Bathroom Remodel · Folsom, CA · case study
Spa bathroom · Folsom
Full primary-bath rebuild in a foothill-view Folsom home. Heated polished concrete underfoot, a vertical-grain white oak slat wall behind a matte-black freestanding soaking tub, and a picture-window layout that lines the tub up with the sunrise.
Days on site
24
Service
Bathroom Remodel
Where
Folsom
Scope tier
Premium scope
Before / after
Drag to see what changed
Same camera angle, same room — drag the slider to reveal the before and after.
After
The brief
What the homeowner wanted
A 2000s-era primary bath that wasted the room's best asset — a north-facing window with foothill views. The homeowners wanted a spa-grade retreat with a freestanding tub that *used* the view, plus a warmer material palette than the original cream-tile build. We rebuilt the layout around the window so the tub sits dead-center, added a vertical white oak slat wall behind it as a focal piece, ran a heated polished-concrete floor edge to edge, and lit everything with three separate dimmable circuits so the room reads spa at any hour.
The scope
Exactly what we built
A scope checklist is how every Tanbark project starts. Below is the real list we worked from on this build — the same level of specificity goes into the itemized estimate you'll get after your in-home walk-through.
- Demo of existing tile, vanity, fixtures, lighting, and (partial) walls
- Layout change: tub repositioned to center on the picture window
- Polished-concrete floor with embedded electric radiant heat mat
- Vertical-grain white oak slat feature wall, sealed for bath humidity
- Matte-black freestanding tub with floor-mount tub filler
- Walk-in shower with frameless glass + linear drain
- Custom floating walnut double vanity with stone counter
- Three-circuit dimmable lighting (overhead, vanity, accent)
- Smart programmable thermostat for the radiant heat
- Plumbing + electrical permits with City of Folsom
Materials + finishes
What we specified
We publish the actual material specs because finishes are what make a build feel custom — and because the cheap version of every line below is the difference between a one-year project and a twenty-year project.
- Polished concrete (custom warm-grey color mix) with electric radiant heat
- Vertical-grain rift-sawn white oak slat wall, marine-spec sealed
- Matte-black 71" freestanding soaking tub + floor-mount filler
- Honed quartzite vanity counter with full-thickness mitered edge
- Floating walnut double vanity with brass pulls
- Brushed-brass faucetry across vanity + tub
- Frameless 3/8" tempered shower glass
Material + finish detail
The details up close
Day by day
How 24 working days actually go
Visitors love seeing the schedule honestly. Below is how this project actually broke down. Your timeline will look similar; the exact day count lives in your written estimate.
- 1
Demo + protection
Day 1-2Full demo back to studs in the wet zone, layout corrections marked.
- 2
Rough-in
Day 3-7New plumbing for the freestanding tub, electrical for radiant heat + lighting, framing for the slat wall.
- 3
Floor + heat
Day 8-12Electric mat laid, polished concrete poured + ground to a soft sheen, sealed.
- 4
Tile + glass + slat wall
Day 13-18Shower waterproofed + tiled, glass measured + set, white oak slat wall assembled and sealed.
- 5
Vanity + tub + fixtures
Day 19-22Floating vanity hung, quartzite counter set, tub placed, all fixtures live-tested.
- 6
Inspection + reveal
Day 23-24City of Folsom final inspection, final cleaning, walk-through and warranty packet.
Why this build matters
The details that took it from good to great
- Centering the tub on the picture window is a layout move that costs almost nothing during demo but completely changes how the room reads — view-first design.
- Electric radiant under polished concrete is a Sacramento luxury detail; the slab acts as a thermal battery and the floor never feels cold in winter.
- Three separate dimmable lighting circuits (overhead, vanity, accent) means the room can be one mood at 7am and a completely different mood at 9pm.
“Every morning the sunrise lines up with the tub. They thought about the room first, the materials second. That's why it works.”
— Folsom homeowner
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Want the same scope-checklist for your project?
Grab the free 2026 Sacramento Remodel Planning Kit — the same scope worksheet, contractor question list, and material spec sheet we use on builds like this bathroom remodel in Folsom.
- Scope-Built Quote Worksheet — for apples-to-apples bids
- 10 questions every Sacramento contractor should answer
- Sacramento permit reality check by jurisdiction
- The 5 line items that blow most remodel budgets
- Material + finish cheat sheet (what to spec, what to skip)
About the number on a project like this:
We don't publish project totals because the same build can cost very differently depending on the home, the existing conditions, the finish level you actually want, and how much custom millwork or stone the design calls for. The right number for your project lives in your itemized written estimate, which we deliver within 48 hours of your in-home walk-through.
On the walk we bring the same scope-checklist approach you see above. By the end of the visit you'll know exactly which line items are fixed scope, which are selections, and where the real budget pressure lives.
Articles about this kind of project
Sacramento-area context for a bathroom remodel like this — permits, timeline drivers, and scope decisions.
Article · Folsom
Folsom primary bath remodel: how scope tiers actually differ
Refresh, mid-tier, premium, luxury — four scope tiers for a Folsom primary bathroom remodel. What's in each, what's not, and how to pick the tier that fits your home and your timeline.
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Article · Sacramento
Sacramento bathroom remodel permits: a city-by-city homeowner's guide
Which bathroom remodels need permits in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom, Granite Bay, El Dorado Hills, and the surrounding cities — and what each jurisdiction actually requires for inspection.
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How to vet a Sacramento contractor before you sign anything
Ten things to check on any Sacramento remodel contractor before you sign — license, insurance, references, contract structure, deposit cap, and the soft signals that tell you who's running a real business and who isn't.
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Next step
Want a build like this on your home?
Book a free in-home walk-through. A Tanbark Project Manager (not a salesperson) will measure, ask the right questions, and bring you an itemized scope-built estimate within 48 hours.
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