You walk into your bathroom every single day—maybe six times. And every time, you see the same things: dated vinyl tile curling at the edges, old beadboard pulling away from the wall, a tired tub/shower combo with stained grout, and a builder-grade vanity that barely holds a toothbrush.
You’ve probably gotten a quote from a contractor. And when you saw that number—$25,000, $35,000, maybe $40,000—you felt the same stomach drop every homeowner feels.
Here’s what contractors don’t want you to know: 50–70% of that quote is markup, overhead, and profit—not materials. This book shows you exactly how to do the same remodel for $8,000–$15,000 and keep $17,000–$25,000 in your pocket as pure sweat equity.
This isn’t theory. This is a real bathroom in Bergen County, New Jersey—documented from demo day to final inspection with step-by-step instructions, real costs, and before-and-after photos.
WHAT’S INSIDE:
• Complete tub-to-walk-in shower conversion — every step from disconnecting plumbing and removing the tub to building the curb, installing the Schluter Kerdi waterproofing system, tiling the walls and floor, and mounting frameless glass
• 12-point bathroom assessment checklist so you know exactly what you’re working with before you spend a dollar
• Phase-by-phase project playbook covering demolition, permits, electrical rough-in, plumbing rough-in, waterproofing, tiling, painting, flooring, toilet installation, vanity and plumbing connections, and finishing touches
• Clear DIY vs. Hire-a-Pro labels on every task — know exactly which jobs are safe for a weekend warrior and which require a licensed electrician or plumber (and how to prep the job site to cut their billable hours in half)
• Real Bergen County, NJ pricing for every material, fixture, and trade — no generic national averages
• The sweat equity math that proves your DIY labor earns $130–$200 per hour in tax-free home equity
• A 90-day weekend action plan that breaks the entire project into 13 manageable weekends totaling 84–124 hours
• Budget worksheets, contractor tracking sheets, measurement worksheets, and product recommendation guides in the appendices
• The Million-Dollar Blueprint showing how combining your bathroom remodel with kitchen, basement, and curb appeal projects creates $32,000–$89,000 in total equity
Whether you’re a first-time homeowner staring at a bathroom that hasn’t been touched since 2005 or an experienced DIYer planning your next value-add project, this book gives you the confidence, the plan, and the numbers to get it done right.
Jason Hammond is a technology professional with 20+ years of engineering experience and the founder of Hammond Re-Engineered LLC. He combines enterprise-grade project planning with 40+ years of hands-on renovation expertise to help homeowners save thousands through smart DIY.
Visit www.HammondReEngineered.com or www.InformationInside.com for more resources.
