts say they may not be modified “in any manner unless in writing and signed by both parties.” Check that yours does. That works in both directions: the contractor cannot add work without your signature, and an extra repair is not done on a handshake. The payment schedule guide explains how written changes and payment stages fit together.

Questions to ask before you sign

• If demolition shows rotted framing or a soft subfloor, is the repair in the scope or quoted separately?
• Who decides what counts as normal patching, and how will I be shown the damage?
• Does the contract say anything about code-required upgrades that turn up once the walls are open?
• How is an extra repair written down, and who has to sign it?
• Is the drywall repair in the contract limited to what the demolition removed?
• Which stage is the rough-in inspection, and what will I see before it?

Checklist

• Demolition item read line by line
• Contract checked for hidden damage, rot and subfloor wording
• Scope, separate quote or silence: which one is yours?
• Normal patching defined, or the question asked
• Photos of anything found, with the date
• Extra work priced and signed before it starts
• Rough-in inspection stage known

FAQ

Can a contractor tell what is behind the wall before demolition? Sometimes there are signs: stained drywall, a soft floor near the tub, mold at the ceiling edge. But much of it is hidden until the wall is opened. That is why the contract wording matters. If you are deciding between redoing only the shower and redoing the whole room, that guide asks the same question about what is behind the walls.

Who pays if hidden damage turns up? It depends on the contract. One of ours writes the repair into the framing item. Another says hidden damage, rotted framing and subfloor repair beyond normal patching will be quoted separately. Ask which applies to yours.

Does extra work need to be in writing? In many of our contracts, yes: the contract may not be modified unless the change is in writing and signed by both parties. Check that yours says so.

Is a tile floor part of this? The tile comes out in demolition, and the subfloor under it is what you may need to ask about. If it is soft or stained, ask how it is repaired before the new tile goes in.

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.

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.

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.

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

What the Tiling line says

The most common wording in our bathroom contracts is a single sentence: “Installation of new wall and floor tiles in the shower area, complete with precise grout application for a seamless finish.” Another version reads “Wall and floor tiles will be installed in the shower area, followed by grout application.”

Read it literally. It names the shower area. It names wall tile, floor tile and grout. It does not name tile size, wall height, pattern, grout width or color. All of those are decisions, and a contract that does not list them is leaving them to a conversation. That is fine as long as the conversation happens and the answers get written down. The in-home estimate guide covers where that conversation usually starts.

The rest of the floor is a different line

The “floor tiles” in that sentence are the shower floor. In many of our contracts the floor outside the shower has its own numbered item, Flooring, with wording like “Replacement of the bathroom floor tiles with new, high-quality options to match the updated aesthetics and ensure durability.” Another version says the bathroom floor tiles “will be replaced with new ones.”

So a contract can have two tile lines that look like one. If you read only Tiling, you might think the whole bathroom is covered. If you read only Flooring, you might miss that the shower walls are a separate item. Read both, and check that between them they cover every surface you expect to be tiled: shower walls, shower floor, bathroom floor, and any wall tile outside the shower.

If you are still choosing between tile, vinyl plank and hardwood for the floor, our guide to which floor goes where covers that choice.

Other ways tile shows up in our contracts

Not every contract follows that pattern. The variations are worth knowing, because they show how much the wording depends on the job:

• Over the tub. Some contracts write wall tile above the bathtub plus new floor tile, instead of a walk-in shower.
• Behind the tub. Some add the wall behind a tub to the shower area, and one adds the wall above a jacuzzi tub.
• One line for everything. Some contracts list the shower floor, the shower walls and the bathroom floor together in a single Tiling item, with no separate Flooring line for tile.
• A ceiling. One contract includes ceiling tile.
• A partial repair. One contract replaces only a few damaged floor tiles near where the old tub stood, rather than the whole floor.
• Tile supplied by the owner. One contract names the tile as owner-supplied. The guide on who buys the materials explains how that usually splits.
• A pattern upgrade. That same contract also lists a tile-pattern layout upgrade, for herringbone or diagonal layouts, as an optional extra.

That last one is a good example of how a tile decision becomes a contract item. A diagonal or herringbone layout means more cutting and more layout time than a straight grid. If you want a pattern, ask whether your contract treats it as part of the Tiling line or as an add-on.

What the Tiling line leaves out

Tile is the layer you see. The layers under it are what keep water out of the walls, and in our contracts they are listed elsewhere. Many contracts describe the new shower under another item, such as Framing Adjustments, Walk-in Shower or Shower Base and Waterproofing, and that is where words like “mud shower base,” “cement boards” and “comprehensive waterproofing” appear. One contract spells out that the waterproofing goes on before the tile.

