Case Study — Master Suite Remodel

Master Bath + Walk-In Closet

The Master Suite,
Reimagined.

It started as a dated, dysfunctional master bath — cane-front cabinets, a cramped tub-shower, and tile counters that made every morning a compromise. The homeowners wanted a space that finally worked for them. We took it down to the studs and rebuilt it as a true retreat: a curbless glass walk-in shower, a custom rift white-oak vanity against a deep green shiplap wall, calacatta-look quartz with a brushed-brass faucet, and a brand-new walk-in closet.

Project Type

Full Master Suite Remodel

Final Investment
$47.2k
Approved proposal + 2 change orders
Rooms Reimagined
2
Master bath + new walk-in closet
Demolition
To Studs
Floors, walls & subfloor rebuilt
The Shower
Curbless
Frameless glass — brushed-brass system

Transformation

Before, and after.

Drag to compare the original cane-and-tile vanity with the finished suite. The whole room was reworked — the footprint opened up to make room for a curbless glass shower, a single feature vanity, and a walk-through to the new closet.

What Went Wrong — & How We Fixed It

Every build hits a surprise.
Here’s how we handled ours.

Behind the finished photos is a list of problems that came up once the walls were open. Here’s what we ran into on this suite — and exactly how the team solved each one.

01
A curbless shower wouldn’t sit flush on the existing floor.

The fixWe opened the floor to the joists and reframed the structure beneath the shower so the drain and tile fall level with the rest of the room — a true zero-threshold entry instead of a curb or a ramp.

02
The old plumbing and wiring were laid out for a tub and a double vanity — not a walk-in shower, a single vanity, and a closet.

The fixWe relocated the supply and drain lines, reworked the circuits, added protected lighting, and adjusted the HVAC run — then had it all inspected before any drywall went up.

03
Once demo opened the walls, the aging substrate wasn’t worth finishing over.

The fixRather than skin over it, we stripped the room back to framing and vapor barrier and rebuilt the walls and subfloor from sound structure outward.

04
Mid-build adjustments could have quietly pushed the budget.

The fixEach change was documented and priced before the work happened — two change orders totaling $1,509 — so the final landed at exactly the approved proposal plus what was signed: $47,249.

By the numbers

You deserve to see
exactly where it goes.

Most homeowners never see the difference between a flyover, an approved budget, and a final amount — and that’s where remodels go sideways. Every Abode contract is line-item priced and tracked in JobTread, so you always know the number and what’s behind it. Here is the full record for this suite.

How it reconciles

Final — $47,249

Signed, plus exactly what changed.

Approved proposal$45,740
Change order 01+$400.00
Change order 02+$1,109.09
Final invoiced$47,249

Billed across four invoices — a planning agreement, a deposit, one progress draw, and a final:

Invoice 1 (Planning)
Nov 2023
$1,500.00
Invoice 2 (Deposit)
Apr 2024
$13,722.00
Invoice 3 (Progress)
Jul 2024
$22,870.00
Invoice 4 (Final)
Aug 2024
$9,157.09

Where the money went

Cost by trade.

The build broke down across ten trades. Tile and stone led the way — the curbless shower, the marble niche, and large-format floors are labor-intensive — followed by framing, carpentry, and the cabinetry that defines the room.

  • Tile & Stone ($9,055) 19% 19%
  • Framing & Shower Base ($6,096) 13% 13%
  • Carpentry & Cabinetry ($6,027) 13% 13%
  • Planning, Permits & Contingency ($4,854) 10% 10%
  • Plumbing ($4,825) 10% 10%
  • Demo & Site Prep ($3,987) 8% 8%
  • Painting ($3,360) 7% 7%
  • Electrical & Lighting ($3,310) 7% 7%
  • Drywall ($3,025) 6% 6%
  • Clean Up & Protection ($2,110) 5% 5%
“We always knew the number, and exactly what was behind it.”
— The Abode Way

On this project, Abode’s actual cost came in at $42,398 against a $47,249 contract. No contingency line-items hiding overruns, no end-of-job invoices for “extras.” If something had to change, it came with a written change order and a price before any work began.

That’s how a final budget can equal an approved budget, plus exactly the change orders you signed.

Selections, in detail

Where the dollars meet the design.

The character of a suite lives in its selections — the wood, the metal, the tile, the green. These are the choices the homeowners made with guidance at every step, and the role each piece plays in the finished room.

The vanity wall — seven defining selections

Tap the dots on the photo to inspect each piece — material, finish, and the role it plays in the room.

The finished suite

A bath, a walk-in shower, and a closet — one continuous suite.

The walk-in shower
Bath & water closet
The walk-in closet

The full selections schedule

Every finish across the three spaces, room by room.

The Bath
Vanity Cabinetry
Custom rift white-oak vanity + linen tower
Natural rift-sawn white oak

Countertop
Calacatta-look quartz, undermount sink
Warm white + gold veining

Faucet
Moen widespread vanity faucet
Brushed brass

Accent Wall
Painted shiplap with recessed niche
Deep forest green

Mirror
Rounded rectangular framed mirror
Matte black

Vanity Lighting
Fluted-glass wall sconces (pair)
Oil-rubbed bronze + glass

Cabinet Hardware
Bar pulls & knobs
Matte black

Floor Tile
Large-format porcelain, plank lay
Warm greige

The Walk-In Shower
Enclosure
Frameless glass walk-in with swing door
Clear glass — black hardware

Wall Tile
Vertical stacked gloss tile
Glossy white

Shower System
Moen rain head + handheld + valve
Brushed brass

Niche / Accent
Marble herringbone niche
Honed white marble

The Walk-In Closet
Built-Ins
Custom closet system — shelving, drawers, cabinets
White melamine

Flooring
Wood-look luxury vinyl plank
Warm oak tone

A Guide You Can Trust

Ready to love the room
you walk into every day?

You shouldn’t have to live with a space that works against you. We guide homeowners from dated and dysfunctional to calm, finished, and unmistakably theirs — with honest line-item budgets, daily photo updates, and a lead carpenter on site every day. The plan is simple: meet with us, approve a clear proposal, and watch it come together.

© 2026 Abode Construction Services — Manhattan, KS
Building what matters, on time and on budget.
Call Now Button