Every photo on this page is from one real Karhan bathroom project in College Park — photographed before we started, while our crew worked, and after the last tile was grouted. No stock photos, no staging, no other contractor’s work.
BEFOREAFTERDrag the slider to compare
Before: A 32”×60” Shower Ready for a Refresh
The original bathroom had a glossy panel shower surround, an octagon-and-dot tile floor, and fixtures well past their prime — functional, but tired, and due for a full rebuild rather than another patch job.
What We Found: Wood Rot Behind the Window
Once we opened the shower to the studs, the glass-block window wall told a different story than the surface did — years of moisture had rotted the framing around the window down to crumbling fiber in places. This is exactly why we gut to the studs instead of tiling over a problem: a job like this only lasts as long as what’s behind the tile. We cut out every compromised stud and sistered in fresh lumber before any waterproofing went in.
Built to Last: Schluter-Kerdi Waterproofing
With the framing sound again, the entire shower — walls, curb, and a new sloped pan — was wrapped in a Schluter-Kerdi waterproofing membrane system, the same standard we use on every shower rebuild. It’s the unglamorous part no one sees once the tile goes up, and it’s the part that determines whether a shower lasts five years or twenty-five.
After: Subway Tile, Teal Accent, Marble Floor
The finished bathroom pairs classic white subway tile with a teal glass accent band that ties the shower niche to the kept glass-block window, a marble penny-round mosaic shower floor, a new marble-top vanity with polished nickel fixtures, and refinished hardwood in the hallway leading in.
BEFOREAFTERSame wall, before and after
What a Project Like This Costs
This project — full shower-to-studs demo, the wood-rot repair we found once the walls were open, Schluter-Kerdi waterproofing, new subway tile, a new vanity, and refinished hardwood in the hallway — landed in the $18,000–$25,000 range. Every bathroom is different, and structural surprises like the rot we found here can move a budget once the walls are open, which is exactly why we publish real numbers instead of teaser pricing. For the full range across bathroom sizes and finish levels, see our bathroom remodel cost guide.
Want Yours Next?
Tell us about your bathroom and we’ll give you a realistic range — free phone consultation, no pressure.