The Tiling line also does not say how the floor tile meets the shower curb, where one material ends and the other begins, or what happens at the edges. A couple of contracts add finishing the transitions to their tile item, but most do not mention it.

For what is behind the tile, see what’s behind shower tile, layer by layer. It explains each layer. This guide is about how the contract describes them.

Two add-ons that sit next to the tile

Two items show up often in the optional add-ons list: “Moisture protection for shower wall” and “Grout sealer for stain resistance.” The list gives a name and a price, not a description. One contract describes the first as a membrane behind the shower tile, but most only give the name.

Many of the same contracts already list “comprehensive waterproofing” in the base scope. That raises an obvious question: what does the add-on cover that the base scope does not? The add-ons guide suggests asking for each option to be spelled out. That is a suggestion, not a standard from our contracts.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Which surfaces does Tiling cover, and which does Flooring cover? Is anything tiled that neither line names?
• How high does the shower wall tile go, and who decides?
• Who chooses tile size, pattern and grout width, and when does that choice have to be made?
• How is the edge between the shower floor and the bathroom floor finished?
• Is a pattern, such as herringbone or diagonal, part of this price or an add-on?
• What do “moisture protection” and “grout sealer” include, and are they already in the base scope?
• Where in the contract are the cement board and waterproofing, and is that item separate from the tile?

Checklist

• Tiling line read next to the Flooring line
• Every tiled surface named by one line or the other
• Wall tile height asked and written down
• Tile size, pattern and grout color decisions have an owner and a date
• Add-ons spelled out, not just named
• Tile supplier named (you or the contractor)
• Cement board and waterproofing item found in the contract

FAQ

Does the Tiling line include the bathroom floor? In many of our contracts, no: it covers the shower area, and the bathroom floor tile is on a separate Flooring line. Some contracts do the opposite and write the whole floor into the Tiling line. Check that yours names both.

Does the contract say how high the shower tile goes? In the common wording, no. It says wall tile “in the shower area” and nothing about height. Ask, and ask for the answer in writing.

Is waterproofing part of the tile work? In our contracts it is usually listed with the shower construction, not in the Tiling line. For the layers themselves, see the layer-by-layer guide.

When do I have to choose the tile? Before the tile stage, and usually well before. Our guide to what each payment is tied to shows where the stages fall, and the materials guide covers what to order first.

Eric Zhang is the owner of Sun Shore Construction, a general contractor in Greater Boston founded in 2020. He has more than a decade of hands-on renovation experience.

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

This is general information from the text of the law, not legal advice. The statute and regulation are quoted where possible, and the current text is the one that counts.

The Guaranty Fund is written for registered contractors

Chapter 142A, section 5 creates the Residential Contractor’s Guaranty Fund “to compensate owners for actual losses incurred by them as a result of registered contractor or subcontractor conduct” that a court or an arbitrator has found to be poor or unworkmanlike work, a common-law violation, or a violation of a consumer-protection statute or regulation. The words that matter are “registered contractor.”

Section 13 puts the warning on the permit itself: “All building permits shall clearly state that persons contracting with unregistered contractors do not have access to the guaranty fund under this chapter.”

Even with a registered contractor, the fund is the last stop, not the first. Section 7 says:

• You need a judgment or an arbitration award, and the claim has to be filed “not more than 7 years from the date of the contract.”
• The contractor must have failed to pay, and the state must have decided that reasonable efforts to collect have been made.
• The fund may not award “more than $25,000 or any amount necessary to compensate the owner for his actual loss, whichever is less to any one claimant.”
• It may not award consequential damages (with one exception), or anything for personal injury, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, court costs or interest.

Section 2 adds a related rule that is easy to miss. The contract has to say that “homeowners who secure their own permits will be excluded from the guaranty fund provisions.” Pulling the permit yourself to speed things up has the same effect as hiring someone unregistered: you step outside the fund.

The arbitration program is described for registered contractors too

Section 4 sets up a private arbitration program “to consider disputes between owners and registered contractors and subcontractors,” and says no claim may be filed “after 5 years from the date of the contract.” An owner can ask for it under section 3(b). Again, the statute describes it in terms of registered contractors.

Courts are a separate route. Section 3(a) lets any party bring an action “to enforce any provision of this chapter” in the superior court, the district court or the small claims division. Section 17 lists operating “without a certificate of registration” as a prohibited act, and says violations of the chapter “shall constitute an unfair or deceptive act” under chapter 93A. So the law does not close the courthouse to you. What you lose is the backstop if the person cannot or will not pay. How any of this applies to your case is a question for a lawyer.

