Charleston Brothers
Construction Inc.
Case Study · Modern Building & Craft

Two Baths Between Tenants, rental turnover.

Downtown Charleston · Every project, told the same way: problem, method, outcome. The sequence is the proof of the work.

Two Baths Between Tenants · Rental Turnover
Floor joist under a bathtub, dark with rot, exposed after the tub came out
01 — The condition
Problem

What the floor was hiding

Two identical baths in two units, scheduled for a seven-day turnover between tenants. With the tubs out, the framing underneath had rotted and the drain lines needed immediate replacement.

Bathroom floor opened to the framing, new joists set beside the old ones
02 — The judgment
Method

What we chose

Stop and do it right, with the owner informed at every step. Rotted joists replaced and sistered, drain lines replaced, a new subfloor laid flat, and the tub walls waterproofed before a single tile went up.

Finished bath with an arched tub alcove in white subway tile, matte black fixtures and a marble-look floor
03 — The result
Outcome

What it became

Both baths finished in fourteen days against a seven-day plan, with the structure under them made sound rather than covered over. Arched tub alcoves in white subway tile, matte black fixtures, marble-look floors.

Scope Two full bath renovations with structural floor repair and new drain lines Materials sistered floor joists · engineered subfloor · new drain lines · liquid waterproofing membrane · subway tile · marble-look porcelain Status Completed in 14 days
Beginning to end

Fourteen days, start to finish.

Planned as a seven-day turnover. Once the floor came up, the job changed, and the owner was kept informed at every step.

  1. Bathroom before work, dark walls, fiberglass tub surround and small hex floor tile
    01

    What was there

    A tired bath under a vaulted ceiling: a fiberglass tub surround, worn tile, dated fixtures. The plan was a fast refresh between tenants.

  2. Tape measure against rotted framing beneath the removed tub
    02

    What the floor was hiding

    With the tub out, the framing beneath it had rotted. We measured it, photographed it and walked the owner through it before going further.

  3. Bathroom walls and floor opened to the framing, drain and supply lines exposed
    03

    Opened to the structure

    Walls and floor opened to the framing, so every drain, supply line and joist could be judged rather than guessed at.

  4. New engineered subfloor down with new drain lines rising through it
    04

    Made right underneath

    Rotted joists replaced and sistered, drain lines replaced, then a new subfloor laid flat and tight across the whole room.

  5. Tub alcove tiled in white subway tile with a marble-look porcelain floor, walls ready for paint
    05

    Waterproofed, then tiled

    The tub walls sealed before a single tile went up, then subway tile to the arch and marble-look porcelain across the floor.

  6. Finished bath ready to rent, vanity with matte black faucet, tub alcove with shower curtain
    06

    Ready for the next tenant

    Finished, cleaned and set. Fourteen days from demolition to a bath ready to rent, with the structure under it built to last.

A turnover is judged on the calendar. This one was judged on what we found when the floor came up. The quick path was to set a new tub over the damage and hand back the keys on day seven. We took the other path: we showed the owner what was there, agreed the fix, and rebuilt the floor and plumbing properly under both baths at once.

Fourteen days from demolition to two baths ready to rent, and nothing left under the tub for the next tenant to discover.

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