Kitchen & bathroom remodeling in Salt Lake City, done right.
Peps Renovation Services remodels homes across the Salt Lake valley — kitchens, bathrooms, basements, decks, and patio covers. Every project starts with a free in-home estimate and a written quote.
Free in-home estimatesWritten quotes, no surprisesMon–Sat 8am–6pm
Open-plan kitchen remodel — Salt Lake valley
Free estimates
In-home, no obligation
Written quotes
Your price in writing before work starts
~25-mile radius
Salt Lake City & surrounding towns
One call
You talk to Pete, not a call center
Licensed Utah Contractor · UT License #12727469-5501
What we do
Kitchen, bathroom & home remodeling services in Salt Lake City
From a single bathroom to a full renovation, Peps handles the whole job. Pick a service — or just call and tell Pete what you're picturing.
Most requested
Kitchen Remodeling in Salt Lake City
Full kitchen remodels built around how you actually cook and gather: new cabinets, stone countertops, large islands with seating, custom range hoods, tile backsplashes, and lighting that works at 6am and 6pm.
Peps handles the whole job — demolition, cabinet and countertop installation, plumbing and electrical coordination, flooring, and finish work — so you deal with one contractor instead of five.
Thinking about opening the kitchen into the living room? Many Salt Lake valley homes were built with closed-off kitchens. On the estimate visit, Pete will tell you whether your wall can come out and what a permit would require.
Best value upgrade
Bathroom Remodeling in the Salt Lake Valley
Walk-in tile showers, freestanding soaking tubs, wet rooms, double vanities, and custom tile work — from a hall bath refresh to a full primary-suite build-out.
Bathrooms succeed or fail on the details you can't see: waterproofing behind the tile, the slope to the drain, and proper ventilation. Peps builds those layers right so the finish you can see stays beautiful.
Most bathroom remodels involve moving or extending plumbing, which typically requires a city permit in Utah. Pete flags exactly what your project needs during the free estimate.
Add living space
Basement Finishing in the Salt Lake Valley
An unfinished Utah basement is some of the best untapped square footage in the house. Peps turns basements into family rooms, guest bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices, and wet bars.
A basement bedroom needs a code-compliant egress window for safe escape — if yours doesn't have one, adding it is part of the conversation, along with moisture checks, insulation, and ceiling height.
Basement finishing usually requires a building permit, with framing, electrical, and plumbing inspected along the way. Peps plans for that from the first visit so the project keeps moving.
Built for Utah weather
Decks, Porches & Patio Covers Built for Utah Weather
Cedar decks with built-in seating, pergolas, and heavy-timber porch and patio covers that extend your living space outdoors — and stand up to Utah snow loads and high-desert sun.
Footings go below the frost line, posts and beams are sized for snow, and finishes are chosen for freeze–thaw cycles, so the structure stays tight season after season.
A covered patio or porch changes how a Utah home lives in July and January alike — shade in summer, a dry entry in winter. Most structures need a permit; Pete will confirm what your city requires.
One contractor, whole house
Whole-Home Remodeling & Renovations
Multi-room renovations, layout changes, new flooring throughout, and finish work coordinated under one roof — one contractor, one written quote, one point of contact from the first walkthrough to the final walkthrough.
Whole-home projects are sequenced so the house stays as livable as possible while work moves room to room, and so inspections and trades don't stack up on top of each other.
Whether it's a dated split-level in Sandy or a bungalow in Salt Lake City, Pete will walk the whole house with you and help you sort what to do now from what can wait.
Curb appeal
Exterior Painting in Salt Lake City
Full exterior repaints with careful prep — scraping, sanding, masking, and priming wherever the old finish has failed — then quality paint on siding, trim, and detail work.
Utah's sun, altitude, and freeze–thaw winters are hard on paint. The right prep and products protect the siding underneath and keep the house looking sharp.
A repaint is the fastest curb-appeal change a home can get, and it pairs well with porch and patio cover work if you're updating the whole front of the house.
Recent work
Recent remodeling projects in the Salt Lake valley
Every photo below is Peps' own work in the Salt Lake area — no stock photos, no showroom shots.
Kitchen — marble island & custom cabinetryKitchen — custom range hoodKitchen — modern flat-panelKitchen — open-plan conversionBathroom — marble tile & nicheBathroom — freestanding tub wet roomBathroom — hexagon tile showerBathroom — primary suiteDeck — covered, with fire-pit loungeDeck — built-in bench seatingPorch cover — heavy timber framePatio cover — dark-stained timberPatio cover — gabled, stamped concrete
How it works
From first call to finished room
No pressure, no phone quotes, no surprises. Here's exactly what happens when you reach out.
01
Call or text Pete
Reach Pete directly at 801-696-5734, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm. Tell him what you're thinking of doing.
02
Free in-home estimate
Pete comes to your home, measures the space, and talks through options, materials, and what's realistic.
03
Written quote
You get the project priced in writing — the full scope, no ballparks and no obligation to proceed.
04
We build it
Approve the quote and Peps schedules the work, keeps you posted as it goes, and finishes the job right.
