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Unilock Bathroom Remodeling: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
A full Unilock bathroom remodel in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $9,000 to $28,000 installed, depending on whether you’re refreshing a guest bath or gutting a master suite down to the studs. Most homeowners call us after living with a failing shower pan, cracked tile, or a vanity that’s swollen past saving, and they want to know two things: what it costs to fix it right, and whether the new work will hold up to South Florida humidity. The short answer on both: we put it in writing before we start, and we stand behind it for a full year.
What most people don’t realize is that Unilock’s bathroom line is built around modular hardscape thinking applied indoors. That means tight tolerances, specific substrate requirements, and very little forgiveness for a sloppy install. We’ve torn out plenty of “bargain” remodels in Victoria Park and Coral Ridge where the tile looked fine on day one and failed by the second wet season. Water finds the shortcut every time.
Which Unilock Models This Applies To
Unilock’s bathroom product line splits into two families: the Modular Bath System (shower bases, bench kits, and niche units designed to lock together) and the Estate Stone Collection (larger-format wall and floor tile, often 12×24 or 24×24, with matching trim profiles). The two are not always interchangeable, and that’s the first compatibility gotcha. The Modular Bath System uses a specific threshold height and drain offset that won’t match a standard off-the-shelf shower pan, so if you’re replacing one piece, you’re usually replacing the whole base assembly.
To identify what you have, check the back of any loose tile or the underside of a niche shelf. Unilock stamps a two-letter series code followed by a batch number, something like “MB-4471” for Modular Bath or “ES-882” for Estate Stone. If you don’t find a stamp, measure the tile thickness: Unilock bathroom tile runs 9mm to 12mm, where most big-box tile is 8mm or thinner. That matters because the mortar bed depth has to match the tile, or you’ll get lippage, cracked grout, and eventually a leak.
On OEM versus aftermarket: Unilock’s own trim profiles, niches, and bench tops are worth paying for because the color match is exact and the dimensional specs match the tile. For thinset, grout, and waterproofing membrane, we use Schluter and Laticrete products because they’re simply better at what they do, and Unilock doesn’t manufacture setting materials. We stock the common Unilock trim profiles on the truck, but full tile sets and Modular Bath components come from Unilock’s distributor, which usually runs 3 to 7 business days in Fort Lauderdale.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Unilock Bathroom Remodeling Is Failing
Here’s what we see most often walking into Fort Lauderdale homes with Unilock bathrooms that are showing their age:
- Grout cracking along the shower floor perimeter. This usually means the shower base shifted or settled, often because the substrate wasn’t prepped correctly or the original installer skipped the movement joint. Once water gets under the tile, the damage spreads fast.
- A musty smell that won’t go away, even after cleaning. That smell is trapped moisture behind the tile or inside the niche assembly. In a humid climate like Fort Lauderdale’s, it won’t dry out on its own, and if you’re smelling it, mold is already growing somewhere you can’t see.
- Loose or hollow-sounding tile when tapped. Hollow tile means the mortar bond has failed. Water intrusion is usually the cause, and if you wait, the tile will crack and the substrate below will start to rot.
- Discoloration or dark staining at the corners of the shower floor. This is water wicking up through the grout or behind the tile. The waterproofing layer has failed, and no amount of resealing will fix it.
- A vanity cabinet that’s swollen at the base or peeling at the seams. Bathroom humidity in Fort Lauderdale is relentless. Cheap cabinets fail in three to five years; quality cabinet boxes from companies like KraftMaid hold up far longer, but even they’ll fail if the room doesn’t have proper ventilation.
See the difference
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
A Unilock bathroom remodel in Fort Lauderdale runs $9,000 to $28,000. The spread comes down to scope, and we give you a written breakdown before any work starts.
Here’s how the numbers typically shake out:
- Small bathroom or powder room refresh: $5,000 – $12,000. New floor tile, toilet, vanity, and hardware. This is the “make it clean and functional” tier.
- Mid-range full bathroom remodel: $9,000 – $18,000. Unilock tile in the shower and floor, new vanity, new fixtures, new lighting, exhaust fan upgrade. Most Fort Lauderdale homeowners land in this range.
- Master bath with premium Unilock finishes: $18,000 – $28,000. Larger format Estate Stone tile, custom shower with bench and niche, double vanity, heated floor, and upgraded plumbing fixtures.
Every project includes demolition and disposal of the old materials, plumbing and electrical work needed to meet code, waterproofing, tile installation, fixture installation, and a written warranty. We don’t do change orders. The price we quote is the price you pay, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise means if something isn’t right within a year of completion, we come back and fix it at no cost to you.
DIY or Call Us?
You can safely handle a few things yourself: clearing loose debris from the drain, checking if a cabinet door hinge just needs tightening, or confirming whether the exhaust fan is actually pulling air. Beyond that, bathroom remodeling work hits a wall fast for most homeowners.
Tile work over a failed subfloor is not a weekend project. Plumbing a shower base to code in Fort Lauderdale requires a permit and inspection, and if you get the waterproofing wrong, you won’t know until the ceiling below starts staining. We’ve fixed several DIY bathroom remodels where the homeowner saved money on labor and then paid double to have the whole thing ripped out and redone correctly. If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, call us at (754) 354-3720. We tell you what we found, what it takes to fix it, and what it will cost before we touch a thing.
FAQs
How long does a Unilock bathroom remodel last in Fort Lauderdale?
A properly installed Unilock bathroom remodel should last 20 to 30 years with routine maintenance. The key variables are ventilation and waterproofing. Homes near the water in Fort Lauderdale deal with constant humidity and salt air, so we spec exhaust fans rated for at least double the square footage of the bathroom and use full-coverage waterproofing membranes behind every shower. If the original install skips either of those, the life span drops to 5 to 10 years, and we see that failure pattern regularly in older condos and homes along Las Olas and Rio Vista.
Can you repair a Unilock shower instead of replacing the whole thing?
Sometimes. If the damage is limited to grout, a single cracked tile, or a failing caulking line, a repair is worth doing. But if the shower floor moves, the tile sounds hollow, or there’s water damage behind the walls, a patch job just buys you a few months and the real problem keeps growing underneath. We’ll give you an honest read either way, and a free estimate either way. Call (754) 354-3720 and we’ll schedule a look.
How long does the Unilock bathroom remodeling job take?
A standard full bathroom remodel runs 2 to 4 weeks from demolition to final walkthrough, depending on the tile layout and whether we’re moving plumbing. We’ll give you a written schedule with the estimate so you know what to expect, and Isaac Pruett stays on the job personally to keep it moving. We don’t hand your project off to a random crew and disappear.
Do you stock Unilock bathroom parts on the truck?
We keep the common Unilock trim profiles, edge profiles, and drain assemblies on the truck, along with Schluter waterproofing materials and Laticrete setting materials. For full tile sets, Modular Bath components, and custom niche sizes, we order from Unilock’s distributor, which usually delivers to Fort Lauderdale in 3 to 7 business days. We’ll confirm stock and lead time when we give you the estimate.
Written by Isaac Pruett, Owner, Mason Remodeling Co Fort Lauderdale at Mason Remodeling Co Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
