Remodeled bathroom with a tiled walk-in shower, the kind of work done in Bohemia, New York

Alec's Construction remodels bathrooms in Bohemia (11716), working out of the yard in East Patchogue. A bathroom job here starts with what is behind the walls and under the floor — the drain lines, the venting, the subfloor and how the room gets rid of moisture — because those decide what the new room can be before anyone picks a tile.

Bathroom Remodeling in Bohemia

North of Sunrise Highway, Bohemia's residential streets are 1960s and 70s ranches and splits on quarter-acre lots, and their bathrooms come from the decades of colored fixtures, fiberglass tub surrounds and small floor tile set over plywood. Many of those surrounds have already been swapped once for another one-piece unit. When they come out, the wall behind is often plain drywall or bare studs with no waterproofing, which is why swelling and mold show up at the bottom corners. A proper rebuild puts cement board and a membrane behind new tile, or uses a good panel system installed the way its maker specifies. Splits usually have the main bath on the upper level and a half bath near the family room, and that half bath is a natural candidate for adding a shower. The sandy ground drains well and there is no tidal water close by, so the work here is about wear and ventilation.

What We Look at First in Bohemia

We check the bottom corners of the wall beside the tub for softness and pull back an edge of the surround if we can, since that shows whether water has gotten behind it. Then the fan, which in many of these houses was never ducted outside. On splits we measure the lower-level half bath for a shower. Bohemia files with the Town of Islip on Main Street in Islip hamlet.

Ranches and Capes on Sandy Ground

Inland, under the pitch pine and oak, the common house is a 1950s-to-70s ranch, cape or hi-ranch, and the bathroom in it was built small: a five-foot tub, a narrow vanity and a toilet on one wall. That standard footprint is good news, because it is well understood.

The usual remodel is a tub-to-shower conversion with a low curb or a curbless entry, a wider vanity, better light, and a properly ducted fan. Where the bath sits over a basement, the drains are easy to reach and moving the toilet or the shower is a reasonable request. On a slab it is a bigger job, and we say so up front.

In a cape the upstairs bath is often under the roof slope, so headroom at the shower and the tub decides the layout. Many families here also plan for ageing in place: grab-bar blocking in the walls, a bench, and a handheld shower.

Tiled shower and vanity in a remodeled Long Island bathroom

The Order of the Work

A bathroom goes wrong when finishes go over problems. So the order does not change: open it up, find what is wet or soft, fix the structure and the plumbing, then waterproof, then tile.

The shower is the part that matters most. Behind the tile goes cement board or a foam board system with a bonded membrane, sealed at every seam and corner, sloped to the drain, and flood-tested. The fan is sized to the room and vented outside, not into the attic. Tile, grout, the vanity, the toilet and the trim come last, and we test every fixture with you at the walkthrough.

Permits in Bohemia

Bohemia files with the Town of Islip on Main Street in Islip hamlet. A cosmetic refresh usually needs no permit, but moving plumbing, adding a bathroom, changing the layout or new electrical work is permitted work in Suffolk, and we file it before the walls are closed.

Alex walks the house in Bohemia, photographs what he finds and gives you a written scope in the order the work has to happen — whether or not you hire us. Call (631) 312-7441 to set up a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

The fiberglass tub surround in our Bohemia split is cracking. Can we just put in another one?

You can, but check what is behind it first. Many surrounds went in over plain drywall, and once a crack lets water through, the wall can stay damp for years. If it is soft or moldy, it should come out, and then you choose between tile over a waterproofed backer or a new panel system over a proper substrate. Either one works when the wall behind it is built right.

How long does a bathroom remodel take in Bohemia?

A typical full bathroom runs about three to four weeks of work once materials are on site, longer if the plumbing moves or the subfloor needs repair. Special-order tile, vanities and glass doors set the start date more than the labor does, so we order them before demolition.

Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Bohemia?

It depends on the scope. Replacing fixtures and finishes in place usually does not need one. Moving plumbing, adding a bathroom, changing walls or adding circuits does. We tell you which side of the line your plan is on during the walkthrough and file the permit if it is needed.

Who issues the permit for bathroom remodeling work in Bohemia?

Bohemia files with the Town of Islip on Main Street in Islip hamlet. A cosmetic refresh usually needs no permit, but moving plumbing, adding a bathroom, changing the layout or new electrical work is permitted work in Suffolk, and we file it before the walls are closed.

Related Guides

Work With Alec's Construction

This page is written by the crew that does the work. See Alec's Bathroom Remodeling service — layout, waterproofing and ventilation planned before the first tile. One crew from the first walkthrough to the last inspection.

Also in Bohemia through the cold months: Kitchen Remodeling and Basement Finishing.

Also Serving Bohemia

Talk to Alec's Construction About Bathroom Remodeling in Bohemia

We come out, look at the house, photograph what we find and put a written scope in your hand. No pressure, no obligation. Working across Suffolk County since 2018.

Or call (631) 312-7441

No cost, no obligation. We reply the same day.