Service area
Remodeling across the Salt Lake valley
Based in Salt Lake City, Peps serves homeowners within roughly 25 miles — including these communities:
Salt Lake CitySandyDraperMurrayMillcreekHolladayCottonwood HeightsMidvaleWest JordanSouth JordanRivertonHerrimanBluffdaleTaylorsvilleWest Valley CityBountifulNorth Salt LakeWoods CrossCentervilleFarmingtonKaysvilleLayton
Not sure if you're in range?
If you're near the Salt Lake valley and don't see your town, call anyway — if Pete can get to you, he'll book the estimate. 801-696-5734
Common questions
Remodeling questions, answered straight
How much does a kitchen or bathroom remodel cost in Salt Lake City?
There's no honest one-size price for a remodel — anyone who quotes one sight-unseen is guessing with your money. What a kitchen or bathroom remodel costs depends on the size of the room, whether the layout changes, the plumbing and electrical work involved, and the finishes you choose, from tile and cabinets to countertops and fixtures. That's why Peps doesn't price by phone or text. Every project starts with a free in-home estimate: Pete measures your space, talks through options at different finish levels, and gives you an exact written quote for your home, with no obligation.
Are estimates really free?
Yes. The in-home estimate, the measuring, the consultation, and the written quote are all free, anywhere in the Peps service area. There's no obligation to hire Peps afterward — the written quote is yours to compare and think over on your own timeline.
How does the free in-home estimate work?
Call or text Pete at 801-696-5734 and pick a time that works — estimate visits run Monday through Saturday, 8am–6pm. Pete comes to your home, measures the space, looks at the existing plumbing, electrical, and structure, and talks through what you want and what's realistic. After the visit, you receive a written quote for the full scope of your project. Peps gives no phone quotes and no ballparks — the quote is priced for your actual home.
How long does a kitchen remodel typically take?
Most full kitchen remodels take about four to eight weeks of active work once materials are on site. Opening up a wall, moving plumbing, or custom cabinetry can push it longer; a straightforward cabinet, countertop, and finish refresh in the existing layout is usually faster. Pete gives you a realistic timeline for your kitchen along with your written quote.
How long does a bathroom remodel typically take?
A typical bathroom remodel takes about two to four weeks. A full primary-suite build-out with a walk-in tile shower or wet room runs longer than a hall-bath refresh, mostly because tile work and waterproofing need proper cure time between steps. Your written quote includes the expected timeline for your bathroom.
How long does basement finishing take?
Finishing a basement typically takes about four to eight weeks, depending on the size and whether the project adds a bathroom, a bedroom, or a wet bar. Permit review and city inspections are built into that window in most Utah cities. During your estimate, Pete maps out the sequence — framing, rough-in work, inspections, drywall, and finishes — for your basement.
Do I need a permit for a remodel in Utah?
Usually, yes for anything structural or mechanical. In Utah, projects that change structure, electrical, or plumbing — or add a basement bedroom, which requires an egress window — typically need a permit from your city, and the work is inspected. Cosmetic updates like paint, flooring, and swapping fixtures in place usually don't. During your free estimate, Pete identifies exactly what your project needs so permits are handled up front, not discovered mid-job.
What areas does Peps Renovation Services serve?
Peps Renovation Services is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and serves homeowners within roughly 25 miles, including Murray, Millcreek, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, Draper, Midvale, Taylorsville, West Valley City, West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton, Herriman, Bluffdale, Bountiful, North Salt Lake, Woods Cross, Centerville, Farmington, Kaysville, and Layton.
What kinds of projects does Peps take on?
Peps takes on kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels, basement finishing, decks, pergolas, timber porch covers and patio covers, exterior painting, and whole-home renovations — from a single bathroom to a full-house remodel.
Does Peps handle the whole job, or do I need to hire separate trades?
Peps handles the whole job. As a general contractor, Peps coordinates demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, tile, and finish work under one written quote and one point of contact — Pete. Homeowners don't need to find, schedule, or manage separate trades.
When can my project start?
Start dates depend on the current schedule and on materials, and they change week to week — so the honest answer comes with your estimate. When Pete writes your quote, he'll tell you the earliest realistic start window for your project and how long it's expected to run.
How do I book an estimate?
Call or text Pete at 801-696-5734, Monday through Saturday, 8am–6pm, or use the request form below — it opens a text to Pete with your project details already filled in. You pick a time, Pete comes to your home, and you get a written quote for the project.
From the blog
Remodeling guides for Salt Lake valley homeowners
Straight answers on timelines, permits, and the mistakes that cost homeowners money — written by the contractor who'll be in your kitchen.
You'll talk to Pete — the person who'll actually measure your project and write your quote.
Monday – Saturday8:00am – 6:00pm
SundayClosed
EstimatesFree, in-home
Service areaSLC + ~25 miles
The Peps blog
Remodeling guides for Salt Lake valley homeowners
Practical, Utah-specific guides on kitchen and bathroom remodeling, basement finishing, permits, and timelines — written by Pete Sarceda, the licensed contractor who runs every Peps job. No sales talk, no phone quotes: just what a homeowner needs to know before the first wall comes down.
Reading guides is step one. Seeing your actual room is step two.
Every Peps project starts with a free in-home estimate and an exact written quote — no prices guessed by phone, no obligation. Call or text Pete Sarceda, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm.
