Bathroom Remodeling in Towson, MD

What’s behind the walls of an older Towson bathroom?

Usually more than one generation of work. A bathroom in a 1930s Stoneleigh Colonial or a 1940s Rodgers Forge rowhouse has often been retiled over old tile, patched around newer fixtures, or fitted with a vanity that doesn’t line up with the plumbing behind it. Census estimates (ACS 2020-2024) put about 42% of Towson homes before 1960, so this is the norm here rather than the exception.

We open the room to the studs and joists so we can see what we’re dealing with: old supply and drain lines, framing that was cut for past plumbing runs, and subfloor softened by slow leaks. That’s the point where we can price the rest honestly, instead of guessing from the tile surface.

Rowhouse baths in Rodgers Forge

The Keelty rowhouses, built from 1934 to 1956, came with tight upstairs bathrooms, and brick party walls set the room size for good. A good rowhouse bath fits more into the same footprint:

• A tub-shower combination with a full tile surround over a waterproofing membrane, or a glass walk-in shower if you don’t need a tub
• A vanity sized exactly to the wall, plus storage above the toilet or a recessed niche in the shower
• An exhaust fan that actually pulls moisture out of a small room

Because neighbors share those walls, we keep demolition to normal working hours and keep dust inside the room. If this is the only full bath in the house, we go over the order of work before demo starts so there are no surprises about when you’ll be without it.

Period baths in Stoneleigh and Anneslie

Stoneleigh and Anneslie homes are larger and more varied, with Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Craftsman and Cape Cod designs and bathrooms tucked under rooflines or added in later decades. Many owners want a bath that suits the house rather than fighting it. That can mean classic white tile, a furniture-style vanity and fixtures in a finish that fits the era, all built over modern waterproofing. We’ve installed marble-look tile tub surrounds with matte black trim and navy vanities with gold fixtures (see our navy vanity bathroom), and either look can be adapted to an older house.

Separating repair work from remodeling

If your house is a contributing home in one of Towson’s three National Register districts, Baltimore County’s 20% historic tax credit may apply to system work such as plumbing, but it excludes new bathrooms. When a bath remodel also replaces old plumbing, we write the scope in two parts so it’s clear which line items are system repair and which are the new room. The credit has to be approved before work starts, so bring it up at the first visit.

The short version on permits

In Baltimore County, the bathroom remodel itself skips the building permit; the plumbing and electrical do not. The county says a licensed plumber and electrician file for those before work begins. Moving a wall or creating a bedroom changes that. Confirm for your address.

If the kitchen is next on the list, see kitchen remodeling in Towson, or read our main bathroom remodeling page for how we build every shower and tub surround.