📞 (505) 377-5532 Mon–Fri 9:00am–4:00pm  ·  2424 Washington St., Albuquerque, NM Instagram
Bathroom Remodeling · Albuquerque, NM

Your Oasis Awaits

Walk-in showers, soaking tubs, double vanities and barrier-free conversions — waterproofed and built right the first time, because bathrooms are unforgiving of shortcuts.

Walk-in shower with white herringbone tile and a pebble floor
The Room You Start and End Every Day In

Built to Be Beautiful — and Dry


A bathroom is the smallest room we work in and the one with the least tolerance for error. Everything is within arm's reach, so the tile layout, the grout lines and the reveal around the shower niche are all inspected daily by whoever lives there.

And behind that finish work, one detail decides whether the room lasts fifteen years or fails in three: waterproofing. A shower that was tiled over the wrong substrate looks identical on day one and shows up as a rotted wall later.

Zema Construction opened in 2016 doing kitchen and bath renovations, and our founder spent eight years at one of Albuquerque's largest kitchen and bath remodelers before that. We build the part you see and the part you don't with the same attention.

Start Your Bathroom Project
Since 2016Kitchen and bath remodeling in the Albuquerque area
In-House TradesPlumbing and electrical by Zema Mechanical & Zema Electric
BBB AccreditedLicensed, insured and accountable
Free ConsultationOn site, in person, with zero pressure
What We Do

Four Kinds of Bathroom Project


From a guest bath refresh to a master suite taken back to the studs — we'll tell you which one your house and your budget actually call for.

Master bathroom with tiled walk-in shower and freestanding soaking tub

Master Bath

The full build: tiled walk-in shower, freestanding or drop-in tub, double vanity, separate water closet, heated or large-format tile floor and the lighting and ventilation to support all of it.

Walk-in shower with white herringbone tile, bench and matte black fixtures

Tub-to-Shower Conversion

The tub nobody has used in a decade becomes a proper walk-in shower — glass panel, bench, niche, handheld and a floor that drains the way it should. One of the highest-impact changes you can make.

Barrier-free roll-in shower with grab bars and a built-in seat

Accessible & Aging-in-Place

Curbless entries, widened doorways, blocked-in grab bars, comfort-height fixtures and seats — designed so the room stays usable for decades without looking like a hospital.

Vanity with wood cabinetry, quartz top, round mirrors and sconce lighting

Guest Bath & Powder Room

Small rooms, big returns. New vanity, top, mirror, lighting, toilet, tile and paint — usually the quickest project we do and the one guests actually notice.

Design

Five Things That Make or Break a Bathroom


Three of these are invisible once the job is done. They're the three that decide whether you love the room in ten years.

  • Waterproofing: the shower pan, curb, corners and niche are the whole ballgame. We build the assembly to the manufacturer's system — not tile over the cheapest board on the truck.
  • Ventilation: a properly sized exhaust fan, ducted to the outside and switched or timed so it actually runs. Moisture that can't leave the room ends up in the drywall.
  • Storage: vanity drawers that clear the plumbing, a linen cabinet, recessed medicine cabinets and shower niches sized for real bottles.
  • Lighting: layered overhead, shower and vanity lighting. Vanity light from the sides rather than straight above is the single easiest upgrade to how you look in your own mirror.
  • Tile & layout: where the pattern starts, how the corners land, where the cuts fall and how the grout lines meet — set out before the first tile goes on the wall.
Tiled shower wall with a mosaic accent band and dark fixtures
Behind the Tile

Plumbing and Electrical by Our Own Crews


Bathrooms are the most trade-dense room in the house per square foot. Supply, drain, vent, exhaust, lighting and GFCI circuits all have to be coordinated inside a few feet of wall — and a single missed rough-in item can hold up a whole project waiting on someone else's schedule.

Zema Mechanical and Zema Electric are our companies, scheduled by the same people running your build. Nobody is waiting on a sub to call back.

  • Shower valves, drains, vents and supply lines relocated for a new layout
  • Tubs, toilets and vanities set and connected
  • Exhaust fans sized to the room and ducted to the exterior
  • GFCI protection, vanity lighting and wet-location shower fixtures
  • Heated floor mats and dedicated circuits where you want them
Glass-enclosed walk-in shower with large-format tile and matte black fixtures
Accessible shower with a tiled bench, grab bars and handheld fixture
Aging in Place

Staying in the Home You Love


Most people who call us about an accessible bathroom aren't planning for someday — something has already happened, and the bathroom is suddenly the hardest room in the house to use.

The good news is that almost everything that makes a bathroom safer also makes it better looking. A curbless shower reads as modern, not medical. Grab bars come in the same finishes as your faucet. A built-in bench is a feature either way.

  • Curbless / roll-in showers: no lip to step over, with the floor sloped to drain properly.
  • Blocking in the walls: solid backing installed during framing so grab bars can be added anywhere, any time — even if you don't want them yet.
  • Wider doorways: framed and finished to clear a walker or a wheelchair.
  • Seats and handhelds: tiled benches, fold-down seats and slide-bar handshowers.
  • Comfort-height fixtures: toilets and vanities set to a height that doesn't fight you.
  • Slip-resistant flooring: small-format or textured tile that keeps traction wet.
Talk Through the Options
How It Goes

From First Call to First Shower


The same six steps we use on every project, applied to a bathroom. Nothing gets ordered and no tile comes off until you've signed off.