Kitchen Remodeling · October 23, 2026 · By Pete Sarceda
Kitchen Remodel Timeline: What to Expect Week by Week in a Salt Lake Area Home
How long does a kitchen remodel actually take? A week-by-week walk-through of a Salt Lake area kitchen remodel — design, permits, demo, rough work, inspections, cabinets, counters, and the final walkthrough — plus what stretches a timeline and how to keep yours on track.
Planning a kitchen remodel?
Start with a free in-home estimate. Pete measures your kitchen, talks through the layout and finishes, and gives you an exact written quote with a realistic timeline for your home. Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm.
The honest short answer: most full kitchen remodels in the Salt Lake valley take about four to eight weeks of active work once materials are on site. But that clock doesn't start at demolition. The weeks before anyone swings a hammer — design, selections, and permits — matter just as much. Here's how a typical Peps kitchen remodel unfolds, stage by stage.
Before Week 1: Design, selections, and permits
Every kitchen starts with the free in-home estimate. Pete measures the room, looks at the plumbing, electrical, and structure that's already there, and talks through what you want the kitchen to do — more seating, a bigger island, a wall opened up to the living room, better storage. From that visit you get a written quote for the full scope, and a realistic read on whether your ideas need structural work.
Then come selections: cabinets, countertops, tile, flooring, fixtures, and appliances. This is the stage homeowners underestimate. Cabinetry alone can take many weeks to build and ship, especially semi-custom and custom. Stone countertops get fabricated after your cabinets are set, but the slab itself should be picked early. The rule Peps works by: no demolition until the major materials are ordered and the delivery dates are real. A kitchen torn apart while cabinets sit in a warehouse across the country is the single most common timeline failure in remodeling — and it's completely avoidable.
Permits, where applicable, also happen in this window. A kitchen that only swaps cabinets, counters, and finishes in the existing layout usually doesn't need one. A kitchen that moves walls, relocates plumbing or gas lines, or adds electrical circuits typically needs a permit from your city — Salt Lake City, Murray, Sandy, and the other valley cities each run their own building department, and review times vary. Filing early means the permit is in hand before demo day.
Week 1: Demolition — and first discoveries
Demo week is loud, dusty, and fast. Floors and surfaces get protected, the old cabinets, counters, and appliances come out, and the room is stripped back to whatever the new plan requires — sometimes to the studs, sometimes just to a clean shell. This is also the week of discoveries, especially in older Salt Lake homes. Bungalows in the Avenues and Sugar House, mid-century ramblers in Holladay and Millcreek, and split-levels across the valley can hide galvanized pipe at the end of its life, wiring that predates modern code, subfloor water damage near the sink and dishwasher, or evidence of a previous remodel done without permits. A good contractor expects them, tells you the day they're found, and handles them immediately rather than covering them up — most add days, not weeks.
Week 2: Rough plumbing and electrical
With the room open, the mechanical work goes in: new or relocated water lines and drains, a gas line moved for a range, electrical circuits for the refrigerator, dishwasher, disposal, microwave, and small appliances, plus wiring for recessed lights, pendants, and under-cabinet lighting. If the layout changed, this is also when framing for new walls, soffits, or a widened opening is completed. At the end of rough work comes the rough inspection: the city inspector checks the plumbing and electrical before anything is covered. Walls stay open until it passes. A day or two of waiting on the inspector's schedule is normal, and built into any honest timeline.
Week 3: Closing the walls and flooring
Once rough inspection passes, insulation goes back where needed, drywall is hung, taped, and textured to match the rest of your home, and walls get primed and painted while the room is still empty — the easiest painting week of the whole project. Flooring often goes in now too — tile and luxury vinyl plank usually before cabinets, hardwood sometimes after. By the end of week three, the room stops looking like a construction site and starts looking like a kitchen again.
Week 4: Cabinets
Cabinet installation is the most satisfying week of the remodel. Boxes are set level and plumb — in older homes with floors that have settled, this takes real care — and everything is anchored, aligned, and fitted with fillers and trim so the run looks built-in, not dropped in. The island is set and secured. Counters are templated off the installed cabinets, so the accuracy here is what makes the stone fit perfectly later.
Week 5: Countertops, then tile
Countertops are templated once cabinets are in, then fabricated and installed — there's usually a fabrication gap between template and install, and your contractor should tell you up front how long it runs. Once counters are set, the sink can be connected and the backsplash tile goes up: subway tile, a full-height stone backsplash, or a feature pattern behind the range. Tile and grout each need their cure time before the next step — that's chemistry, not foot-dragging, and rushing it is how cracks start.
Week 6: Trim, appliances, and the final walkthrough
The last week brings the finish work: cabinet hardware, trim and baseboards, light fixtures and pendants, faucet and disposal hookups, appliance installation, and final plumbing and electrical connections. Final inspections happen where the permit requires them. Then comes the part Peps treats as a real appointment, not a wave goodbye: the final walkthrough. You and Pete go through the kitchen together — every door and drawer, every light, every outlet, the water lines under the sink — and anything that isn't right goes on a punch list and gets finished. The project isn't done when the tools leave; it's done when the walkthrough says so.
Smaller projects compress this schedule: a cabinet, countertop, and finish refresh in the same layout can finish faster. Bigger projects stretch it: opening a load-bearing wall, custom cabinetry, or a full layout change adds time at several stages. That's why your written quote includes a timeline for your kitchen, not a generic one.
