Demolition: 1 to 2 days
Demolition is usually the fastest phase of a bathroom remodel, at one to two days for a typical bathroom.[1]
It is also the most predictable phase on the whole job, since it rarely depends on anything ordered ahead of time the way tile or a new vanity does.
Framing and carpentry: 2 to 3 days
Framing work typically runs two to three days.[1]
If the layout is not changing, this step is mostly repairing whatever the demolition exposed. A layout change, like moving a wall, extends this window rather than the plumbing or electrical rough-in that follows it.
Plumbing rough-in: 2 to 3 days
Plumbing rough-in, meaning the supply and drain lines behind the walls and under the floor, typically runs another two to three days.[1]
Electrical rough-in: about 2 days
Electrical rough-in typically takes about two days, and often overlaps with the plumbing work rather than following it in strict sequence.[1]
The rough-in inspection: 1 day plus a wait
Before anything gets covered up, the rough-in has to clear an inspection, which can add a day for the visit itself plus whatever the local wait time is for scheduling one.[1]
Insulation: about 1 day
Insulation typically takes about a day once the rough-in has passed inspection.[1]
Drywall: about 3 days
Drywall or cement board typically takes around three days, including the taping and finishing that has to happen before tile or paint can start.[1]
Tile: about 2 days
Tile work typically runs about two days for a standard bathroom, longer for a large-format or heavily patterned layout.[1]
Paint: 1 to 2 days
Paint typically adds a day or two, depending on how many coats the walls and trim need.[1]
Final inspection and walkthrough: 1 day plus a wait
The final inspection follows the same pattern as the rough-in: a day for the visit, plus scheduling time, before the permit closes out and you do the final walkthrough with your contractor.[1]
How the scope changes the total
Put together, a full bathroom remodel with plumbing and electrical work commonly runs four to eight weeks from start to final walkthrough, and layout changes that need their own structural permits and inspections push it longer still.[1]
A cosmetic refresh that never opens a permit can move through the same finish work, tile and paint included, without the rough-in and final inspection stops built into that four-to-eight-week window.[2]
Where a schedule tends to slip
Rough-in and its inspection are the phases most likely to run long, since the wait for an inspector's visit sits outside the contractor's control, and any layout change adds framing work ahead of it rather than after it.[1]
Material delays are the other common culprit. A tile or vanity that has to be special-ordered can stall the finish phases even after the rough-in and its inspection are long done. Picking those items before demolition starts, rather than during the rough-in wait, is the one part of the schedule a homeowner can usually control directly.