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

Alec's Construction remodels bathrooms in Farmingville (11738), 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 Farmingville

Farmingville is home to the Town of Brookhaven's Building Division, at One Independence Hill, so a bathroom permit question here can be settled in person a short drive away. The houses are mostly 1960s and 70s splits and hi-ranches built across the slopes around Bald Hill, the highest ground in the town, and the slope shapes the plumbing. A split set into a hill often has a lower level that is partly below grade on one side and at grade on the other, and a bath added down there may sit below the line that carries waste out of the house, which means an ejector pump rather than a gravity drain. The upstairs baths are usually the original hall bath with a tub along the back wall, sometimes with a small second bath off the main bedroom. Both are good candidates for a tub-to-shower conversion, especially for owners planning to stay as they get older.

What We Look at First in Farmingville

On a hillside split we find where the main drain exits and how deep it runs, which decides whether a lower-level bath can drain by gravity. In the upstairs baths we check for soft subfloor at the toilet and the tub, and see whether the fan has a duct to the outside. If fixtures are being added, we ask early whether the house is on septic.

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 Farmingville

The Brookhaven Building Division is in Farmingville itself, at One Independence Hill, (631) 451-6333 — which makes it the easiest place in the town to settle a permit question in person. 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 Farmingville, 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

Our Farmingville split has a half bath downstairs. Can we add a shower to it?

Usually. The work is cutting the slab for a shower drain, tying it into the existing line, and confirming that line is large enough for a shower, since half baths are often plumbed small. If the new drain sits below the outgoing line, a pump is needed. Adding a shower adds a fixture, which is permitted work with Brookhaven and, on a septic system, can also bring a Suffolk County Health Services review.

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

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.

How do you keep a new bathroom in Farmingville from getting mildew?

With ventilation and waterproofing. The exhaust fan is sized to the room and ducted outdoors, ideally on a timer or humidity switch so it keeps running after the shower. Behind the tile, a bonded membrane keeps water out of the walls. Most mildew problems trace back to a weak fan or one vented into the attic.

Who issues the permit for bathroom remodeling work in Farmingville?

The Brookhaven Building Division is in Farmingville itself, at One Independence Hill, (631) 451-6333 — which makes it the easiest place in the town to settle a permit question in person. 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 Farmingville through the cold months: Kitchen Remodeling and Basement Finishing.

Also Serving Farmingville

Talk to Alec's Construction About Bathroom Remodeling in Farmingville

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.