What legitimately stretches a kitchen timeline
Inspections. Permit work can't be covered until an inspector signs off, and inspectors schedule across an entire city. A day or two of waiting at rough-in and final is normal.
Material lead times. Custom cabinets, specific stone slabs, and special-order appliances move on the manufacturer's clock. Ordering early — before demo — is the fix.
Discoveries in older homes. Outdated wiring, failing pipe, hidden water damage, or unpermitted past work found at demo has to be made right before the new work proceeds.
Changes mid-project. Moving an outlet is easy in week two and painful in week five. Every change after rough-in reopens finished work.
Cure times. Thinset, grout, and adhesives need the hours the manufacturer specifies. Skipping them trades a few days now for a repair later.
How homeowners keep a remodel on track
Decide everything before demo. Cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures, appliances, lighting — chosen and ordered before the first cabinet comes out.
Have one decision-maker. When two people need to weigh in on every choice, answers take days. Agree up front who calls the daily questions.
Set up a temporary kitchen. A microwave, a coffee maker, and a folding table in the dining room make weeks without a stove livable instead of miserable.
Keep the layout where you can. Keeping the sink, range, and fridge near their current spots simplifies plumbing and electrical — and the calendar.
Ask for the timeline in writing. Your quote should include the expected sequence and duration, so you know what "on track" looks like.
When to book ahead
Remodeling calendars fill in waves — the post-holiday rush, spring projects, and the "done before Thanksgiving" crowd all compete for the same weeks. If your kitchen needs to be finished by a specific date — a holiday, a family event, a new school year — book the estimate well ahead of it, and count backwards through design, selections, permit review, and material lead times, not just the construction weeks. When Pete writes your quote, he'll tell you the earliest realistic start window — and what needs to happen before it.
How long does a kitchen remodel take in the Salt Lake area?
Most full kitchen remodels take about four to eight weeks of active work once materials are on site. Opening up a wall, moving plumbing, or custom cabinetry can push it longer; a straightforward cabinet, countertop, and finish refresh in the existing layout is usually faster. Design, selections, and any permit review happen before that clock starts — Pete gives you a realistic timeline for your kitchen along with your written quote.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel in Utah?
Usually, yes if the project changes structure, plumbing, or electrical — moving a wall, relocating a sink, or adding circuits. Cosmetic updates in the same layout, like swapping cabinets and counters in place, usually don't require one. Your city issues the permit and inspects the work. During your free estimate, Pete identifies exactly what your project needs so permits are handled up front.
Can I live in my home during a kitchen remodel?
Yes — most Peps customers do. You'll be without a working kitchen for much of the project, so a temporary setup (microwave, coffee maker, a table for prep) makes a big difference. The work area is contained as much as the project allows, and you'll know the schedule for the loud and dusty days in advance.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
There's no honest answer without seeing the kitchen — pricing depends on the size of the room, whether the layout changes, the plumbing and electrical work involved, and the finishes you choose. That's why Peps never prices by phone or text. The free in-home estimate produces an exact written quote for your home, with no obligation.
Call or text Pete Sarceda at 801-696-5734, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, or send the estimate request and Pete will come measure your kitchen and quote it exactly. UT License #12727469-5501.
Basement Finishing · October 23, 2026 · By Pete Sarceda
Finishing a Basement in Utah: Permits, Egress Windows, and the Process From Bare Walls to Done
Planning to finish a basement in Utah? What Salt Lake valley cities typically require for permits, how egress windows for basement bedrooms actually work, the moisture and ceiling-height realities to check before you frame, and the full build sequence from bare walls to final inspection.
Got a bare basement and a plan for it?
The free in-home estimate covers the whole picture: egress options, moisture, ceiling height, what your city will require, and an exact written quote for the finished space. Call or text Pete Sarceda, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm.
An unfinished basement is the most square footage you'll ever add to a Utah home without adding onto the house — the foundation, walls, and roof are already there. But a basement finish is also the project where code requirements surprise homeowners most: permits, egress windows, inspections at several stages, and a few below-grade realities that have to be checked before the first stud goes up. Here's how it works, in the order it actually happens.
Why the permit matters — and what skipping it risks
In virtually every city in the Salt Lake valley, finishing a basement requires a building permit. That's not red tape for its own sake. The permit triggers inspections that verify the framing is sound, the electrical is safe, the plumbing drains and vents correctly, and any bedroom has a legal escape route. Those inspections protect the people who'll sleep down there.
Skipping the permit creates problems that surface years later. When you sell, unpermitted finished space has to be disclosed, and buyers, appraisers, and lenders regularly discount or exclude square footage that was never permitted or inspected. If unpermitted electrical or plumbing work is involved in a fire or a flood, insurance questions get uncomfortable fast. And if the city learns of the work, the fix can mean opening finished walls for inspection. Doing it permitted the first time is simply the easier path.
What Salt Lake valley cities typically require
Each city — Salt Lake City, Sandy, West Jordan, Murray, Draper, Bountiful, and the rest — runs its own building department, but they all work from Utah's adopted building codes, so the pattern is consistent:
A building permit application with a simple floor plan showing the layout: rooms, the bathroom if you're adding one, window locations, and how the space will be used.
An egress window for every room that will be used as a bedroom (explained in the next section).
