Bringing Mid-Century Cuyahoga Falls Bathrooms and Kitchens Up to Date

Common issues in postwar homes

Houses from this era were well built, but their plumbing has now been in service for sixty or seventy years. When we open a bathroom wall in a mid-century home, we often find the original tub valve, galvanized supply lines that have narrowed with rust, and a mortar-bed shower floor that has started to crack. Drains may be cast iron with a few later repairs in PVC.

Split-levels add their own twist. Bathrooms often sit over a garage or lower family room, so a slow leak shows up as a ceiling stain one level down. Ranches built over crawlspaces can make drain access tight, which we account for in the estimate.

• Two-handle tub valves without scald protection
• Narrowed galvanized lines causing weak shower flow
• Cracked mortar-bed shower floors leaking into the framing
• Cast iron drains with corrosion at joints
• Undersized bathroom exhaust leading to moisture damage

Converting a tub to a walk-in shower

This is one of the most popular updates we do in these homes. A shower that uses the old tub footprint can include a low-threshold or curbless entry, a built-in bench and a niche for storage. The drain usually needs to be relocated toward the center or to a linear drain at one edge, and the old tub valve is replaced with a modern pressure-balancing or thermostatic valve set at shower height.

A proper waterproof shower pan is essential. We make sure the drain assembly and pan are installed and tested before tile goes on, since a pan failure is expensive to fix once the tile is set.

Opening up the kitchen

Mid-century kitchens were usually separate rooms. Many owners now want to remove a wall to connect the kitchen with the dining or living area. If that wall carries a drain, vent or supply line, the plumbing has to be rerouted before the wall can come down. We will tell you what is inside the wall and the options for relocating it.

Moving the sink into a new island is another common goal. Island sinks need a drain run under the floor and a venting method that works without a wall behind the sink. We plan that along with the rest of the layout. For fixture selection, take a look at our faucet installation services in Cuyahoga Falls. If you are switching to gas cooking or moving a range, we also handle cooktop gas line installation.

Keeping the good parts

Not everything old needs to go. Some owners love their vintage tile and want to keep it while updating the fixtures and pipes behind it. In those cases we work through access panels or from below where possible to limit disruption. Cast iron tubs are also often worth keeping and refinishing rather than replacing.

We will give you an honest opinion about what is worth saving and what is near the end of its life, so you can spend your remodel budget where it matters most.

Getting started

We start with a free consultation and estimate at your home. You approve the written specifications before any work begins. When the work is done, we pressure test new lines and do a final quality inspection of every fixture. Our plumbers keep the area clean and protect your floors throughout. You can find more about our overall approach on the main remodeling services page.