Registration and the CSL are two different things

People say “he’s licensed” and mean either one. They come from different offices under different rules.

• HIC registration comes from the state’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation under chapter 142A. Section 9 says no contractor may “undertake, offer to undertake, or agree to perform residential contracting services unless registered.” Section 13 requires the registration number on every contract, building permit and advertisement. Under section 11 the certificate “shall not be transferable,” so the name on the contract should be the name on the registration. Section 17 also prohibits “conducting a residential contracting business in any name other than the one in which the contractor or subcontractor is registered.”
• CSL comes from the Board of Building Regulations and Standards under 780 CMR 110.R5. A construction supervisor is “a person of good moral character who is deemed qualified by the BBRS to directly supervise persons engaged in” construction work, and anyone supervising work regulated by the building code must be licensed, with listed exceptions. In general, a candidate needs at least three years of experience and has to pass an exam. The BBRS keeps a list of licensees that is available to the public.

One does not stand in for the other. Section 14 lists people who do not need to register, including licensed electricians and plumbers working only within their trade, and then adds “construction supervisors excepted.” So a CSL does not by itself exempt someone from registering. If anyone tells you they are exempt, ask the state; do not take it on trust.

Whose license is on the permit

Under 780 CMR 110.R5.2.16, a building permit application has to contain “the name, signature and license number and the category of license so held of the construction supervisor who is to supervise those persons engaged in the work.” If that person stops supervising, “the work shall immediately cease until a successor license holder is substituted.”

That name carries responsibility. The regulation says the license holder “shall be fully and completely responsible for all work for which he or she is supervising.” The same regulation requires a licensed supervisor or designee to be on site at certain points, which include installing structural members, insulation and air barriers, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

If something goes wrong, anyone can file a complaint with the BBRS. For a complaint about the agreement or the code compliance of the work, the deadline is three years from the agreement or from the last work, whichever is later. The outcomes the regulation lists are a reprimand, a suspension or a revocation of the license, and the hearings officer may also order the license holder to retake the CSL exam. Those concern the license; paying you back is not on that list. That is another reason the fund and the courts matter.

There is a homeowner route. For a one- or two-family home, a homeowner doing permitted work is exempt from the CSL requirement, “provided that if a homeowner engages a person(s) for hire to do such work, then such homeowner shall act as supervisor.” If a contractor suggests you pull the permit, the regulation makes you the supervisor for the people you hire, and you are outside the fund.

Insurance is a separate question

In the sections of chapter 142A on registration, contracts, the fund and penalties, insurance is not mentioned. So a registration number is not proof that anyone is insured. Under chapter 152, section 25A, “every employer shall provide for the payment to his employees of the compensation provided for by this chapter,” by insurance, by membership in a self-insurance group, or by a self-insurer license from the state.

Ask for a certificate of workers’ compensation insurance and a certificate of liability insurance, with the policy dates, and have your contractor’s insurance agent send them to you directly. What happens if an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, or damage is not covered, depends on the facts. We are not lawyers, so ask your own insurance agent or attorney before the work starts.

Sun Shore Construction is licensed and insured, and proof is available on request.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What is your HIC registration number, and is the name on it the name on this contract?
• Who holds the construction supervisor license for this job, and will that name be on the permit application?
• Will the license holder or a licensed designee be on site at the inspection points?
• Who pulls the permit, and does the contract say so?
• Can you have your insurance agent send me the certificates, with dates?
• How are disputes handled, and is any arbitration clause written out and signed separately?

Checklist

• Registration number looked up with the state; name matches the contract
• CSL holder named, and the same name on the permit application
• Permit pulled by the contractor, not by you
• Certificates of insurance in hand, sent by the agent, dates checked
• Contract in writing, with no blank spaces

FAQ

Can I still take an unregistered contractor to court? Section 3(a) lets any party bring an action to enforce the chapter in court, and section 17 says violations are unfair or deceptive acts under chapter 93A. What you do not get is the Guaranty Fund. A lawyer can tell you what applies to your situation.

Does the Guaranty Fund pay for everything that goes wrong? No. It needs a judgment or award, an unpaid contractor and a collection effort. The statute caps it per owner and excludes things like attorney’s fees and interest.

Is a CSL the same as an HIC registration? No. They come from different offices under different rules, and section 14 specifically says construction supervisors are not exempt from registering.

What about small jobs? Section 14 lists exemptions, for example for contractors who work exclusively in certain areas such as landscaping, interior painting or finished floor covering. A full remodel involves more than one of those. If someone says they are exempt, ask the state.

Eric Zhang is the owner of Sun Shore Construction, a general contractor in Greater Boston founded in 2020. He has more than a decade of hands-on renovation experience.