Inspections at stages — typically a framing/rough inspection (covering framing, rough electrical, and rough plumbing together), an insulation check in some cities, and a final inspection when everything is complete.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the new space, hardwired or interconnected as current code requires.
Permit review itself takes time — days to a few weeks depending on the city and the season — and that wait is part of a realistic schedule, which is why Peps files the permit as part of the project rather than leaving it to the homeowner.
Egress windows, explained in plain terms
"Egress" is building-code language for emergency escape and rescue. The rule is simple: any basement room used for sleeping needs a window (or exterior door) that a person can climb out of — and a firefighter with equipment can climb into — in an emergency. A bedroom's regular door doesn't count, because a fire can block it.
An egress window has to meet specific minimums when it's fully open:
Clear opening of at least 5.7 square feet (5.0 square feet if the window is right at ground level).
At least 20 inches wide and 24 inches tall as a clear opening — the glass size on the sticker isn't what counts; it's the space you can actually pass through.
The sill no more than 44 inches above the floor, so it can be reached and climbed through.
It must open from the inside without tools, keys, or special knowledge.
If the window sits below ground, it opens into a window well — and the well has its own rules: enough room to actually climb, and a permanently attached ladder or steps if the well is deeper than 44 inches.
Here's the practical reality for Utah homes: the small slider or hopper windows builders put in most unfinished basements almost never qualify as egress. Turning a basement room into a legal bedroom usually means enlarging an existing window opening — cutting the foundation wall, installing a code-size window, and fitting a proper well. It's a normal part of basement finishing, and one of the first things Pete checks on an estimate visit, because it shapes both the layout and the permit.
Moisture: check before you frame
Drywall over a damp wall is a mold farm with extra steps. Before framing, a basement should be checked honestly: water stains or efflorescence (the white mineral crust) on foundation walls, a musty smell after storms, damp spots at the floor-wall joint, and where the downspouts and grading send roof water. Utah's dry climate helps, but spring snowmelt and summer storms still find foundations — especially where soil slopes toward the house.
The order of operations matters: fix exterior water management first (grading, downspout extensions, any needed waterproofing), confirm the basement stays dry, and only then frame and insulate. Materials matter below grade too — treated bottom plates where wood meets concrete, and insulation that doesn't trap moisture against the cool foundation wall.
One more Utah-specific check: radon. Much of Utah sits in a high-radon zone, and a finished basement is where a family spends hours closest to the soil gas that carries it. Testing before you finish is simple, and if levels are high, mitigation piping is far easier to install before the walls and floors are done than after.
Ceiling height realities
Building code generally wants about seven feet of finished ceiling height in living spaces, with allowances for beams and ducts that dip below that line in limited areas. Many Utah basements were poured with eight-foot walls — comfortable. Some older homes have less, and the finished height depends on what's overhead: duct trunks, beams, and plumbing mains for the floors above all need to live somewhere. The usual solution is soffits — boxed sections that hide the mechanicals while the main ceiling stays high. Where the big duct run crosses the room dictates the smart layout: put the family room where the ceiling is open, and closets, the bathroom, or a wet bar under the low sections. Pete maps the ceiling realities during the estimate, so the plan fits the house you actually have.
The build sequence, step by step
Layout and framing. Walls are framed per the permitted plan, with soffits built around ducts and beams.
Egress work. If a bedroom is planned, the window opening is cut and enlarged, the new window installed, and the well fitted.
Rough plumbing. If the plan adds a bathroom, drains go in first — in most basements that means opening the concrete floor to reach the sewer line, then patching after inspection.
Rough electrical and HVAC. Circuits, lighting, outlets, alarms, and heat runs or extensions.
Rough inspections. Framing, electrical, and plumbing are inspected before anything is covered. Nothing gets drywalled until the city signs off.
Insulation and drywall. Walls insulated, drywall hung, taped, textured, and primed.
Finishes. Paint, flooring (luxury vinyl plank and carpet are the below-grade favorites; solid hardwood is a poor choice under grade), doors, trim, cabinets for a wet bar if planned.
Finish plumbing and electrical. Fixtures, faucets, devices, and lights installed and tested.
Final inspection and walkthrough. The city signs off on the completed space, and you walk it with Pete the same way as any Peps project — everything checked, anything unfinished onto a punch list.
What a finished basement adds to a Utah home
Functionally, it's a second living level: a family room that takes the noise downstairs, a legal guest or teen bedroom, a bathroom that ends the morning traffic jam, a home office with a door, a gym, or space for extended family. Financially, finished, permitted basement space adds real value at resale — with a caveat worth knowing: appraisers typically count below-grade square footage separately from above-grade, and unpermitted space may not count at all. One more reason the permit-and-inspection path isn't optional: it's what makes the new square footage count on paper as well as in person.
Ready to see what your basement can become? Start with the estimate — and if the kitchen or a bathroom is ahead of the basement in line, see the full list of Peps basement finishing and remodeling services.
Basement finishing questions
Do I need a permit to finish a basement in Utah?
In the Salt Lake valley, yes — virtually every city requires a building permit to finish a basement, with inspections at the rough stage and again at completion. The permit is what makes the finished square footage count at resale and keeps insurance straightforward. Peps identifies exactly what your city requires during the free estimate and handles the permit as part of the project.
