We are being extra selective as to who we are willing to work for during covid. Everyone is reacting differently and theres a lot at stake for the contractor..,

Weve had the start, no lets put it off. Ok lets do it thing happen a few times and that is a warning sign to me the contractor to disengage and simply avoid a tense situation.

Id suggest you rent a hotel and plan on 4 weeks.

We had work done and we rented an Air BnB for the duration. Is this your only bathroom? I wouldn’t live there for a remodel of the only bathroom. Especially during COVID. Your condo probably has rules for when work can be done- I would check the hours out.

L none - We have a second bathroom we can use. The hours are 8 to 5 for work to be done. I was really hoping this could be done in 2 weeks. I guess not.

We did a total make-over of our second floor( except bathroom): stucco the whole stair- and hallway, sanding, painting and a new floor. For almost three weeks there were 2-3 workmen in our house.

We gave up our summer holiday vacation so we would be at home to open as much windows as possible and be in our garden. We were lucky the weather was perfect. And of course we kept social distance.

Try to create your working place as far as possible from them. Hopefully they're in just one space( we had them through the whole house).

Open doors and windows as much as possible and yes, clean everything they touched or used when they're gone. Mechanical ventilation was at high speed.

My workmen kept their distance for same reasons.

i hope all will turn out well, good luck.

Is there a way the bathroom area can be shut off with a zipped sheet of plastic? Is your climate such that all tile cutting can be done outside?

The most recent info on spread of the disease indicates that we should not worry so much about spread through surface contamination (fomites) but the spread through the air.

We have done quite a bit of remodeling, and it always takes longer than planned. If you are desperate that it be done in a certain timeframe, you could look into the idea of having a penalty written in your contract for late completion.

@julieste Unfortunately, the master bathroom is right off of our master bedroom, but the plastic zipped sheet is a great idea. Also, I thought if we purchased tile from a company like tile bar, that we would purchase the size we needed and then it would be sent already cut. Is that not how it works?

personally, I wouldn't worry so much about covid during the remodel, anymore than I'd worry about a regular virus. (the virus is here to stay, at least for the next few years. Just accept the fact and move on. Or, wait a few more years!)

You can certainly use the plastic zip sheet to separate it from your bedroom.

(would they have to enter and exit through your bedroom or is there another entrance?

this was our own remodel. the bedroom was on the other side.

we had a major remodel. everything done. it was a mess. yours prob won't be as bad.

Of course they will wear masks going in and out of the home. Is there a window in the bathroom?

as for Tilebar, the tile size you order, (say, 3x12 , or a 12x24) is how you will get them shipped.

Your tile person will then cut the tiles if they need to be. Does that make sense?

for edging and finishing off the sides, you will bullnose tiles or special edging.

It comes cut into squares or rectangles or whatever, but they need to cut the ones that end at the wall or corner in incomplete rows -- there's no way around that. Look at the right corner here:

Rustic Reclaimed Chestnut · More Info

there's a half tile in alternate rows.

Oh yes. Now I remember. I added a significant amount of tile backsplash in my kitchen in a previous home years ago and he did use my garage to cut the tile. Completely forgot about that. Thanks.

Beth - You make a great point. In fact, hubby just said we need to get the work done and work around the virus. We can't wait years. Getting the plastic sheet covering, opening windows and circulating the fans, in addition to masks, is the most we can do. I think we're going to move forward.

Dragonfly - Thanks for all the info. What I meant by start right away is finalize the design with a designer and interview 3 contractors. I live in Chicago and fortunately fellow condo residents and those in surrounding buildings have a list of recommended contractors. Our condo assn. also has a list for us to review. Your comments are most helpful to us. Thank you.

We did two bathrooms this summer. Took around four weeks. Demo of the old tile was extremely loud, I had a headache the days I had to work inside while they worked. Positive note because of the weather we could mostly stay outside out of the way of the workers and also they could cut tile outside. Holding off on another remodel until next spring/summer for the same reasons. If you can, at least get away for a few days during the demo if you work from home.

Good that you have those references. We are in the Milwaukee area and are on "the list" for the high end lakeside condos so receive those calls regularly. Not sure if you are in one of the "high rises", but there are specific requirements (including our insurance on file with the association, etc). They come with a few challenges mentioned in our previous comments. If we don't trust the GC, or the initial request is all about bid price, we decline consideration. Even with referrals, vet them yourself. Ask to meet with the GC and his primary subs before final plans are defined or at the very least have him identify and commit to the subs he will be using so you can vet them. We DO get the regular calls still from the high end lake front condo owners to consult on failed tile installations. Hire wisely. Ask the questions up front. Get to know the team involved, not just the GC face. Good luck with your project.

Dragonfly; Much appreciated. We're in one of the high rises by the Bears stadium, about 3 blocks from the lake. Fortunately, we've got great neighbors who've had great contractors, but your advice is extremely helpful. Thank you.

Head Dragonfly's words wisely, trust but verify.

We live in a lakefront condo in Michigan. Be prepared that things will not move quickly because of COVID. We signed our contract in July, materials ordered, estimated start date of mid-November. Cabinets are running far behind. Nothing to do but wait your turn. Since we have 3 bedrooms, we are completely moving out of the master so it can be used as a staging area during construction. This is where the tile will be cut, instead of going up and down 4 flights each time a cut is needed. I’m happy we can section off the area this way to avoid the mess and make the project more convenient for everyone.