If you’ve been thinking about a renovation — a bathroom update, a kitchen refresh, converting that unused space above the garage — you’ve probably got a list of questions you’re not sure who to ask.
At J Pratt Construction, we think you deserve straight answers before a single tool comes out of the truck. These are the questions we hear most often from homeowners right here in Greenville, SC. We’re answering every one of them — honestly, and without the sales pitch.
“How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Greenville, SC?”
This is the first question almost everyone asks, and it’s the right one to start with. Here’s what the numbers actually look like in our market:
- Entry-level renovation — new tile, updated vanity, new fixtures, and replacing a fiberglass shower unit: starting around $45,000
- Mid-range remodel — custom tile work, walk-in shower, quality fixtures, updated layout: around $60,000
- High-end primary bathroom — premium finishes, freestanding tub, full custom tile, elevated hardware: starting around $80,000 and up depending on size and selections
What drives cost up most? Moving plumbing or electrical, what the walls reveal once demo begins, and material selections. There’s a meaningful difference between $8/sq ft tile and $28/sq ft tile across a full bathroom. Our recommendation: set your budget before you set your heart on a finish. Then we can build a scope that makes sense.
The Bottom Line: A solid bathroom renovation in Greenville starts at $45,000. The more custom the finishes and the more the layout changes, the more the number grows — and that’s normal.
“How do I know if a contractor is licensed and legitimate in South Carolina?”
In South Carolina, residential contractors must hold a license through the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. You can verify any contractor’s license yourself at verify.llronline.com — it takes about 30 seconds and shows you whether the license is active and whether any complaints are on file.
Beyond the license, here’s what separates legitimate contractors from the ones who disappear mid-project:
- They carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation — ask to see a certificate
- They pull permits when the job requires one — and most structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work in Greenville County does
- They give you a written contract that covers scope, schedule, payment terms, and how changes are handled
- They have references from recent, similar projects — actual past clients you can call, not just online reviews
Red flags: cash-only demands, a bid that’s dramatically lower than everyone else, pressure to sign immediately, or reluctance to pull permits. Any one of those should give you pause.
The Bottom Line: Verify the SC LLR license yourself before you go further. Ask to see a certificate of insurance. If a contractor hesitates on either, that tells you what you need to know.
“Do I need a permit for my renovation in Greenville County?”
Probably yes — and the contractor should be pulling it, not you. Greenville County requires a permit for any project that alters structural elements, moves electrical, relocates plumbing, or modifies HVAC. South Carolina enforces the 2021 International Residential Code.
For the work we do most often:
- Bathroom remodel with plumbing or electrical changes — permit required
- Bathroom addition or wall changes — permit required
- Kitchen remodel touching electrical or plumbing — permit required
- Attic or bonus room conversion — permit almost always required
If your property is in a City of Greenville historic district, exterior changes also require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. We know that process and can help you navigate it. Unpermitted work can create problems with your homeowner’s insurance and at resale. A contractor who suggests skipping a permit is protecting their convenience, not your home.
The Bottom Line: We pull the permits. That’s part of the job — not an optional add-on.
“How long will my renovation take?”
It varies — and any contractor who gives you a firm completion date before seeing inside your walls is either very optimistic or not being straight with you. Here are realistic timelines for the work we handle most:
- Mid-range bathroom remodel with tile, new shower, vanity: 3–5 weeks
- Full primary bathroom gut and renovation: 5–8 weeks
- Kitchen remodel, moderate scope: 4–8 weeks
- Attic or bonus room conversion: 4–10 weeks depending on HVAC, electrical, and access
- Multi-room renovation: 8–16+ weeks
At J Pratt Construction, we believe in selecting and ordering all materials before a project begins. That means tile, fixtures, cabinetry, and everything else is confirmed — and ideally on-site or in transit — before the first wall comes down. It’s one of the simplest ways we protect your timeline, and it’s a standard part of how we set up every project.
The Bottom Line: Plan for longer than you expect and lock in your selections early. That single step prevents more delays than anything else.
“What happens if you find something unexpected once the walls are open?”
This is one of the most important questions you can ask a contractor before signing anything — because the answer tells you a lot about how they operate.