Does every basement bedroom need an egress window?
Yes. Any room used for sleeping needs an emergency escape and rescue opening directly to the outside — a window that opens to a clear area of at least 5.7 square feet (5.0 at ground level), at least 20 inches wide and 24 inches tall, with the sill no more than 44 inches above the floor. Most original basement windows don't qualify, so enlarging one is a standard part of adding a bedroom.
How long does basement finishing take?
Finishing a basement typically takes about four to eight weeks, depending on the size and whether the project adds a bathroom, a bedroom, or a wet bar. Permit review and city inspections are built into that window in most Utah cities. During your estimate, Pete maps out the sequence for your basement specifically.
How much does it cost to finish a basement in Utah?
It depends entirely on the basement — its size, whether it's getting a bathroom or a bedroom with an egress window, the condition of the existing plumbing and electrical, and the finishes you choose. There's no honest way to price that without seeing the space, which is why Peps never quotes by phone. The free in-home estimate produces an exact written quote for your basement, with no obligation.
Find out what your basement needs — egress, permits, and all.
Call or text Pete Sarceda at 801-696-5734, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, or send the estimate request. The visit is free, the quote is written and exact, and there's no obligation. UT License #12727469-5501.
Bathroom Remodeling · October 23, 2026 · By Pete Sarceda
7 Bathroom Remodel Mistakes That Cost Salt Lake Homeowners Money
Skipped waterproofing, plumbing moved for no reason, tile picked before fixtures — the seven bathroom remodel mistakes that cost Salt Lake homeowners the most, and what to do instead of each one.
Planning a bathroom remodel?
The free in-home estimate is where these mistakes get avoided — Pete looks at your plumbing, ventilation, and layout before anything is priced, then gives you an exact written quote. Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm.
A bathroom is the smallest room in most remodels and the least forgiving. Water, steam, plumbing, electrical, and tile all meet in a tight space, and the expensive failures are almost never the visible ones — they're the decisions made (or skipped) before the tile went up. After years of tearing out other people's bathroom mistakes across the Salt Lake valley, these are the seven Peps sees cost homeowners the most, and what to do instead.
Mistake 1: Skipping — or skimping on — waterproofing
Tile and grout are not waterproof. Grout is porous, tile faces shed most water but not all, and every shower sends a steady trickle behind the surface over time. What keeps a shower from rotting the wall and floor behind it is the waterproofing layer underneath: a membrane system over the wall board and shower pan, with seams and corners sealed, and the drain integrated correctly. When that layer is skipped or pieced together cheaply, nothing looks wrong for a year or two. Then grout darkens, tile loosens, the baseboard outside the shower swells, and the fix is a full tear-out — the whole shower, down to the studs, rebuilt from scratch.
What to do instead: treat waterproofing as the main event, not a line item to trim. Ask your contractor exactly what system goes behind the tile and how the pan and drain are handled. Proper waterproofing also needs cure time between steps — a schedule that builds that in is a sign the work is being done right.
Mistake 2: Moving plumbing that didn't need to move
Every homeowner dreams of rearranging the bathroom. But drains are the most expensive things in the room to relocate: moving a toilet or a shower drain can mean opening the floor or cutting concrete, re-routing vent lines, and adding permit complexity — all to shift a fixture a few feet. The money and days spent moving pipes are money and days not spent on the tile, fixtures, and finishes you'll actually look at.
What to do instead: start from the layout you have. If the toilet, tub or shower, and vanity are in workable positions, keep the drains where they are and let the design work around them. When a move genuinely improves the room — converting a tub to a walk-in shower, for instance — make it deliberately, knowing what it involves, not by default on demo day.
Mistake 3: Choosing tile before fixtures
Tile is the fun part, so homeowners pick it first. Then the shower valve they love doesn't match the rough-in depth, the tub filler needs a different spout reach than the tile layout allows, or the niche lands exactly where a plumbing line has to run. Fixtures drive the hidden work — valve bodies are installed at rough-in, weeks before tile — and they're far less flexible than tile is.
What to do instead: choose fixtures first, or at least at the same time as tile: the shower valve and trim, tub and filler, faucets, and toilet. Once the plumbing hardware is locked, tile sizes and patterns can be planned around the real dimensions of the room and its fixtures, and the rough-in gets built for the exact valve going in the wall.
Mistake 4: Ignoring ventilation in a "dry" climate
Utah's air is famously dry, and homeowners assume mold isn't a local problem. Inside a shower, though, the climate is a rainforest twice a day — and that moisture goes wherever the room lets it. Bathrooms with no fan, an undersized fan, a fan vented into the attic instead of outside, or a fan nobody runs because it's loud are where Peps finds peeling ceiling paint, mold in grout lines and caulk joints, and swollen vanity cabinets. The damage is slow, quiet, and entirely preventable.
What to do instead: size the exhaust fan to the room, vent it all the way outdoors, and put it on a timer so it keeps running after the shower ends — that's when it does most of its work. A quiet fan is worth it, because a fan that gets switched off protects nothing.
Mistake 5: No lighting plan
The standard builder bathroom has one fixture over the mirror and maybe a can light, and it's why everyone looks tired in their own bathroom: light from directly above casts shadows exactly where you shave, apply makeup, or check your teeth. Lighting decided as an afterthought also means lighting placed as an afterthought — over the wrong spot, missing in the shower, impossible to add once the walls close.