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

What our jobs show

Windows came up in a few of our bathroom jobs, in different ways:

• Reframing a window. One contract lists redoing the framing for the window so a decorative glass window can go in, and, as a separate line, installing the window with waterproofing outside it and new siding. A window change is not only a bathroom job. It reaches the outside wall.
• Making a shower window smaller. One contract lists, as an optional add-on, replacing the window in the shower area with a smaller one and repairing the siding.
• A tub beside a window. Another contract places a free-standing tub near the window.
• A tub platform under a window. In our photos of two other bathrooms, a framed platform for the tub sits right under a double window. Because the walls are open, you can see the framing, the insulation in the wall and the drain lines all at once.
• A window in the shower. In the photos of one finished bathroom, a small window sits in the walk-in shower wall near the niche, with the tile running up to the frame and a glass door in front.
• Glass block. In another finished bathroom, a row of glass block sits high on the shower wall, set into the tile, with a glass enclosure in front.

These come from a handful of our contracts and site photos, so this is a small sample. It is enough to show how many things a single window can touch.

A window over the tub

When the tub sits under a window, the framing around the tub and the window get planned together.

• Heights. Where does the tub rim, or the platform around it, end compared with the window sill? Ask how the tile will meet the sill and the window trim.
• The wall below the window. It is usually an outside wall. While it is open, you can see the insulation, and it is the moment to ask what goes in it.
• Privacy. A window beside a tub can be seen from outside. Blinds, a shade or frosted glass are easier to plan before the trim goes on.

We cover the tub choices themselves in choosing a bathtub.

A window inside the shower

A window in the shower gets water on it every day, so the details matter more here.

• The opening. Ask how the opening is waterproofed, where the tile stops, and what the sill is made of. A sill that slopes back toward the shower sends water away from the wall. Ask your contractor how it will be built.
• The window itself. Ask what the frame is made of and whether it is meant for constant moisture. Ask whether it opens, and if it does, whether you can reach it from inside the shower.
• The layout. The showerhead, the niche and a grab bar all want the same wall. Draw them with the window on the plan, not afterward.

The layers behind the tile, and why they matter, are in what’s behind shower tile. The window opening is one more place where that waterproofing has to be carried through.

Glass block, or glass you can’t see through

If you want daylight but not a view, there are a few options: frosted or textured glass, glass block, or a high window. The contract above that mentions a decorative glass window is one way to do it.

Glass block is a fixed unit, so it does not open. In Massachusetts a bathroom with a tub or shower needs an exhaust fan vented outdoors whether or not the window opens, so plan the fan either way. Read where the bathroom exhaust fan sends the air before you decide, and ask how the opening will be sized, since glass block often goes in whole blocks.

The outside half of the job

A window sits in an outside wall. Changing its size, position or type means work outside too: waterproofing around the opening, siding and trim. The contract that lists the window also lists waterproofing outside the window and new siding. When you compare quotes, ask:

• Is the exterior work in the same contract, or does someone else do it?
• Who repairs the siding, and when?
• What happens to the open wall if the weather turns?

And ask whether a window this close to a tub or shower needs safety glass. Your window supplier and the building inspector can tell you how the rules apply to your window.

Questions to ask before the walls close

• Is the window staying, moving, getting smaller or getting replaced?
• How is the opening waterproofed, inside and outside?
• What sits under the window: a tub, a platform, a shower wall?
• What kind of glass, and does it open?
• How will the tile or trim finish at the sill?
• Who does the work on the outside wall, and is it priced in the same contract?
• Does the window need safety glass where it is?

Checklist

• Window plan drawn on the bathroom layout, with tub, shower, niche and grab bar
• Waterproofing at the opening, inside and outside, described in the contract
• Sill detail and frame material named
• Glass type chosen: clear, frosted, textured or glass block
• Exterior work and siding repair listed: who, and when
• Window supplier or building inspector asked about safety glass
• Ventilation planned separately, as in the exhaust fan guide
• Window decisions made before the walls close, as with the other add-ons that are easier before walls close

FAQ

Can there be a window inside a shower? Yes. We have photos of a finished bathroom with a small window in the shower wall. It is a detail job: ask how the opening is waterproofed, what the sill is made of, and whether the frame suits constant moisture.

Does glass block open? Glass block is a fixed unit, so it does not. In Massachusetts a bathroom with a tub or shower needs an exhaust fan vented outdoors whether or not the window opens, so plan the fan either way.

Can I move or resize a bathroom window? Often, but it is a change to the outside wall, so ask who does the framing, the waterproofing and the siding, and when.

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.

