How long should tile cure before grouting?

Follow manufacturer specs — often 24–48 hours minimum. Your contractor should build this into the schedule, not compress it for speed.

Can tile and vanity install happen the same week?

Only if the floor is ready and the vanity is not sitting on uncured thinset. Most setters want the wet area done and grouted before the cabinet goes in so it does not get soaked.

Bathroom Renovation

How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take?

Bathroom remodels take 1–3 weeks for refreshes and 4–12 weeks for full gut renovations with custom orders.

6 min read

Phase-by-phase schedule

Tile cure and inspection scheduling often extend timelines.

Demo: 1–3 days
Rough plumbing and electrical: 3–7 days
Tile and waterproofing: 5–10 days
Fixtures and glass: 3–7 days

The days nobody puts on the Pinterest schedule

Waterproofing flood tests, thinset cure, glass measurement after tile, and a city inspection that only happens on Tuesdays are why a “two-week bath” becomes six. If the fan is not ducted outside, that inspection fails even when the tile looks done.

Glass is measured after walls are tiled, not from the demo-day opening
A missed plumbing inspection means opening a finished wall
Special-order vanities can sit in a warehouse while the bath is unusable — order before demo

Living in the house while the only bath is down

If this is the only full bath, budget a temporary toilet or a neighbor arrangement in writing with the GC. A powder room without a shower is not a full-bath substitute for a family. Sequence so one working shower exists whenever you can keep it.

Ask whether a garden hose shower in the basement is actually in the plan
Kids and elders change the “we can share a gym shower” math
Do not start the hall bath the same week the kitchen is also gutted

Frequently asked questions

How long should tile cure before grouting?: Follow manufacturer specs — often 24–48 hours minimum. Your contractor should build this into the schedule, not compress it for speed.
Can tile and vanity install happen the same week?: Only if the floor is ready and the vanity is not sitting on uncured thinset. Most setters want the wet area done and grouted before the cabinet goes in so it does not get soaked.