What to do instead: plan lighting in layers before electrical rough-in: light at face height on both sides of the mirror (or a well-designed fixture above it), general ceiling light, and a rated fixture in the shower. Put the fan and lights on separate switches, and consider a dimmer for the early-morning and late-night trips. It's a design decision that has to be made while the walls are open.
Mistake 6: Hiring on price alone — without checking a Utah license
A bathroom concentrates more licensed trades in fewer square feet than any other room: plumbing, electrical, tile, and the structure holding several hundred pounds of water in a filled tub. The lowest bid often wins by skipping the invisible work — the waterproofing from Mistake 1, the permit, the proper venting — and a homeowner can't see the difference until it fails. If the person doing the work isn't licensed, there's also no license on the line backing the work, and no easy way to verify they are who they say they are.
What to do instead: verify before you sign. Utah contractor licenses can be checked with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) — it takes a minute. Peps works under UT License #12727469-5501, and any contractor you consider should hand you their number without hesitation. Get the scope and price in a written quote, ask who is pulling the permit, and compare bids on what's actually included — especially behind the tile.
Mistake 7: Starting demo before materials are on site
Demolition is the cheapest, fastest day of the project, and it feels like progress — until the vanity is backordered, the tile ships in two lots, and the tub is three weeks out. Now the bathroom is a construction zone with no finish line, the schedule dissolves, and everyone's frustrated. Tile, tubs, shower doors, and vanities all have lead times, and a shower door can't even be measured until the tile is done.
What to do instead: order everything first and start demo when the critical materials are physically on site or confirmed days away. It's the same rule Peps applies to kitchen remodels: the calendar runs from material readiness, not from enthusiasm. Your written quote should come with a sequence that assumes this order of operations.
The common thread
Notice what these seven mistakes share: not one of them is about taste. They're all about sequence and the hidden layers — waterproofing before tile, fixtures before rough-in, ventilation planned with the electrical, materials before demo, a licensed contractor checking the work at each stage. A bathroom built in the right order, with the invisible work done properly, is the one that still looks and works like new a decade later. That's the standard every Peps bathroom is built to — see how bathroom remodeling fits into the full list of Peps services.
Bathroom mistake questions
What's the most expensive bathroom remodel mistake?
Failed waterproofing. Because the damage hides behind finished tile, it's usually discovered only after rot or mold has spread — and the only fix is tearing the shower out to the studs and rebuilding it. It's also the most preventable mistake on this list: a proper membrane system behind the tile, installed with its full cure time, is what keeps water where it belongs.
Should I keep my bathroom's layout the same?
Often, yes — keeping the toilet, shower, and vanity drains where they are simplifies the plumbing and the permit, and frees your budget for finishes. But some changes are worth it, like converting a tub you never use into a walk-in shower. Pete walks through the trade-offs for your specific bathroom during the free estimate, so you decide with the full picture.
How do I check a Utah contractor's license?
Ask for the license number and verify it with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), which maintains a public license lookup. Peps Renovation Services works under UT License #12727469-5501. Any contractor who resists giving you the number is answering the question for you.
How much does a bathroom remodel cost?
Pricing depends on seeing the job — the size of the room, whether plumbing moves, the condition of what's behind the walls, and the tile and fixtures you choose all change it. Peps never prices by phone or text. The free in-home estimate produces an exact written quote for your bathroom, with no obligation.
Call or text Pete Sarceda at 801-696-5734, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, or send the estimate request. Free in-home estimate, exact written quote, no obligation. UT License #12727469-5501.
Bathroom Remodeling · Sandy, UT · October 23, 2026 · By Pete Sarceda
Bathroom Remodeling in Sandy, UT: A Local Guide for Homeowners
A local guide to bathroom remodeling in Sandy, Utah — the projects Sandy homeowners call about most, from primary suites in 80s and 90s homes to aging-in-place updates, plus the process from estimate to final walkthrough, permit notes for Sandy, and the timeline to expect.
In Sandy and thinking about a bathroom?
Pete comes to your home, measures the room, and gives you an exact written quote — free, with no obligation. Estimate visits run Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm, and Sandy is right in the Peps service area.
Sandy has one of the most remodel-ready housing stocks in the Salt Lake valley: solid homes built through the 1980s and 90s on the east bench and across the valley floor, with bathrooms that were generous for their era and dated by today's. The bones are good — the garden tubs, brass fixtures, carpeted bathroom floors (yes, we still find them), and tiny enclosed showers are not. If you're a Sandy homeowner weighing a bathroom remodel, here's what the project actually involves, from the kinds of bathrooms Peps gets called about to the final walkthrough.
The bathroom projects Sandy homeowners call about
Primary suites in 80s and 90s homes
The classic Sandy primary bath has a huge jetted garden tub nobody uses, a small fiberglass shower stall, a single long vanity, and a water closet tucked in a corner. The remodel nearly writes itself: out goes the garden tub, in comes a proper walk-in tile shower with a bench and real waterproofing, a freestanding soaking tub where it fits, and a double vanity with storage the original never had. Because these rooms are comparatively spacious, they remodel into genuinely luxurious suites without moving walls — and often without moving drains, which keeps the project simpler than homeowners expect.