What the two contracts cover

One contract was written for a full basement finish with a new stairway. The other was written for four rooms. Both list their work room by room or trade by trade, and the same items appear in both:

• Framing. Walls along the concrete, ceiling framing, and in one contract the framing around the heating and cooling ducts so drywall can go up.
• Enclosures. Both build a closet around the sump pump and enclose the space under the stairs. One also encloses a utility closet; the other builds a mechanical room and a closet around the furnace and the water softener.
• Drywall. Both include drywall and plastering, then painting. One specifies half-inch drywall and sanding.
• Floors. Vinyl plank throughout in one; tile in two of the rooms in the other.
• Doors, baseboards, trim and molding.
• Trash removal. Both say it is included.

The stairway contract adds an open stairway (one side wall removed), a new railing, balusters and wood treads. If you want to see how these steps follow each other on site, our stages of finishing a basement article walks through them in order.

What they leave out

This is the part worth reading twice.

• Materials. Both contracts say the price does not include materials. One of them also says the contractor may help buy some materials, gives you the receipts, and asks you to pay for them within 15 days of getting the receipts. The same clause is in the bathroom contracts we read; who buys the materials in a bathroom remodel explains how to plan for it.
• Electrical. Both say the electrical work is not included. Outlets, switches and lights are still part of a finished basement, so someone has to do them. Wiring runs inside the walls, so it usually has to be done before the drywall goes up. One contract even names the inspection of the framing plus electrical as a step in its payment schedule, which shows the electrical is part of the job’s timeline even though it is not in that price.
• Plumbing. One contract says the price does not include plumbing labor, and it adds a note next to its bar table: “plumbing not included.” A bar with a sink needs a plumber on top of the carpenter.
• Insulation. This one differs. One contract includes R-19 insulation on the concrete walls. The other says insulation installation is not included, and its payment schedule mentions spray foam “(3rd party to provide)”. If insulation is not in your contract, ask who provides it and where it fits before the drywall.
• Rooms left unfinished on purpose. In one contract a room is framed and enclosed, and the contract says to keep it unfinished. The drywall line says “all walls (except in unfinished areas).” If you want part of the basement left as storage or a utility area, write it down so nobody has to guess where the finishing stops.
• Anything that is not written. Both contracts say they can only be changed in writing, signed by both sides. One adds that work not described in the contract requires more payment.

Upgrades listed as options

Contracts often list upgrades separately from the base scope. The stairway contract lists three soundproofing options, each with its own price line:

• soundproof insulation between the ceiling joists, in place of the existing insulation;
• soundproof foam boards between the joists and the drywall; and
• thicker five-eighths-inch ceiling drywall in place of the half-inch.

They are listed as options, not as part of the base scope. If sound traveling to the rooms above matters to you, ask your contractor which options exist and what each one changes, before the ceiling is closed.

“Rough-in”: ask where the work stops

We also wrote an estimate to add a half bathroom to a basement. It covers the framing, a door, drywall on the outside of the bathroom walls and flooring outside it. The inside of the bathroom is left unfinished, and the electrical and plumbing labor is not included.

The estimate was titled “Bathroom Rough-In.” The word does not mean the same thing in every quote: it often means the pipes and wires placed before the walls close, and in this estimate it meant the room’s shell with no plumbing or electrical labor. If a quote uses the word, ask exactly what is done and where the work stops.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Are materials included? If not, who buys them and when are the receipts due?
• Is the electrical included? If not, who does it, and when does it fit between the framing and the drywall?
• Is plumbing included, for a bar, a bathroom or a laundry?
• Is insulation included? On which walls, what kind, and who installs it?
• Which areas are finished and which are left unfinished?
• Which upgrades are listed as options, and what does each one change?
• Who applies for the permits? Our contractor check article explains what a Massachusetts home improvement contract has to say about it.
• How is a change written down and signed?

When you compare two quotes, compare what is in each, line by line.

Checklist

• Materials, electrical, plumbing and insulation each marked “included” or “not included”
• Finished and unfinished areas named
• Options listed separately and named
• Permits: who applies
• Changes in writing, signed by both sides
• Payment steps tied to the stages of the work, as described in what each payment is tied to

FAQ

Does a basement finishing quote include electrical work? In the two of our contracts that we read, no: both say the electrical work is not included. Ask for it in writing, either as a line in the contract or as a separate quote.

Can part of the basement stay unfinished? Yes. One of our contracts framed a room and kept it unfinished on purpose. Name the room and say what “unfinished” means for it, so the drywall, floor and paint lines are clear.

Why do two basement quotes look so different? They may not cover the same things. One may include insulation, plumbing or electrical and the other not. Compare the scope line by line before you compare anything else.

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

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