Free In-Home Consultation

We look at the room with you — what's failing, what's frustrating, who uses it and what you want it to become. Completely free, with zero pressure to move forward.

Budget Range

An honest range based on that walkthrough, before anyone invests more time. If it fits your expectations, we keep going. Note: larger projects may require a non-refundable design fee to measure, design and create construction documents.

Detailed Measurements

We measure the room, locate the existing supply, drain and vent lines, check the joist direction under the floor and flag anything that limits where fixtures can move — while it's still just lines on paper.

Bathroom Design

Your designer presents one or two layouts. Form and function only at this stage: shower size, door swing, vanity width, clearances and where the light comes from. Materials come later on purpose.

Selections

Tile, grout, vanity, countertop, sink, faucet, shower valve and trim, toilet, glass, mirrors, lighting and hardware — chosen with a professional designer so the finishes agree with each other.

Final Pricing & Schedule

You see the final design, the final selections and the total cost, along with financing options if you want them. Looks good? We sign the Remodeling Agreement and put your bathroom on the construction calendar.

During Construction

What Actually Happens, In Order


A bathroom is a sequence of things that have to cure, be inspected, or both. The quiet days in the middle are usually mortar and waterproofing doing their job.

  • Protection & demo: path to the room covered, old tile, tub, vanity and fixtures removed down to the framing.
  • Rough-in: framing changes, blocking for grab bars and benches, plumbing, electrical and fan ducting — then inspection.
  • Close-up: cement board and drywall hung, taped and textured.
  • Waterproofing: pan, curb, corners and niche built and sealed as a system, then flood tested.
  • Tile: walls and floor set out, laid, then grouted and sealed.
  • Paint & finish carpentry: paint, trim, door and casing.
  • Fixtures: vanity, top, sink, faucet, toilet, shower trim, lighting, mirrors and accessories.
  • Glass: shower glass is measured on the finished tile, so it's ordered near the end and installed last.
  • Walkthrough: we build the punch list with you and don't call it finished until you do.
Finished walk-in shower with vertical tile and a glass panel
Questions

Bathroom Remodeling FAQ


The questions we get asked at almost every consultation.

What does a bathroom remodel cost?

It depends far more on scope than on square footage. A powder room refresh and a master bath taken to the studs with a custom tiled shower are different projects with different numbers. Cost is driven by the size of the shower, the tile (material and how hard it is to set), the vanity and countertop, whether plumbing moves, and whether you're adding glass.

That's why we give you a budget range at step two — after we've seen the room and before you've spent anything.

How long will I be without the bathroom?

For the duration of construction — a bathroom can't be used in stages. Timing depends on scope, permit and inspection scheduling, material lead times and, on tiled showers, curing time that can't be rushed. Shower glass is measured on finished tile, so it arrives near the end.

If it's your only bathroom, tell us at the consultation. We'll sequence the work and stage the material deliveries to keep the out-of-service window as short as it can honestly be.

Should I convert my tub to a walk-in shower?

If nobody in the house takes baths and the tub is only ever used as a shower, converting it is usually the best money you'll spend on that room. The one thing to weigh: buyers generally want at least one bathtub somewhere in the house. If this is your only tub and you may sell, we'll talk that through before you commit.

Can you make my bathroom accessible without it looking institutional?

Yes — that's most of what accessible bathroom design is now. Curbless showers read as high-end. Grab bars come in the same finishes as the rest of your fixtures, and some double as towel bars or shower shelves. Even if you don't want bars today, we can install solid blocking in the walls during framing so they can be added later without opening tile.

Do I need a permit?

If we're moving plumbing, altering electrical or changing anything structural, yes. We handle the permit applications and schedule the inspections as part of the job — including the rough-in inspection that happens before anything gets covered up.

Why does waterproofing come up so much?

Because it's the difference between a shower that lasts and one that fails, and it's completely invisible once the tile is on. Tile and grout are not waterproof on their own — the assembly behind them is what keeps water out of your framing. We build shower pans, curbs, corners and niches as a complete system and test them before tile goes on.

It's also the corner that's easiest for a low bid to cut, because you can't see it and it won't show up for years.

Who picks the tile and fixtures?

You do — with help. You'll be paired with a professional designer for selections so the tile, vanity, counter, fixtures, glass and lighting read as one room. Bring inspiration photos; they're the fastest way to show us what you actually want.

Do you offer financing?

Yes. We offer financing options to help bring your project to life — ask about them during your free consultation and we'll help you find the right fit.

What areas do you serve?

Albuquerque and the surrounding areas. Our office is at 2424 Washington St. in Albuquerque. If you're not sure whether you're in range, call us at (505) 377-5532 and we'll tell you.

Keep Going

Often Done at the Same Time


Kitchen remodel with a granite island and pendant lighting

Kitchens

The other room we've specialized in since 2016. Doing both at once means one mobilization, one permit cycle and one round of disruption instead of two.

Kitchen Remodeling
Home addition

Additions

When the master bath you want won't fit in the walls you have, a bump-out or a reworked floor plan is often the answer. We'll price both paths.

Home Additions
Whole home remodeling

Whole-Home Remodeling

Flooring, paint, doors and trim that carry the new bathroom's finishes out into the rest of the house instead of stopping at the doorway.

Remodeling
Let's Get Started

Tell Us About Your Bathroom


Free, no-pressure consultation in your home. Owner Zephaniah Wristen and manager Juan Portillo are ready to help.

Set an Appointment