Newly tiled walk-in shower in a remodeled Long Island bathroom

Alec's Construction remodels bathrooms in Farmingville, Suffolk County — full guts, tub-to-shower conversions, layout changes and the plumbing, ventilation and waterproofing behind them — working out of the yard in East Patchogue. Bathrooms are indoor work from the first day, which is why they run through our winter calendar.

Bathrooms in Farmingville

Farmingville is hi-ranch and split-level almost entirely, and the hi-ranch bathroom set is predictable: a hall bath and a small master bath upstairs, and a half bath or a full bath downstairs that was often added after the house was built and is the one with the plumbing problems. The lower-level bath on a hi-ranch is at grade on the slab, which means the drain is in the concrete and moving it means cutting the floor.

The 1970s Hall Bath, and What Is Behind It

The split-level and hi-ranch hall bath is the most-remodeled room in central Suffolk: 5-by-8, one window, a one-piece fibreglass tub-shower unit that went in before the walls were closed, and a vanity replaced once since. Behind the tub surround is where the surprises are — a drain that was never vented properly, a fan ducted into the attic, sheetrock instead of cement board behind the tile the previous owner added.

The remodel that lasts opens that wall, fixes what is behind it, and builds the new shower on a proper pan with a waterproofing membrane before the first tile goes on. The finishes are the easy part.

What a Bathroom Remodel Is, in Order

1. Demolition to the studs, and an honest look at what is behind the walls and under the floor. 2. Rough plumbing and electrical — drains, vents, the valve, a dedicated circuit for the fan and the outlets, and the fan ducted to the outside. 3. Inspection, before anything is closed. 4. Cement board and a waterproofing membrane in the wet areas, a proper pan under the shower. 5. Tile, then the fixtures, then the vanity, the trim and the paint.

Framed and insulated Long Island basement wall going up in winter

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. Replacing fixtures in place does not usually need a permit; moving plumbing, changing electrical or altering framing does. We file for what needs it and get the rough inspection before the walls close.

Book It for the Winter

One bathroom at a time, the materials ordered before the demolition, and a usable toilet and shower every night if the house has only one. A remodel that starts in January is done before the spring.

Free walkthrough in Farmingville. Alex looks at the floor, the plumbing wall, the fan and the layout, and you get a written scope and the photographs whether or not you hire us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the lower-level bathroom in my Farmingville hi-ranch be enlarged?

It can, and the slab is the thing to plan around. The drain for a lower-level bath on a hi-ranch runs in or under the slab, so relocating the toilet or the shower means cutting and re-pouring concrete, which is normal work but changes the scope. If the layout can keep the drains where they are and grow the room sideways, it is a simpler job. We look at the slab and the existing drain positions on the walkthrough before drawing anything.

Can a tub be converted to a walk-in shower?

Yes, and it is the most common request. The tub comes out, the plumbing wall is opened to move the drain and the valve, a proper shower pan and a waterproofing membrane go in, and the shower is tiled with a curb or curbless depending on the floor framing. Grab bars, a bench and a niche go in at the framing stage, not after.

Does a bathroom remodel need a permit?

Replacing fixtures in place generally does not. Moving plumbing, changing the electrical, altering the framing or changing the layout does, in every Suffolk town and village. We file for the work that needs it and get the rough inspection before the walls are closed, because a bathroom that fails inspection after the tile is on is an expensive bathroom.

How long does a bathroom remodel take?

A full gut of a standard hall bath is a few weeks of work once the materials are on site — demolition, rough plumbing and electrical, inspection, cement board and waterproofing, tile, fixtures, trim and paint. The variable is the materials lead time, which is why we order everything before demolition starts so the house is not without a bathroom while a vanity ships.

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Work With Alec's Construction

This guide is written by the crew that does the work. See Alec's Bathroom Remodeling service — full gut renovations, tile, plumbing and vanities. Licensed and insured on Long Island, one crew start to finish, free walkthrough and a written estimate inside 48 hours.

Booking the cold months now: we also handle Kitchen Remodeling and Painting.

Get a Free Estimate from Alec's Construction

Working across Suffolk County since 2018, one crew from start to finish. We come out, look at the actual job, and put a written number in your hand — no pressure, no obligation.

Or call (631) 312-7441

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