At J Pratt Construction, we work on a fixed-price basis. The price we give you is the price you pay. We don’t use the discovery of minor issues as an opportunity to add to the bill. If we find minor defects once the walls are open, we address them properly and safely as part of the work — and we keep moving.
The only situations where a project price changes are:
- Soil conditions that are unsuitable for building — which requires a third-party geotechnical engineer to assess before any foundation or structural work proceeds
- Major structural damage that was concealed and not reasonably foreseeable — rotted primary framing, collapsed structure, significant termite damage to load-bearing elements
- Homeowner-initiated scope changes — if you decide mid-project that you want to add a feature, change a layout, or upgrade a material
In any of those cases, we stop, document everything, and have a direct conversation with you before any additional work begins. You always know where you stand.
The Bottom Line: Our price is our price. We absorb the small stuff. The only things that change a number are major structural discoveries, soil issues, or changes you ask for.
“Should I replace my bathroom cabinets or just the countertops?”
It’s a smart question because the answer directly affects both budget and the final result. Here’s the framework we use.
Replacing countertops and refreshing the existing cabinets makes sense when the cabinet boxes are solid — no soft spots, swelling, or water damage at the base — the existing layout works without changes, and the cabinet style can transition with paint and new hardware without looking mismatched.
Replacing the cabinets entirely makes sense when the boxes are cheap builder-grade that has deteriorated, when you want to change the layout, or when the existing style is too specific for paint to bridge the gap to the look you’re after.
New countertops plus a quality paint job and new hardware can get you 80% of the visual result for significantly less than a full cabinet replacement. But if the bones aren’t worth keeping, it’s money spent twice. We’ll assess what’s there during our consultation and give you a straight answer.
The Bottom Line: We’ll look at what you have and tell you what we’d do if it were our home — not what generates the larger project.
“How do I plan a bathroom renovation with accessibility in mind?”
This is a conversation we have regularly in Greenville, and it’s one we take seriously. Whether you’re planning ahead for a family member or responding to a current need, thoughtful accessibility features make a home safer and more livable — without looking or feeling like a medical facility.
The modifications that make the biggest practical difference:
- Replacing a fiberglass tub/shower combo with a barrier-free or low-threshold tiled shower
- Installing grab bars — properly blocked into studs or solid backer, not just anchored into drywall
- Widening doorways where needed to accommodate a walker or wheelchair
- Replacing a standard toilet with a comfort-height model
- Adding a built-in bench or fold-down seat inside the shower
- Improving lighting in bathrooms and adjacent hallways
One recommendation we make on almost every renovation: if there’s any chance you’ll want grab bars in the future, let us add wall blocking now while the tile is already coming down. It adds minimal cost at the time of renovation and eliminates the need to tear into finished tile later.
The Bottom Line: The best time to add blocking and a barrier-free threshold is during the renovation you’re already planning. It costs very little now and a lot more later.
“How do I choose the right contractor? There are so many options.”
This might be the most important question on this list. The right contractor makes the difference between a project you’re proud of and a problem you’re still sorting out two years later.
Here’s what we’d look for:
- Active SC LLR license — verify it yourself at verify.llronline.com
- General liability insurance and workers’ compensation — available to see upon request, not just claimed
- A clear, written contract covering scope, schedule, payment milestones, and how changes are handled
- References from recent, similar projects — people you can actually call, not just star ratings
- Proactive communication — how a contractor handles your questions before the job starts is exactly how they’ll handle issues during it
- A portfolio that matches your project type — renovation experience and new construction experience are not the same skill set
What to be cautious of: the lowest bid by a significant margin, estimates that are vague or only given verbally, pressure to sign quickly, and anyone who suggests skipping permits that clearly apply to your project.
At J Pratt Construction, our license, insurance documentation, and references are available to you at any point in the process — just ask. We’ll give you a written scope before we ask for a signature on anything. We think the information should flow freely, and then you decide.
The Bottom Line: A good contractor makes the process feel manageable. If you leave the first conversation more confused than when you started, keep looking.
Every project starts with a discovery call — a no-pressure conversation where we learn about your project, answer your questions, and figure out together whether we’re the right fit. If you’re a homeowner in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Taylors, Mauldin, or anywhere in Upstate South Carolina, we’d love to hear from you. Call 864-614-3602 or visit our contact page to schedule yours.