Hall baths that serve kids and guests
The second bathroom in a Sandy home works the hardest and gets updated the least. Hall bath projects usually mean a new tub or tub-shower combination with tile surround, a vanity that can survive teenagers, durable flooring, and a ventilation fan that actually clears the steam from back-to-back showers. The goal is different from the primary suite: tough, good-looking, and easy to clean for the next twenty years.
Aging-in-place updates
Sandy has plenty of homeowners planning to stay in their homes for decades, and the bathroom is where that plan succeeds or fails. The updates that matter: a curbless or low-threshold walk-in shower (no step to climb), grab bars — installed into solid blocking in the wall, not screwed into drywall and hope — a comfort-height toilet, lever-style faucets, and lighting bright enough to be safe at 2am. Done during a remodel, these changes are far easier than retrofitting them later — and done well, they look like design choices, not hospital equipment.
The process: from estimate to final walkthrough
Call or text Pete. Reach Pete Sarceda directly at 801-696-5734, Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, and describe the bathroom you're picturing.
Free in-home estimate in Sandy. Pete measures the room, checks the existing plumbing, ventilation, and what's behind the finishes, and talks through options — including whether your layout can stay as it is.
Written quote. The full scope, priced exactly for your home, in writing. No phone prices, no ballparks, no obligation.
Selections and permit. Fixtures are chosen before tile (the order matters — see our guide to bathroom remodel mistakes), materials are ordered, and the Sandy permit is filed if the project needs one.
Demo and rough-in. The old bathroom comes out, plumbing and electrical are roughed in for the new layout, and rough work is inspected where required.
Waterproofing and tile. The membrane system goes in behind every wet surface, with proper cure time between steps, then tile, then the shower glass measured once tile is complete.
Finishes. Vanity, counters, fixtures, lighting, mirrors, paint, and trim.
Final walkthrough. You and Pete test every fixture, faucet, fan, and light together. Anything not right goes on a punch list and gets finished. The project ends when the walkthrough says so.
Permit notes for Sandy
Bathroom permits in Sandy run through Sandy City's building services, under the same Utah building codes the rest of the valley follows. The practical rules:
Permit typically required when a remodel moves or adds plumbing, changes electrical circuits, alters structure, or converts a tub to a shower with a relocated drain.
Usually no permit for purely cosmetic work — paint, flooring, swapping a vanity or fixtures in place with the same connections.
Inspections happen at the rough stage, before walls and tile cover the plumbing and electrical, and a final inspection closes the permit.
You don't need to sort this out yourself: during the free estimate, Pete identifies exactly what your project requires, and Peps handles the permit as part of the job when one is needed.
Timeline expectations
A typical Sandy bathroom remodel takes about two to four weeks of active work once materials are on site. A hall bath refresh in the same layout lands at the faster end. A full primary-suite build-out — walk-in tile shower, freestanding tub, double vanity — runs longer, mostly because waterproofing and tile work have cure times between steps that can't be rushed without risking the work. Two things keep the calendar honest: materials are ordered before demo starts, and your written quote includes the expected timeline for your specific bathroom, not a generic range pulled from the internet.
How Peps works in Sandy
Peps Renovation Services is a licensed Utah general contractor — UT License #12727469-5501 — run by Pete Sarceda, who is your single point of contact from the first call to the final walkthrough. Peps handles the whole job: demolition, framing, plumbing and electrical coordination, waterproofing, tile, and finish work under one written quote, so you're never scheduling separate trades or translating between them. Sandy sits squarely in the Peps service area, alongside the rest of the Salt Lake valley — Salt Lake City, Millcreek, Holladay, Murray, Taylorsville, West Valley City, Midvale, Cottonwood Heights, South Jordan, West Jordan, Riverton, Herriman, Draper, Bountiful, North Salt Lake, and Centerville. Estimates are free anywhere in that area, and the written quote is yours to compare and think over on your own timeline.
Do I need a permit for a bathroom remodel in Sandy, UT?
Usually, yes if the project moves or adds plumbing, changes electrical work, or alters structure — like relocating a shower drain or converting a tub to a walk-in shower. Cosmetic updates in place, such as paint, flooring, or swapping fixtures on the same connections, usually don't require one. Pete confirms exactly what your project needs during the free estimate, and Peps handles the permit when one is required.
How long does a bathroom remodel take in Sandy?
About two to four weeks of active work for a typical bathroom, once materials are on site. A primary-suite build-out with a walk-in tile shower runs longer than a hall-bath refresh, because waterproofing and tile need proper cure time between steps. Your written quote includes the expected timeline for your bathroom.
Can Peps help with aging-in-place bathroom updates?
Yes. Curbless and low-threshold showers, grab bars mounted into solid wall blocking, comfort-height toilets, lever faucets, and better lighting are all common requests in Sandy homes, and they're far easier to include during a remodel than to retrofit later. Tell Pete what you need the bathroom to do for the next twenty years and the design will work around it.
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Sandy?
Pricing depends on seeing the job — the size of the room, whether plumbing moves, the condition of what's behind the walls, and the finishes you choose. That's why Peps never quotes by phone or text. The free in-home estimate produces an exact written quote for your bathroom, with no obligation.
